House Democrats grow more bullish about midterms as target list expands

Daniela Altimari, CQ-Roll Call on Oct 2, 2026

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

WASHINGTON — Democrats are adding eight more House districts in deep-red terrain to their offensive target list, another sign of the party’s growing confidence that it will reclaim the House majority.

Among the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s new targets are seats in Kansas, Michigan and Virginia that Donald Trump carried by around 20 points or more in 2024. Also on the list: Texas’ 9th District, a Houston-area seat redrawn to give Republicans a boost.

“Almost one month out from the November election, Democrats are continuing to expand the midterm map into deep red territory as Republicans run scared,” DCCC Chair Suzan DelBene said in a statement.

With the new additions, the DCCC’s Districts in Play program now includes 66 districts, nearly double the total at the end of the 2024 cycle.

Republicans have previously dismissed the DCCC’s ever-growing battlefield as wishful thinking that does not accurately reflect the state of play in the run-up to November.

But Democrats are counting on a blue wave powered by deep dissatisfaction with Trump’s policies, including tariffs and an unpopular war in Iran that are driving up costs.

The newly targeted districts are:

•Kansas’ 2nd District, where retired veterinarian and Army Captain Don Coover is challenging GOP freshman Rep. Derek Schmidt. (Trump carried the seat by 20 points in 2024, according to calculations by Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales.)

•Michigan 1st, where lawyer Callie Barr is running against fifth-term Rep. Jack Bergman. (Trump +21 points)

•North Carolina 13th, where lawyer Paul Barringer, who also founded an outdoor clothing line, is taking on freshman Rep. Brad Knott. (Trump +16)

•New Jersey’s 2nd, where Cape May Mayor Zack Mullock is challenging four-term Rep. Jeff Van Drew, a former Democrat who switched to the GOP in 2019. (Trump +13)

•Oklahoma’s 5th, where nonprofit professional Jena Nelson, a former Oklahoma Teacher of the Year, is seeking to unseat third-term Rep. Stephanie Bice. (Trump +18)

•Texas’ open 9th District, where Democrat Leticia Gutierrez, an environmental activist, is pitted against Republican Alex Mealer, a retired Army captain and former investment banker. (Trump +20)

•Virginia’s 6th, where author and former journalist Beth Macy is challenging fourth-term Rep. Ben Cline, the vice chair of the Republican Study Committee. (Trump +24)

•Washington 5th, where former foreign service officer Carmela Conroy is running against Republican freshman Michael Baumgartner. (Trump +11)

Inside Elections rates all the races Solid Republican, with the exception of the contest for Texas’ 9th District, which is rated Likely Republican.