Democratic campaign arm accused of trying to hinder progressive candidates in key Senate primaries

WASHINGTON - Progressive Senate candidates in at least two states are accusing a key Democratic Party campaign arm of actively working against them in primaries to help more moderate rivals favored by leadership as having a better shot of ousting GOP incumbents.

The efforts by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee come as the party seeks to retake the Senate majority from Republicans in 2020. But while early intervention may help prevent ugly primary battles, it is already heightening internal tensions between the party's centrists and progressives, and rekindling allegations of unfair meddling by party leadership.

Progressive candidates in Colorado and Maine - two of the most competitive 2020 Senate races - say political consultants and vendors have refused to work on their campaigns after being warned that doing so would