Democrats aim to reclaim House majority by boosting eight ‘top-tier candidates’

Democratic officials added eight new candidates to their slate of top contenders vying to reclaim a Democratic House majority during midterm elections this fall.

The candidates will receive a boost in fundraising and campaign support from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) as part of a “Red to Blue” program that seeks to help competitive candidates win elections in battleground states.

Republicans currently hold a five-seat majority in the House, but the president’s party historically loses seats in midterm elections. Donald Trump’s disapproval rating hit a record high this week, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll.

The poll found that among registered voters, Democrats hold a five-point advantage as the favored midterm party – momentum DCCC hopes to seize.

“These latest additions to our Red to Blue program represent the strength of our people-first message and the broad appeal of our top-tier candidates,” DCCC chair Suzan DelBene said in a statement Monday. “These candidates will win because they are authentic, independent-minded leaders who are rooted in their communities, demonstrating they have what it takes to win and fight to make life more affordable for hardworking families.”

Among the top contenders are two Texans, Grammy award-winning singer Bobby Pulido and the Bexar county deputy sheriff, Johnny Garcia, who are seeking election in newly redrawn districts after Trump aides put pressure on Texas officials to create five new Republican House seats before the 2026 midterm elections.

Red states, including Louisiana, Alabama and Tennessee, are rushing to revise their congressional maps after a supreme court ruling gutted key anti-discrimination protections in the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Analysts at the Council of Foreign Relations have said the ruling could upend midterm outcomes.

In Arizona, a red state that has not undergone controversial redistricting, DCCC has endorsed former broadcast journalist Marlene Galan-Woods, who left the Republican party in 2018.

“I have always been pro-choice, pro-democracy, pro-climate. My values have never changed. What changed was the Republican party,” Galan-Woods said in a 2024 televised debate.

Galan-Woods will be facing off against five other Democratic candidates in the Arizona race. In at least half of the races where the Democratic party is elevating a House candidate, there is a seriously contested primary, the New York Times reported.

Jasmeet Bains, a doctor and state assembly rep, will be running with DCCC’s support in another hotly contested California race. The group’s endorsement is a welcome boost to her campaign against Visalia school district board member Randy Villegas after both candidates failed to secure an official party endorsement during a February convention.

Bob Brooks and Bob Harvie joined DCCC’s list from Pennsylvania, with Jessica Killin in Colorado and Joe Baldacci in Maine. The group has endorsed a total of 20 candidates hailing from 12 states across the country.