DCCC adds 12 Republican-held seats to its target list

Daniela Altimari, CQ-Roll Call on Aug 5, 2026

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WASHINGTON — House Democrats are zeroing in on 12 additional Republican targets in deep-red districts, nearly all of which President Donald Trump carried by double digits in 2024.

The new additions bring the total number of House seats targeted by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee to 58. And it reflects the party’s escalating confidence that, despite expected Republican gains through redistricting this cycle, Democrats will win control of the chamber in November by flipping seats that have long been out of the party’s grasp.

“House Democrats are expanding the battlefield deep into Trump terrain because we have a winning message focused on fighting for an Affordable America,” DCCC Chair Suzan DelBene of Washington said in a statement. “At the same time, MAGA Republicans who historically have considered themselves ‘safe’ have let down the people they were elected to represent, passing disastrous policies that are crushing working families and our communities.”

The committee’s updated “Districts in Play” list, released Wednesday, marks a significant expansion of the House battlefield.

Among the seats added is North Carolina’s 9th District, held by Rep. Richard Hudson, who chairs the National Republican Congressional Committee. Trump carried the seat, which extends from the Piedmont Triad area to parts of Fayetteville, by nearly 16 points two years ago, according to calculations by Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales. But Democrats hope Army veteran Richard Ojeda, a former West Virginia state senator who’s lost multiple bids for Congress, can pull off the upset.

Democrats are also targeting Colorado’s 4th District, which Trump carried by 18 points. The district, situated in the eastern part of the state, has been represented by Republican Lauren Boebert since 2025 (she previously represented the 3rd District, but switched before the 2024 election.) Democratic nominee Eileen Laubacher is a retired Navy admiral and has significantly outraised Boebert, federal filings show.

Two New York districts were added to the list — the upstate 21st District, where Democratic dairy farmer Blake Gendebien is seeking to succeed retiring GOP Rep. Elise Stefanik, and the 1st District on Long Island, where military pilot Chris Gallant is challenging second-term Rep. Nick LaLota.

The other newly targeted seats are:

Arkansas’ 2nd District, where former gubernatorial candidate Chris Jones is running against Rep. French Hill

Colorado’s 3rd, where Army veteran and former Aspen City Council Member Dwayne Romero is seeking to unseat freshman Rep. Jeff Hurd.

Florida’s 12th, where Air Force veteran Darren McAuley and former Hillsborough County Commissioner Kimberly Overman are competing in the Aug. 18 primary to take on Rep. Gus Bilirakis.

Indiana’s 5th, where state Sen. J.D. Ford is challenging Rep. Victoria Spartz.

Nebraska’s 1st, where former State Department official Chris Backemeyer is seeking to oust Rep. Mike Flood.

Nevada’s 2nd, where Democrat Teresa Benitez-Thompson, the former majority leader of the state Assembly, is running against Republican Air Force veteran David Flippo, who has Trump’s endorsement. The seat is currently held by retiring GOP Rep. Mark Amodei.

Tennessee’s 9th District, an open seat that transformed from a Democratic bastion to one that would have backed Trump by 21 points in the latest round of redistricting. Four Democrats are vying for the nomination, including state Rep. Justin Pearson, who rose to national prominence after his expulsion from the state House over a gun control protest, and state Sen. London Lamar, who has the backing of retiring Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen.

Texas’ 23rd District, another open seat following the resignation of Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales after he admitted to a sexual relationship with a staff member who later died by suicide. The Democratic nominee, former teacher and attorney Katy Padilla Stout, will face Republican Brandon Herrera, a Second Amendment activist and social media personality.