US House Midterms Tighten as GOP Targets Seven Democratic Districts

The National Republican Congressional Committee added seven Democratic‑held districts to its target list for the upcoming 2026 House midterms. The districts include Alabama’s 2nd, Florida’s 14th and 22nd, Louisiana’s 6th, Missouri’s 5th, Ohio’s 1st and Tennessee’s 9th, bringing the NRCC’s list to 36 districts held by Democrats. NRCC chair Rep. Richard Hudson warned that “vulnerable” Democrats are “stuck defending a wildly unpopular record and a radical socialist agenda,” and pledged to “take the fight into their districts” to expand the Republican majority.

Generic polling shows Democrats holding a modest national lead of about 4.7% on the RealClearPolitics average, with most polls indicating a 2‑4 point edge. Historical comparisons note the 2018 margin was double the current lead. Analysts point out that the district‑by‑district system enables Republicans to win a majority of seats even if the overall popular vote favors Democrats.