A progressive Democrat is running an economic populist campaign for a tough California swing seat, and the party establishment is spending big to stop him.

• Randy Vieas, a Bakersfield auto shop owner, is challenging DC-backed Jasmine Baines in the June 2nd primary for a Republican-held Central Valley seat.
• He's running on housing, healthcare for all, and banning Wall Street from buying up single-family homes — and says he leads by four points.
• Pro-Israel groups like DMFI and AIPAC-linked 314 are pouring a million dollars against him after his opponent waffled on calling Gaza a genocide.
• House Republicans are also quietly spending to boost him, suggesting both parties' insiders are guessing wrong about who's actually electable.

Outlook: The top-two jungle primary is June 2nd; if Vieas advances, he faces months more campaigning to flip the seat from Republican David Valadao.