News: The NRCC’s initial target list for the 2026 midterms includes 26 House Democrats, marking the opening salvo in the House GOP’s uphill battle to maintain control of the chamber. Let’s take a look:
In California, Republicans are targeting Reps. Josh Harder, Adam Gray, George Whitesides, Derek Tran and Dave Min. Gray, Whitesides and Tran all unseated GOP incumbents in November.
In New York, the NRCC is singling out Reps. Tom Suozzi, Laura Gillen and Josh Riley. All three flipped Republican seats in the past year.
Three Nevada Democrats — Reps. Susie Lee, Dina Titus and Steven Horsford — are on the NRCC’s list. National Republicans largely avoided spending any resources in those races in 2024.
In the Midwest, Republicans see chances to knock off Democratic Reps. Kristen McDonald Rivet (Mich.), Marcy Kaptur (Ohio), Emilia Sykes (Ohio) and Frank Mrvan (Ind.). Both McDonald Rivet and Sykes have been floated as potential Senate candidates in 2026.
In the South, Democratic Reps. Darren Soto (Fla.), Jared Moskowitz (Fla.), Don Davis (N.C.) and Eugene Vindman (Va.) are on the target list.
A number of members representing seats with significant Latino populations are deemed in play by the NRCC: Democratic Reps. Henry Cuellar (Texas), Vicente Gonzalez (Texas), Nellie Pou (N.J.) and Gabe Vasquez (N.M.).
New Hampshire Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas, who is exploring a run for Senate, is also on the target list.
Two leaders of the revamped Blue Dog Coalition round out the list: Democratic Reps. Jared Golden (Maine) and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (Wash.).
Nine of the NRCC targets are Democratic freshmen. Thirteen of the 26 are in districts that President Donald Trump won in 2024.
“House Republicans are in the majority and on offense,” NRCC Chair Richard Hudson said in a statement. “Republicans are taking the fight straight to these House Democrats in their districts, and we will unseat them next fall.”
Frontline comparison: The DCCC released its list of the most vulnerable Democratic incumbents — Frontliners — earlier this month. Reps. Jahana Hayes (D-Conn.), John Mannion (D-N.Y.) and Janelle Bynum (D-Ore.) all made the Frontline list but aren’t considered NRCC targets. And while Soto, Moskowitz and Pappas aren’t classified as Frontliners, the NRCC sees them as vulnerable.
