As the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, Devin Nunes has recently been in the spotlight for his pro-Trump support during recent impeachment inquiry hearings. But like all members of Congress, he has an election coming up in 2020 and his Democrat challenger says his campaign has seen an outpouring of support since the hearings began.

"We've received over $300,000 in contributions since the beginning of this impeachment hearing from over 10,000 individual contributions," said Phil Arballo, who is trying to win the seat for California's 22nd District — a seat which Nunes has held since 2003.

Arballo, a Mexican-American businessman, entered the Democratic primary for the seat in June but said his campaign has seen a "groundswell of support" since attention shifted to Nunes during the hearings last week.

"As a constituent of his, and I can tell you from talking to a lot of people every day here on the ground, it's embarrassing, that he's our representative, here. He does not represent us here," Arballo said of the Central Valley.

Nunes defeated his Democratic challenger in 2018, but Arballo thinks the tide will turn in 2020.

"It's a very winnable seat," he said. "Everything is trending in the right direction for our race next year."

Nunes is not the only Republican whose role in the hearings may be helping Democratic challengers. Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York's 21st Congressional District played a prominent role in the hearings. Her 2020 challenger Tedra Cobb, who unsuccessfully challenged Stefanik in 2018, announced her campaign raised $1 million the weekend after the impeachment hearings.

Share:
More In Politics
Barr Condemns 'Rioters' in Much-Anticipated House Testimony
Attorney General William Barr is defending the aggressive federal law enforcement response to civil unrest in America, saying “violent rioters and anarchists have hijacked legitimate protests” sparked by George Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police.
With No New Law to Curb Drug Costs, Trump Tries Own Changes
President Donald Trump has been unable to land the big deal he sought with Congress to curb drug costs. But now he's moving on his own to allow imports of cheaper prescription medicines, along with other limited steps that could still have election-year appeal.
Load More