Democratic Majority for Israel’s political arm is kicking off an ad campaign on Tuesday to boost Johnny Garcia, a sheriff’s deputy in Bexar County, Texas, in his Democratic runoff election later this month against Maureen Galindo, a San Antonio activist who has faced scrutiny for trafficking in antisemitic tropes.

“It’s not about what politicians say. It’s about what they do,” a new mailer from DMFI PAC says, while touting Garcia’s pledges to cut healthcare costs and invest in public schools as well as his background in law enforcement. “Johnny Garcia has always stood up and fought for working people across Texas.” 

The mailer, first shared with Jewish Insider, is part of a six-figure expenditure, a spokesperson for DMFI PAC confirmed.

With two weeks until the May 26 runoff, DMFI PAC is now prioritizing the race for Texas’ redrawn 35th Congressional District, a red-leaning open seat in the San Antonio area that national Democratic leaders believe could be competitive in November, depending on the nominee.

“Democrats need candidates who can build broad coalitions and win in November,” Brian Romick, the chair of DMFI PAC, told JI. “Johnny Garcia is a coalition builder who supports a strong U.S.-Israel relationship and has been clear in standing against antisemitism. His opponent, on the other hand, proudly embraces vile, antisemitic conspiracies and if she advances could put a Democratic House majority at risk.”

The mailers come as Galindo receives some unexpected help from a new pop-up super PAC linked to Republicans, called Lead Left PAC, that is spending in the race to bolster her bid, recent filings show, raising suspicions that the GOP is meddling in a Democratic contest to prop up a weaker candidate.

The group, whose website metadata links to an “America First” portal aligned with Republicans, is dropping $43,000 in mailers supporting Galindo. It has not yet disclosed its donors even as it also invests in other Democratic races across the country. 

Both DMFI PAC and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which is backing Garcia, have criticized the effort. Lead Left PAC did not respond to a request for comment.

Despite spending virtually no money, Galindo, who gained prominence on social media while promoting a range of conspiracy theories about Jews and Israel, narrowly finished first in the crowded March primary with 29% of the vote, two points ahead of Garcia, who placed second.

During the race, Galindo has said that Jews “own Hollywood” and “worship the synagogue of Satan,” railed against Israeli “blood money” and amplified baseless claims that the Department of Homeland Security is based in Tel Aviv, among other extreme remarks that were first surfaced by JI in March.

Asked to comment on her antisemitic social media activity, Galindo told The Washington Free Beacon last week that “billionaire Zionists and their puppet journalists are FAKE Jews who create antisemitism to harm and harvest off the real Jews.”

“We must end Zionism to protect the Jews and Semites,” she added in a statement, echoing recent comments to JI in response to questions about her rhetoric.

Last week, the DCCC added Garcia to its “Red to Blue” program for House candidates competing in battleground districts. The decision to intervene late in the contested race underscores how party officials see Galindo’s baggage as an impediment to claiming a potentially winnable seat, even in what is expected to be a wave year for Democrats.

For the GOP, which is fielding two candidates in the runoff, such baggage could be an asset, as Lead Left’s recent intervention — and pushback from Garcia and his allies — has suggested.

In a statement, Madison Andrus, a DCCC spokesperson, accused Republicans of “uplifting an openly antisemitic candidate to boost their dwindling chances.”

The nonpartisan Cook Political Report has ranked the election “likely Republican,” though other experts have called it a toss-up as Republicans face a difficult national political environment amid rising gas prices tied to the broadly unpopular U.S.-Israeli war in Iran.