Super PACs are the latest vehicle that millionaires and corporations are using to manipulate our political process. But a progressive congressman in New Mexico just showed that good progressive organizing withstand this Big Money onslaught.

Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) won his primary challenge yesterday, but not without a fight. A Super PAC calling itself the “Opportunity for All Committee” flooded his district with direct mail pieces alleging that he had taken money from insurance companies and consequently voted to cut Medicare by $716 billion. It also urged support for his primary opponentAi??Amanda Aguirre.

Rather than cave before this Super PAC, Grijalva decided to go on the offensive. He held a press conference where he identified the founder of the Super PAC, Carlos Sierra, as a former McCain staffer. He also pointed out that the organization is based in El Paso, Texas — far away from his district. A Tuscon news station asked Sierra where the funding for the mailers was coming from. He refused to give an answer. Watch the segment:

By law, Super PACs are supposed to disclose their donors, but the Opportunity for All Committee has yet to do soAi??– so it’s impossible to know just who was funding this deceptive mailers and the true extent of their links to Aguirre.

Because he stood up to Big Money and went on the offensive, Grijalva will continue to be a champion for progressive causes in Congress. He also laid out a path for other progressives who want to confront powerful interests but who are afraid of a Big Money backlash. The lesson of the Grijalva victory is clear: if you confront special interests head on, you can win — even against anonymously-bankrolled Super PACs.

Write a note congratulating Congressman Grijalva.