Ivanka Trump Stumps For The GOP In Southern California

LOS ANGELES, CA — Ivanka Trump, daughter of President Donald Trump, is parlaying her popularity with Republicans into a series of Southland fundraisers with House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Bakersfield Monday.

Because she's not so popular in liberal Los Angeles, the location of her Los Angeles fundraiser is being kept under wraps. Trump and McCarthy will also attend a fundraiser in Fresno. Politico, which first reported the events, noted they will benefit Protect the House, a fundraising committee founded by McCarthy and Vice President Mike Pence aimed at ensuring the GOP maintains its majority hold on Congress.

"At the request of House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Ivanka Trump will be headlining a June 18 Protect the House fundraiser with the Leader in California," according to a Trump spokesperson's statement to Politico. "Ivanka developed a strong relationship with Leader McCarthy during their efforts to pass the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and its Child Tax Credit provisions. They also worked closely on Seta/Fosta legislation to combat online sex trafficking."

McCarthy looks to be the top contender to replace the retiring Paul Ryan, R-Wisconsin, as Speaker of the House.

Meanwhile, Democrats in California are ratcheting up criticism of Trump

Sabrina Singh, deputy communications director for the Democratic National Committee, issued a statement criticizing Monday's planned fundraisers, which she said are being held while "children are being detained and separated from their families" at the U.S.-Mexico border.

"Ivanka Trump claims to be an advocate for families in the Trump administration, yet she's nowhere to be found while men, women and children are suffering on the American border from this administration's inhumane family- separation policy," Singh said.

City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report. Photo: REX/Shutterstock