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House Democrats are on offense in key battleground districts across the Midwest.
New reporting from POLITICO outlines how DCCC Red to Blue candidates – including Carl Marlinga (MI-10), Christina Bohannan (IA-01), Lanon Baccam (IA-03), and Rebecca Cooke (WI-03) – are in their strongest positions yet following a surge in grassroots enthusiasm and investment in “red-tinted turf.” Several of these top-tier candidates are tied or pulling ahead of their extreme opponents in recent polling.
This enthusiasm follows the DCCC capitalizing on historic fundraising and expanding its offensive investments nationwide this August.
Read more about House Democrats’ efforts to flip vulnerable seats in the heartland below:
POLITICO: Inside Congress: House Dems’ ‘sleeper’ seats suddenly in sight
Sarah Ferris | Sept. 16, 2024
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Democrats believe their top-of-the-ticket energy could power a major comeback in states like Michigan, Wisconsin and Iowa. And it’s not just talk — they’re investing millions in the red-tinted turf.
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As new polling comes in, Democrats are increasingly directing money and manpower toward targets like Michigan’s 10th, Wisconsin’s 3rd and Iowa’s 1st and 3rd. Those were considered “reach” seats even just a few weeks ago — Donald Trump won them by between 0 and 5 points in 2020 — and flat-out unwinnable this spring.
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The crown jewel for many Democrats would be knocking out rising GOP star Rep. John James of Michigan. And in the latest sign of confidence, the Democratic leadership-aligned House Majority PAC will be going up on TV in the district starting Tuesday — a total buy of $1.4 million. That’s more than Democratic candidate Carl Marlinga himself spent all of last cycle, and he lost that matchup by just 1,600 votes.
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In Iowa, for instance, Democrats are preparing to spend big in Iowa’s 1st — where GOP Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks is showing some real vulnerability against Democratic state Rep. Christina Bohannan as Harris makes the state more competitive overall. One Democratic group found the two-term congresswoman has a net favorability of -11 points.
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It’s an even bigger battle in Iowa’s 3rd, where first-term GOP Rep. Zach Nunn is facing Lanon Baccam, a combat veteran who is polling within 1 point of Nunn, according to a person familiar with polling on the Democratic side.
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Then there’s Wisconsin’s 3rd, an unlikely seat that’s come into play with a prized Democratic recruit, Rebecca Cooke. A new poll by the Democratic House Majority PAC shows Cooke leading Republican incumbent Rep. Derrick Van Orden by two points, 49 percent to 47 percent. Trump won the district by 5 points.
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