Recently, the political winds have shifted in eight closely contested congressional districts across the country, and with less than two months until Election Day, Democrats continue to ride a wave of enthusiasm for their new presidential candidate.
Six districts are moving in Democrats' favor and only two are moving in Republicans' favor, the nonpartisan analysis found. Cook Political Report.
Meanwhile, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana has been traveling the country this summer campaigning for Republican lawmakers in an effort to maintain his slim four-seat majority in the House.
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House Speaker Mike Johnson and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries are battling for control of the House. (Getty Images)
Two of the left-leaning districts were won by President Biden in 2020 but are held by Republicans Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) and Rep. Michelle Steele (R-CA), who were both rated “close” from “Republican lead.”
Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, who switched from Republican to Democrat in 2020, has seen her race go from a “probable” Republican victory to one tilting in Republican favor.
Three Democratic seats — held by Reps. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio and Henry Cuellar, D-Texas — also became safer for the left.
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Moskowitz and Cuellar's race forecasts have shifted to a sure Democrat win and a “likely to win” Democrat, respectively, while Kaptur's seat was previously listed as a “close race” but is now leaning toward a Democratic win.
However, in Alaska, a state won by former President Trump in 2020, the race for Rep. Mary Peltola's seat is a “50-50” contest, and Democrats could lose the House seat.
Rep. Marcy Kaptur's re-election race is expected to be more favorable for Democrats than in previous years. (Bill Clark)
Colorado's 3rd District is being vacated by Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) to run in the nearby 4th District, but it is “likely” that Republicans will retain the district after she leaves office.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), the House Democrats' campaign arm, jubilated over Cook's latest update on Friday.
“While House Democrats continue to build momentum and grassroots enthusiasm across the country, House Republican incumbents and candidates continue to suffer disastrous losses,” DCCC spokesperson Viette Shelton said in a statement to reporters promoting the update.
Until Biden's shock decision in late July to drop out of the 2024 presidential race, Republicans appeared set to win both the White House and Congress.
Since then, Democrats have been riding a wave of enthusiasm for their new candidate, Vice President Kamala Harris, despite the lack of a broad policy platform and few unscripted media appearances.
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But at least one House Republican who spoke to Fox News Digital this week was bullish about the chances of a GOP victory.
“If these prediction sites are to be believed, Donald Trump has a 42% chance of becoming president. He has about a 60% chance of winning the Senate and a 55% chance of keeping the House. So this is a better hand than the cards we have right now,” the Republican said.
“I'll say this: If Donald Trump is elected, we will likely have a Republican-controlled House and Senate.”
A Republican House member predicted that if Donald Trump wins the presidential election, Republicans would keep the House and take control of the Senate. (Getty Images)
Last month, House Republican leaders expressed concern about losing fundraising to Democrats.
Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), the House GOP's campaign arm, acknowledged that he had raised alarm bells with comments to Fox Business in August.
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“That's true. We've seen fundraising on the Democratic side skyrocket, so I've warned my candidates and my colleagues in Congress that we've got to stand up and keep doing what it takes to win,” Hudson said at the time.
He called the response from House Republicans “great,” adding, “They all stepped up. Several of them even pledged to donate more money to the committee. … I think people are ready for a fight.”
Fox Business' Grady Trimble and Fox News' Tyler Olson contributed to this report.
