Washington — The latest fight over the direction of the Democratic Party is playing out in a competitive California congressional primary, as progressives accuse party leaders of trying to muscle a moderate past a Latino challenger in one of the state's most heavily Hispanic districts.The late intervention by the House Democrats' campaign arm has touched off an unusually public and persistent intraparty feud that began when the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee earlier this month added moderate California State Assemblymember Jasmeet Bains to its "Red to Blue" program. The program unlocks fundraising and organizational support for candidates the DCCC believes are best positioned to flip Republican-held U.S. House seats in November."This is just another perfect example of D.C. elites and industry being out of touch with what people are actually feeling on the ground," Randy Villegas, the progressive challenging Bains in the race, told CBS News.The two Democrats are competing to take on Republican Rep. David Valadao in a Central Valley district that the University of Virginia's Center for Politics rates a toss-up. The seat is seen as "the heaviest Democratic lift" of the five Republican-held California seats that were redrawn in the redistricting plan California voters approved last year.The DCCC's decision to intervene in the race highlights disagreements within the party over whether to back moderates or progressives. It also sends a mixed message about Democrats' efforts to regain ground among Latino voters after Republicans made inroads in 2024. The dispute is playing out in a district that Democrats view as essential to winning control of the House.A question of electabilityThe DCCC has defended its decision as the surest way to win a seat that could prove crucial to retaking the House. DCCC chair Rep. Suzan DelBene of Washington praised Bains' record as a Bakersfield physician and her overperformance in her 2024 state House race, where she ran more than seven points ahead of the top of the ticket. Bains has won twice in her state legislative district, which overlaps heavily with the 22nd Congressional District.