The National Republican Congressional Committee on Monday added eight candidates to its target list, including several contenders in battleground seats that are key to the party’s hopes of maintaining control of the House.

The MAGA Majority program, a rebrand of the House GOP’s long-standing Young Guns effort, aims to provide challengers in Democratic-held or open districts with early support and visibility. House Republicans launched the rebrand last month by naming nine initial candidates to the list. 

As they defend their razor-thin House majority, Republicans face historic headwinds and a challenging political environment, including high energy costs and President Donald Trump’s sagging job approval numbers. 

But NRCC Chairman Richard Hudson expressed confidence that the GOP can overcome those challenges. 

“House Republicans are on offense, and this latest round of MAGA Majority candidates proves we’re not slowing down,’’ the North Carolina Republican said in a statement. “These are battle-tested leaders who reflect their districts and are ready to take the fight to vulnerable Democrats.”

The new additions to the list include three Republicans seeking open seats: San Diego County Supervisor and Navy veteran Jim Desmond, running in California’s 48th District; radio host and veteran Aaron Flint, running in Montana’s 1st; and Omaha City Council Member Brinker Harding, running in Nebraska’s 2nd.

Also joining the list are five Republicans running against Democratic incumbents: Marine Corps veteran Greg Cunningham, who is challenging Rep. Gabe Vasquez in New Mexico’s 2nd District; Nevada state Sen. Carrie Buck, who is seeking to unseat Rep. Dina Titus in the state’s 1st; video game composer Marty O’Donnell, who is running against Rep. Susie Lee in Nevada’s 3rd; former CIA officer Eric Conroy, who is challenging Rep. Greg Landsman in Ohio’s 1st; and Washington state Senate Minority Leader John Braun, who is running against Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Pérez in the 3rd District.

Cunningham, O’Donnell, Braun and Flint are all competing in districts that Trump carried in 2024, while Harding and Buck are running in districts that backed Kamala Harris.

Desmond is seeking a Southern California seat that shifted during last year’s redistricting from one that Trump won by 15 points to one that Harris would have carried by 3. Conroy is competing for a Cincinnati-area seat that shifted under Ohio’s new map from one Harris carried by 6 points to one that would have backed Trump by 3 points.