GOP Identifies More Vulnerable House Members
NRCC adds 10 more members to its Patriot Program
The National Republican Congressional Committee announced Tuesday that 10 additional lawmakers have been identified as members who could face tough re-election fights in 2018.
The House GOP’s campaign arm added those lawmakers to its Patriot Program, which supports Republican lawmakers in potentially tight races through fundraising and organizational assistance.
“Nancy Pelosi and national Democrats will stop at nothing to take back the House next November,” NRCC Chairman Steve Stivers said in a statement. “However, these ten are ready to do battle once again and I’m supremely confident they will prevail.”
Six of the ten additional members of the program represent districts that Democrat Hillary Clinton carried in last fall’s presidential contest. The Tuesday announcement follows the first round of 10 lawmakers added to the program in February. All of the current members of the Patriot Program were named on the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s 2018 target list.
Here are the latest 10 lawmakers named to the program:
Arizona Rep. Martha McSally: McSally narrowly won her first election in 2014, but the former Air Force pilot won re-election last fall by 14 points. Voters in the 2nd District in the southeastern part of Arizona supported Clinton in 2016 by roughly 5 points over President Donald Trump, according to calculations by Daily Kos Elections. Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales rates this race as Likely Republican.
California Rep. Jeff Denham: The four-term congressman represents a district that is roughly 40 percent Hispanic. Clinton carried the 10th District by 3 points. Inside Elections rates Denham’s re-election race as Leans Republican.
Colorado Rep. Mike Coffman: Coffman represents a district in the Denver suburbs with a sizable Hispanic population, including the city of Aurora. He was re-elected to a fifth term in 2016 by 8 points. Voters in the 6th District also supported Clinton by 9 points over Trump. Inside Elections rates this contest as Leans Republican.
Florida Rep. Carlos Curbelo: First elected in 2014, Curbelo represents the southernmost district in the Sunshine State. The son of Cuban immigrants, he won re-election by 12 points last fall but Clinton carried the 26th District by 16 points. Inside Elections rates this race as Tilts Republican.
Iowa Rep. Rod Blum: Blum was re-elected to his second term in 2016 by nearly 8 points. The former software developer represents the 1st District in the northeastern corner of the state. Trump won the 1st District by nearly 4 points but President Barack Obama twice carried the seat by double digits. Inside Elections rates Blum’s race as Leans Republican.
Iowa Rep. David Young: Young was first elected in 2014 and won re-election by nearly 14 points. The 3rd District is situated in the southwest part of the state and encompasses Des Moines. Trump carried the district by roughly 4 points. Inside Elections rates this race as Likely Republican.
Maine Rep. Bruce Poliquin: A Democratic target in 2016, Poliquin won re-election to a second term by nearly 10 points. Voters in the sprawling 2nd District in northern Maine backed Trump by 10 points though Obama carried the seat twice. Inside Elections rates this contest as Likely Republican.
Minnesota Rep. Erik Paulsen: The five-term congressman was re-elected in 2016 by nearly 14 points. But Clinton carried the 3rd District by 9 points. Inside Elections rates this race as Likely Republican.
Nebraska Rep. Don Bacon: Bacon unseated a Democratic incumbent last fall, winning by a point. The onetime congressional aide and retired Air Force brigadier general represents the 2nd District, which is based in Omaha. Trump carried the district by 2 points. Inside Elections rates this race as Lean Republican.
New York Rep. John Katko: The former prosecutor was first elected in 2014, and won re-election in 2016 by 21 points. But Clinton won the 24th District that encompasses Syracuse by nearly 4 points. Inside Elections rates this race as Likely Republican.
The previous ten lawmakers already named to the NRCC’s Patriot Program include: California Reps. David Valadao, Steve Knight and Darrell Issa, Florida Rep. Brian Mast, Minnesota Rep. Jason Lewis, New York Reps. John J. Faso and Claudia Tenney, Pennsylvania Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, Texas Rep. Will Hurd and Virginia Rep. Barbara Comstock.
Correction: An earlier version of this story misidentified the districts represented by Arizona Rep. Martha McSally and Iowa Rep. David Young.