A political action committee formed by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti dedicated to helping the Democratic Party regain control of Congress in 2018 raised more than $100,000 for the South Carolina Democratic Party, the committee announced Wednesday.
The Tuesday evening fundraiser was held at the Hancock Park home of Showtime CEO David Nevins and his wife, director and producer Andrea Nevins, with South Carolina Democratic Party Chair Trav Robertson, Democratic National Committee Associate Chair Jaime Harrison, SCDP Chief of Staff Phillip Chambers and former South Carolina state Rep. Anton Gunn in attendance.
Hosts for the $250-$25,000 fundraiser included actress and television personality Nicole Richie and her husband, Joel Madden, the lead vocalist for the pop punk band Good Charlotte, according to an invitation obtained by City News Service.
The Democratic Midterm Victory Fund raised over $279,000 through March 31 since it was started by Garcetti late last year, according to the Federal Election Commission.
“If we ignore races outside of Washington, we allow the GOP to gerrymander and solidify their position in a state and in Congress,” Yusef Robb, a political adviser to Garcetti, said about the fundraiser. “We allow them to drive turnout. We allow them to enact their agenda into law, and whether you are affected by a state law or federal law, for the individual affected, it’s the same.”
Robb added that “it’s a smart investment given whom we are entrusting with these funds — we heard about SCDPs strategy and could see instantly their ability to execute tactically when we were in South Carolina in February. We know this team has what it takes to win now, and make smart investments that will set the stage for more victories long into the future.”
Garcetti has said he is considering a presidential campaign in 2020. The PAC offers him an opportunity to become involved in national politics while he has also visited early primary or caucus states like Iowa and New Hampshire.