House Democrats are setting their sights on a host of Republican-held districts as they aim to take back control of the House in 2026.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) on Tuesday released a list of 35 “competitive” Republican-held seats that they are targeting as potential key pickup opportunities for the 2026 election cycle. The DCCC’s list follows the Democratic Party’s brutal election loss in November 2024, when Republicans gained control of the White House and both chambers of Congress in November 2024.
“House Republicans are running scared, and they should be,” DCCC Chair Suzan DelBene wrote in the press release. “They’re tanking the economy, gutting Medicaid, abandoning our veterans, and making everything more expensive. In short, they’ve lost the trust of their constituents, and it’s going to cost them the majority. House Republicans are so scared, they’ve decided to hide from the public, refusing to answer questions and hold in-person town halls.”
The DCCC’s target list notably includes several districts that Trump won by large margins, including at least 10 districts that he swept by double digits, according to an analysis from NBC News’ Decision Desk.
“House Democrats are in disarray and on defense, and their pipe dream target list is further proof,” House Speaker Mike Johnson told the Daily Caller News Foundation in a statement. “Meanwhile, House Republicans will continue delivering on our common sense agenda and stay on OFFENSE to GROW our majority in 2026.”
Notably, the list includes just three House Republicans representing districts that former Vice President Kamala Harris won in November 2024, Republican New York Rep. Mike Lawler, Republican Pennsylvania Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick and Republican Nebraska Rep. Don Bacon.
The list also includes several names that were not included in the DCCC’s target list for the 2024 election cycle, including Republican Florida Rep. Cory Mills, Republican Iowa Rep. Ashley Hinson, Republican Tennessee Rep. Andy Ogles, Republican Ohio Rep. Max Miller, Republican Ohio Rep. Mike Turner, Republican Ohio Rep. Mike Carey and Republican Michigan Rep. Bill Huizenga. The decision to include these lawmakers likely stems from the margins in the 2025 Florida special elections being closer than anticipated, though the Democratic Party still lost both races.
Some of the House seats that the DCCC are eyeing as potential pickup opportunities include those of Republican Michigan Rep. John James, who announced Monday that he is making a bid in his state’s 2026 gubernatorial race, and Republican Kentucky Rep. Andy Barr, who is reportedly considering making a Senate run.
“It’s a week after April Fool’s Day, but the DCCC is still joking around with this laughable list in a pathetic attempt to distract voters from their party’s terrible approval ratings,” National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) Spokesman Mike Marinella told the DCNF. “Voters aren’t buying it, and they know Democrats are too extreme, too unpopular, and totally out of touch.”
Congressional Democrats have been facing declining job approval ratings among voters, with just 21% of voters approving of the way that Democrats in Congress are handling their positions, marking a new record low, according to a Quinnipiac University poll published Feb. 19.
The list also names three Florida Congressional Republicans, Mills, Republican Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna and Republican Florida Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar — as potential targets, despite Trump sweeping the state in the 2024 presidential election. Trump notably won Florida by a whopping 56.1% of the vote to Harris’ 43.0%.
Similarly, the NRCC in March released a list of 26 Democratic-held seats that are seen as potential pickup opportunities for House Republicans to grow their razor-thin majority.
Democrats have been grappling with sharp divides in their own party as they struggle to decide on messaging that will resonate with voters. The Democratic Party is also facing record-low favorability ratings, which plummeted to just 29%, according to a CNN poll conducted by SSRS released March 16.
The DCCC did not respond to the DCNF’s request for comment.
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