House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries' members went at it today after their official campaign arm endorsed several swing-district candidates who are still facing opposition in their primaries.

Why it matters: The blowup is dredging up an intense, long-standing debate over whether Democratic leadership is acting undemocratically to boost the candidates it views as more electable.

• "Voters, not the DCCC, should pick Democratic nominees," leaders of the Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC said in a statement we first reported.
• Rep. Linda Sánchez (D-Calif.), chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus' BOLD PAC, fumed about several Latino candidates being passed over for endorsements.
• "Latino voters and candidates ... are not a small factor in the fight for the House majority; they are central to it," she said.

Driving the news: The DCCC announced eight new endorsements as part of its "Red to Blue" program, which provides resources and fundraising support to Democratic candidates running to unseat Republican incumbents.

• "Candidates earn a spot in the program by surpassing aggressive goals for grassroots engagement, local support, campaign organization, and fundraising," the DCCC said in its press release announcing the picks.
• Five of the eight face opposition in their Democratic primaries.

What we're hearing: "I think the DCCC owes House Democrats an explanation, and I would not be surprised if a number of members decide to put their DCCC giving on hold," one House Dem said.

• "Some of these decisions ... are very perplexing,"

The other side: A source familiar with the DCCC's thinking disputed the notion that the members would have been caught off guard by the endorsements, telling us the committee notified many lawmakers in advance and explained the reasoning behind them.

• The source also stressed that the DCCC has gotten involved in competitive primaries in the past.
• "It's imperative that Democrats must take back the House," said DCCC spokesperson Viet Shelton.

Flashback: DCCC chair Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.), asked by us last fall about endorsing in contested primaries, said: "We have, in a small number of cases, gotten involved."

• But in "most of these cases, the voters are going to have the decision on who the primary candidate is going to be."

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— Andrew Solender

Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-N.C.) told a young female staffer that she had "written a complex chapter in my heart" shortly before she was set to leave his office, according to a handwritten letter he sent her that was reviewed by Axios.

Why it matters: Edwards' conduct toward her and another female staffer in her 20s is part of what prompted the House Ethics probe against him, a source familiar with the matter told us.

• Three sources told us they witnessed conduct by Edwards toward those staffers that crossed professional boundaries and created an uncomfortable work environment. The sources were granted anonymity to protect against potential retaliation.
• One of the staffers expressed to those around her — several times during and after her time working for him — her discomfort with Edwards' behavior, three sources said. That staffer declined to discuss her interactions with Edwards when contacted by us.

Zoom in: Edwards and the woman spent time vacationing together in Las Vegas, months after she had left his office, according to two sources familiar with the trip.

• Edwards expressed deep personal affection for the staffer in a three-page, handwritten note: "I only wish I could explain the joy and meaning to me for the time we spent together at the office — but especially away from it," the letter read.
• Edwards also bought the staffer personal gifts while she was employed by him, including jewelry, according to three sources with direct knowledge of the gift.
• Edwards also gave gifts, including a purse, to the second staffer and took her as his guest to events, such as the 2024 White House Christmas party, the three sources said.

Edwards did not respond to multiple attempts to seek comment for this story.

• But in a statement Thursday to us in response to a request for comment about the Ethics investigation, Edwards said: "I welcome any investigation, given the professionalism my staff has demonstrated and my commitment to serving the people of Western NC. Given the current political environment we are facing in our nation, it comes as no surprise that others with their own political agendas will attempt to raise false accusations in order to create news stories."

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— Kate Santaliz