Democrats have added six House seats that former President Donald Trump won by significant margins to their target list for the upcoming midterm elections. These districts include New York's 21st and Tennessee's redrawn 9th, both won by Trump by 21 points. Democrats are also contesting Senate seats in traditionally Republican states like Kansas, which hasn't elected a Democrat since 1932. The race in Kansas is now considered competitive after Democratic candidate Adam Hamilton tied with incumbent Senator Roger Marshall in recent polls, leading to concerns within the GOP.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-05,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
House Democrats have expanded their target list of Republican-held districts with six new additions to the DCCC's "Red to Blue" program less than a month before midterm elections. The newly targeted seats include Arizona District 2, Colorado District 3, Florida District 27, Nevada District 2, New York District 21, and Tennessee District 9. These districts were previously won by Donald Trump with margins ranging from 10 to 21 points in the 2024 election. The DCCC will provide fundraising support, strategic guidance, and additional resources to candidates like Chris Jones, Eliott Rodriguez, Blake Gendebien, Teresa Benitez-Thompson, Justin Pearson, and Dwayne Romero. Democrats aim to highlight their efforts on lowering costs for everyday issues such as healthcare, housing, groceries, gas, and more, in contrast to the Republican's fundraising advantages. Republicans warn this move signals Democratic desperation despite previous success in these conservative areas.
Written for “Dems Target Gop Held Seats” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The model judged this article politically coded and scored it -0.35, but all 3 of its quote(s) are attributed speech - words the article quotes from someone, not the article's own narration, so the score is not published.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score withheld for article 57644: attributed speech only · logged 2026-10-05
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Democrats have added six House seats Donald Trump carried by double digits in 2024 to their target list less than a month out from the midterms.
asserted
Trump → sign → midterms
The reddest of the six are New York's 21st District and Tennessee's redrawn 9th, both of which Trump won by 21 points.
asserted
Trump → redrawn → points
Blake Gendebien is running in the former and Justin Pearson in the latter.
asserted
Gendebien → run → latter
Chris Jones is running in Arkansas' 2nd, which Trump carried by 16, and Eliott Rodriguez in Florida's 27th, which he won by 15.
asserted
he → run → 15
Teresa Benitez-Thompson is contesting Nevada's open 2nd, which Trump won by 14, while Dwayne Romero is running in Colorado's 3rd, which he took by 10.
asserted
he → contest → 10
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee added the candidates to its 'Red to Blue' program on Sunday.
asserted
Committee → add → Sunday
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said 'the strength of our frontline incumbent members is giving us the opportunity to more aggressively go on offense in places that Donald Trump won, in some instances, comfortably in 2024.'
asserted
Trump → say → 2024
Democrats are projected to pick up at least 15 House seats and between one and five in the Senate, according to Cook Political Report analysis published last month.
uncertain
Democrats → project → analysis
Republicans are also facing Democratic challenges for Senate seats in deep-red states, including Kansas, which hasn't elected a Democrat to the chamber since 1932.
asserted
which → face → 1932
Donald Trump speaks to reporters at the White House alongside House Speaker Mike Johnson on Tuesday
Teresa Benitez-Thompson (pictured) is contesting Nevada's open 2nd, which Trump won by 14, while Dwayne Romero is running in Colorado's 3rd, which he took by 10
The GOP's own campaign chief, National Republican Senatorial Committee chairman Tim Scott, has conceded the race is in play.
asserted
race → speak → play
'I think if you look at Kansas, it's a very competitive state, more competitive than I'd like to see it,' Scott said on a press call on Wednesday, before adding, 'but the fact of the matter is that we're going to win in Kansas.'
asserted
we → think → Kansas
Senator Roger Marshall is tied at 45 percent with Democrat Adam Hamilton, a megachurch pastor, according to a New York Times/Siena poll of 605 voters conducted between September 22 and 30.
uncertain
Marshall → tie → September
Cook moved the race from 'likely Republican' to 'lean Republican' on September 23.
asserted
Cook → move → September
Marshall, a former OB-GYN, sued patients over unpaid medical bills, the New York Times reported, a controversy Cook cited when it shifted the race.
asserted
it → sue → race
He has also faced residency questions since selling his Great Bend home 10 days after being sworn into the Senate in 2021, the Kansas City Star reported.
asserted
Star → face → 2021
Democrats need to flip at least three seats in the House to regain control of the lower chamber, and four in the Senate, where Republicans hold a 53-47 advantage, including two independents who caucus with Democrats.
asserted
who → need → Democrats
The current makeup of Congress is 218 Republicans to 214 Democrats, with one vacancy in each party and one seat held by Californian Kevin Kiley, a Republican who switched to independent earlier this year after his seat was redistricted.
asserted
seat → hold → independent
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York speaks during a news conference at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, September 30, 2026
Senator Roger Marshall listens as Vice President JD Vance speaks during an event in Olathe, Kansas on September 14, 2026
The Iran war and its impact on the economy remains the number one issue facing Trump's party.
asserted
war → speak → party
Republican Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana told reporters last week: 'I'm not going to tell the voters, "Oh, it's President Biden's fault, and it's not that bad, you shouldn't believe your checkbooks."
asserted
you → tell → checkbooks
Kennedy, whose home state backed Trump by 22 points, added: 'The main reason for the resurgence in inflation is the Iran war.
asserted
reason → back → inflation
I think they appreciate the truth, but they're angry.'
asserted
they → think → truth
The Aporia
