Pro-crytpo group spending nearly $1.4m for Ansari as she and ​​Terán face off in CD3

Outside money is pouring into the contentious Democratic primary for the 3rd Congressional District as the race enters its home stretch.

Why it matters: The south and west Phoenix-based district is overwhelmingly Democratic, so the primary winner will almost definitely win the general election.

• Only two people have represented the district since 1991, and it's possible that whoever wins this year's election could hold the seat for many years.

The big picture: Phoenix City Council member Yassamin Ansari and Raquel ​​Terán, a former state lawmaker and Arizona Democratic Party chair, are vying for the open seat.

• Valley pediatrician Duane Wooten is also seeking the Democratic nomination.

The latest: Protect Progress , a pro-cryptocurrency super PAC that "supports Democratic candidates committed to securing the United States as the home to innovators building the next generation of the internet," reported Monday spending more than $1.3 million to support Ansari.

• The television airtime buy came with just two weeks to go before the July 30 primary.

Between the lines: ​​Terán had a significant edge in outside spending up until now.

Zoom in: Outside spending for Ansari is now more than $1.9 million, while outside groups have spent nearly as much helping ​​Terán.

• That's on top of the $1.7 million Ansari reported raising through the end of June and the $1.1 million ​​Terán raised.
• Ansari has also gotten about $350,000 in support from DMFI PAC, which backs pro-Israel Democrats.
• ​​Terán's biggest outside backers are Victory PAC, which has spent a half million dollars on canvassing, and the Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC, which has spent about $335,000 on mail and digital ads.

The intrigue: ​​Terán this week called out Ansari for receiving support from a super PAC partially funded by tech billionaires who are also backing former President Trump.

• Campaign finance records show that venture capitalists Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz each contributed $750,000 to Protect Progress last fall.
• Andreessen and Horowitz also plan to contribute to Trump, Axios' Dan Primack and Scott Rosenberg reported Wednesday.

What they're saying: "This is a blatant attempt by MAGA extremists to meddle in a Democratic primary and boost Yassamin Ansari. Democratic primary voters deserve to know who is doing this and why," ​​Terán said in a press statement.

The other side: Pasquale Luz, Ansari's campaign manager, accused ​​Terán and her supporters of false, misleading and negative attacks.

• "This desperate strategy does nothing to serve the voters. That is why Yassamin is focused on her progressive record of real accomplishments," he said in a statement to Axios.

Catch up quick: Ansari and ​​Terán are running for the seat being vacated by Rep. Ruben Gallego, who's running for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Kyrsten Sinema.