U.S. House Republicans release details of the quest for U.S. House Republicans to retake the majority from Speaker Nanci Pelosi. They intend to target 47 Democrat-held districts in November 2022.
In a memo, The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) detailed the GOP is only five seats away from most House members. They believe Republicans can be competitive in 47 Democrat-held districts. With redistricting, changes are in the works to change district lines, and some sections will move into or out of individual states around the country. The new districts are to be determined later this year. The fact that Republicans are already focused on retaking the lower chamber of Congress is warming the hearts of depressed GOP voters.
With the title, “Path to a Republican Majority,” the memo from NRCC executive director John Billings to “interested parties” celebrates GOP pickups defied by oddsmakers, pollsters, and forecasters, across the board. House Republicans, despite other issues in some Senate races and at the White House level, exceeded expectations gaining more than a dozen seats in November. Political experts in Washington projected a loss of five, ten, or more.
“After a successful 2020 cycle — where House Republicans flipped 15 seats and elected a historically diverse class — Republicans are just five seats short of a majority and are strongly positioned to flip the House in 2022,” Billings wrote in the memo.
Pelosi and President Biden’s “socialist agenda” is seen as being “forced” upon Americans, with Biden’s anti-job executive orders “throwing bipartisanship out the window.” Several House Democrats are planning their exits from Congress because “they know the majority is at risk,” due to Pelosi’s and House Democrat’s decision to focus on conspiracy theories.
“Since WWII, the president’s party has lost an average of 27 House seats in midterm elections,” Billings wrote. “With full control of the federal government, House Democrats will be held responsible for their socialist agenda and efforts to increase the government’s involvement in every aspect of voters’ lives.”
“To maintain their majority, House Democrats will need to defy history and defend policies toxic to hardworking Americans. To hold Democrats accountable for their socialist agenda, the NRCC is strategically targeting at least 47 vulnerable Democrat members in 2022,” he continued. “These 47 offensive targets are broken down into three categories: Battleground, Underperforming Democrats and Redistricting Watch.”
Republicans need to flip a net of six seats to take the majority back in the midterm elections of November 2022. Historical trends and redistricting send extra districts to red states such as Texas, Florida, Montana, and more. Republicans are in a prime position to do just that.
According to the NRCC memo, the 47 target Democrats in trouble, the party committee has broken it into three categories. “There are 29 Battleground Democrats that include seven districts President Biden lost or where the 2020 presidential or congressional margin was within 5%,” Billings wrote. “Next, there are 8 Underperforming Democrats, who won by less than 10% and underperformed the presidential ballot margin. Finally, there are 10 Redistricting Watch Democrats, who currently represent districts in states gaining or losing seats during the reapportionment or have a redistricting commission.”
The memo also says the GOP in these seats has the advantage of polling and among undecided voters. “NRCC polling data from the 2020 cycle in these 47 seats shows Democrats hold just a one-point advantage on the generic ballot,” Billings wrote. “Additionally, among those seats, undecided voters lean Republican by three points.”
The 29 “Battleground Democrats” are the core targets for Republicans to flip seats, according to the NRCC memo. “The list includes members where Joe Biden lost their district in 2020, several who underperformed the top of the ticket, and four newly added members who were not targeted the last cycle,” the memo says of these.
With NRCC identifying the underperforming Democrats those “who won by less than 10% and underperformed the presidential ballot.” There are eight, of those “eight, seven were targeted the last cycle.” The remaining ten districts, titled in the memo “Redistricting Watch,” seats. The NRCC believes they present “opportunities for Republicans to defeat Democrats in states that will lose or gain seats after redistricting.” The “list includes two new targets from the last cycle as well as four Democrats in states that are losing seats in which the incumbent underperformed the top of the ticket.”
Under fire are the following 47 House Democrats:
The Battleground Democrats (29):
- Rep. Tom O’Halleran (D-AZ)
- Rep. Josh Harder (D-CA)
- Rep. Charlie Crist (D-FL)
- Rep. Carolyn Bourdeaux (D-GA)
- Rep. Cindy Axne (D-IA)
- Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-IL)
- Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-IL)
- Rep. Jared Golden (D-ME)
- Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI)
- Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI)
- Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN)
- Rep. Andy Kim (D-NJ)
- Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ)
- Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-NJ)
- Rep. Susie Lee (D-NV)
- Rep. Steven Horsford (D-NV)
- Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR)
- Rep. Susan Wild (D-PA)
- Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-PA)
- Rep. Conor Lamb (D-PA)
- Rep. Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX)
- Rep. Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX)
- Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX)
- Rep. Filemon Vela (D-TX)
- Rep. Elaine Luria (D-VA)
- Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA)
- Rep. Kim Schrier (D-WA)
- Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI)
Underperforming Democrats (8)
- Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA)
- Rep. Mike Levin (D-CA)
- Rep. Lucy McBath (D-GA)
- Rep. Sean Casten (D-IL)
- Rep. Sharice Davids (D-KS)
- Rep. Chris Pappas (D-NH)
- Rep. Kurt Schrader (D-OR)
- Rep. Collin Allred (D-TX)
Redistricting Watch (10)
- Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick (D-AZ)
- Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA)
- Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-CT)
- Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-FL)
- Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN)
- Rep. Deborah Ross (D-NC)
- Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ)
- Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY)
- Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY)
- Rep. Antonio Delgado (D-NY)
In the conclusion of the document, the GOP’s argument has a “clear path,” returning to the majority in two years. A historically large majority could be built by starting so close to the finish line.
“Republicans have a clear path back to the majority. President Biden, Speaker Pelosi, and House Democrats will continue to push a radical, partisan agenda that is too extreme for middle-class families,” Billings wrote. “The NRCC enters this cycle with more net cash on hand than the DCCC, and House Republicans are fully prepared to bring the fight to House Democrats. With a proven record of strong candidate recruitment, aggressive messaging, and the necessary resources, Republicans will win back the House in 2022.”