"It's a serious clusterf*ck": Behind-the-scenes fury and panic roil key House primary

While Democrats across the country are pulling their hair out over Michigan's brutal Democratic Senate primary, a key House race in the state is also quietly giving party leaders heartburn.Why it matters: Infighting between establishment Democrats could create an opening for a progressive who many Democratic strategists and lawmakers are skeptical can win the seat in November.Moderate Democrats and party leaders' inability to coalesce behind a single candidate has become the source of considerable behind-the-scenes acrimony, Axios has learned."This has gotten really intense," said a senior House Democrat, who, like others quoted in this piece, spoke on the condition of anonymity to offer candid analysis on the race and the anger surrounding it."It's a serious clusterf*ck," a Michigan state legislator told Axios. "I am just sitting back eating popcorn because now it's so f*cked up it's just, 'Let's just enjoy this.'"State of play: Three Democrats are running in the primary to take on Rep. Tom Barrett (R-Mich.) in Michigan's 7th district, which President Trump won by just over a single percentage point in 2024.Bridget Brink: A career foreign service officer who resigned as ambassador to Ukraine last year over Trump administration policy, backed by the Democratic Women's Caucus.William Lawrence: A co-founder of the progressive climate organization Sunrise Movement, endorsed by the Congressional Progressive Caucus and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).Matt Maasdam: A retired Navy SEAL and military aide to former President Obama supported by Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.).What we're hearing: Slotkin, who represented the seat before Barrett, has rankled some colleagues and fellow Michigan Democrats by boosting Maasdam in the final stretch of the campaign.In addition to recruiting Maasdam and then endorsing him and cutting an ad on his behalf last week, Slotkin has lent her name to his fundraising texts and paid for internal polling on his behalf, according to emails and texts viewed by Axios and multiple sources familiar with the matter.A senior House Democrat said the frustration over Slotkin's push for Maasdam ranked some leading Democratic Women's Caucus members, telling Axios: "The Women's [Caucus] went apesh*t. And I mean apesh*t."What they're saying: Several Michigan Democrats fumed that Slotkin's support for Maasdam risks eating into the lead that Brink has held for much of the campaign and creating an even larger opening for Lawrence.State Rep. Jennifer Conlin, who described Slotkin as a mentor, told Axios she "found it so perplexing" the senator endorsed Maasdam given that Brink shares her background as a woman in national security."It's just very strange to me that she would be endorsing Matt," Conlin said.Another local elected official expressed confusion at Slotkin's support for Maasdam because, they told Axios, the senator has told local allies "very plainly" that any Democratic nominee in the district "has got to be a woman."The other side: "Sen