House Democrats plan early for expanded 2026 map with recruiting push
House Democrats launched a new effort Wednesday to recruit challengers for Republican districts in Arizona, Michigan, California and Virginia that were not contested this year, as a first step to taking back control of the House after falling just three seats short.
“The way we are looking at it is we have to start seeding the ground, recruiting the right candidates now, knowing that Democrats could shift the ground with Donald Trump and Republican control in Washington,” said Mike Smith, president of House Majority PAC, an independent group closely aligned with Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-New York). “We are focused on expanding the map and recruiting candidates that have voted Republican but shifted toward Democrats in recent years.”
The list of new targets includes Republican Reps. Bill Huizenga in Michigan’s 4th District in the southwest part of the state, Rob Wittman in Virginia’s 1st District in the Richmond suburbs, Elijah Crane in Arizona’s 2nd District, which includes some Phoenix exurbs, and Kevin Kiley in California’s 3rd District in the northern Sierra Nevada.
The group will launch a 2026 Recruitment Fund to find strong Democratic candidates for those seats and at least 25 others, including longtime Democratic targets such as the New York seat held by Michael Lawler, the Arizona seat held by Juan Ciscomani and the Wisconsin seat held by Derrick Van Orden, who all held off well-funded challenges this year.
https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2024/12/11/house-democrats-plan-early-for-expanded-2026-map-with-recruiting-push/76919377007/