The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) is sharpening its offensive for the November midterms, adding seven new districts to its target list on Monday as the GOP fights to maintain its slim House majority.
The expanded list now includes 36 seats currently held by Democrats, with the new additions coming from Alabama’s 2nd, Florida’s 14th and 22nd, Louisiana’s 6th, Missouri’s 5th, Ohio’s 1st, and Tennessee’s 9th congressional districts. Each of these seats was reshaped by redistricting, a process that has become a political battleground in several states.
In Louisiana, for instance, the state legislature was forced to redraw its map after the Supreme Court struck down a previous version that created a second majority-Black district, ruling it an illegal racial gerrymander. The newly drawn 6th District now includes Democratic Rep. Cleo Fields, but the nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates the race as “solidly” Republican. Fields faces a crowded field of GOP challengers—Monique Appeaning, Larry Davis, Christian Johnson, and Peter Williams—in the state’s nonpartisan primary. If no candidate clears 50%, the contest will go to a December 12 runoff.
NRCC Chair Rep. Richard Hudson (R-N.C.) framed the expansion as a response to what he called “vulnerable” Democrats defending “a wildly unpopular record and a radical socialist agenda.” He pointed to recent progressive primary victories in New York City and Denver as evidence of a leftward shift that could hurt Democrats in swing districts. “The NRCC will take the fight into their districts, hold every one of them accountable, and expand our House majority in November,” Hudson said in a statement.
Hudson’s confidence echoes his remarks last week at the Hill Nation Summit, where he argued that President Trump’s presence on the campaign trail will energize GOP voters. “We’ve got to drive up the motivation for our side. And part of that’s just communicating what’s at stake in this election,” he told NewsNation’s Mike Viqueira. The NRCC is betting that Trump’s ability to turn out the base—especially in districts like those in Florida and Ohio—will offset Democratic gains in suburban and urban areas.
Democrats, however, are equally bullish. DCCC Chair Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.) vowed at the same summit: “We are absolutely going to take back the House.” With the current 220-215 Republican edge, Democrats need to flip just three seats to reclaim the speaker’s gavel. But redistricting has made that math harder: many of the newly drawn maps favor Republicans, particularly in states like Florida, Ohio, and Missouri.
Decision Desk HQ’s latest forecast gives Democrats a 62% chance of winning the House, down from a 73% peak on June 4. That shift reflects the impact of redistricting and the tightening of key races. The NRCC’s expanded target list signals that the GOP is confident it can defend its majority, but the battle for control of the House remains a toss-up as both parties pour resources into the most competitive districts.
