At the Races: Democrats Announce for Wide Swath of Congressional Races – Roll Call
Democrats continued to announce their intentions for several congressional races on Monday, which ranged from tossup match-ups to crowded primary races to nearly hopeless cases in heavily Republican states.
Angie Craig lost last years open-seat race in Minnesotas 2nd District by less than 2 points. On Monday, the Democratic-Farmer-Labor candidate announced shed try to unseat last years rival, freshman GOP Rep. Jason Lewis.
Craig, a former health care executive, plans to spend the summer on a listening tour of the district before officially kicking off her campaign in the fall. Shes already been active in the district this year, holding an adopt a district town hall in the 2nd District with 1st District Rep. Tim Walz.
Minnesotas 2nd District had been safe Republican for years, but former Rep. John Klines retirement gave Democrats hope they could pick up the seat in 2016.
But Craig, like Hillary Clinton, fell short. President Donald Trump carried the district by 1 point. Former President Barack Obama carried the district in 2008 and again much more narrowly in 2012.
Democrats are targeting the seat again this year, going after Lewis for voting for the GOP health care plan earlier this year.
Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales rates the seat a Tossup.
--Simone Path
Sen. Orrin G. Hatch has yet to make a final decision about whether he is running for re-election, but the Utah Republican now has another Democratic challenger.
Salt Lake County council member Jenny Wilson announced Monday that she is taking on Hatch, who would be running for his eighth Senate term. But Wilsons bid would be an uphill battle in the deeply Republican Beehive State. Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales rates the race as Solidly Republican.
The Democrat said she has raised nearly $140,000 while exploring a Senate bid. Hatch, who chairs the Senate Finance Committee, raised just over $1 million during the second quarter ending June 30, finishing with more than $4 million in cash on hand, according to Hatch spokesman Matt Whitlock.
While Hatch sent some signals that he is running for re-election, he has not made a final decision, keeping Utah Republicans in suspense.
Wilson said in an April interview that she was aware of how much money would be necessary for a run, citing her previous experience as a congressional staffer and chief of staff for former Utah Democratic Rep. Bill Orton.
As an at-large member of the Salt Lake County Council, Wilson represents one-third of the states population. She is also the daughter of Ted Wilson, a former Salt Lake City mayor.
Wilson is also a member of the Democratic National Committees transition team, which focuses on how the party should approach GOP-leaning states.
-- Bridget Bowman
A former Navy officer and millionaire lottery winner announced he will challenge California Rep. Ed Royce as a Democrat.
Gil Cisneroswas a Republican until 2008, but left the party because he said he felt the GOP had become too ideological. After his service in the Navy, he worked as a shipping and distribution manager at Frito Lay.
Cisneros touted his endorsement from VoteVets, a liberal veterans group, the Los Angeles Times reported.
He and his wife won $266 million in Californias state lottery in 2010 and started the Gilbert and Jacki Cisneros Foundation, which funds scholarships for Latino students.
Royce won re-election in California's 39th Congressional District by 14.5 points in 2016. But the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is targeting Royce's district.
Inside Elections With Nathan L. Gonzales rates the race Leans Republican.
-- Eric Garcia
Rep. William Hurd said more districts should be drawn like his, defending Texas 23rd Congressional District ahead of a federal court decision on alleged racial gerrymandering that could impact the 2018 midterm elections.
My district is competitive, and thats a good thing ... because it forces people to talk to a broader sense of the community, Hurd said Saturday as the closing witness in a trial over whether the district lines should be redrawn.
Federal judges invalidated the 2011 district lines in March, finding that three congressional districts, including the 23rd District, violated the Voting Rights Act. The decision had no effect, however, because the state adopted a new interim map in 2013.
Civil rights groups and individuals argue that the new map is also discriminatory as it includes some of the original boundaries.
Federal judges said in March that the 23rd District lines from 2011 denied Latino voters equal opportunity and had the intent and effect of diluting Latino voter opportunity.
The two other districts found to be unlawful were the 35th District, represented by Democrat Lloyd Doggett, and the 27th District, represented by Republican Blake Farenthold.
Democrats are targeting Hurds seat, as former Democratic Rep. Pete Gallego considers challenging Hurd again. Hurd unseated the one-term Gallego in 2014 and the two faced off again in 2016.
Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales rates the 23rd District as Tossup.
--Kyle Stewart
Get breaking news alerts and more from Roll Call on your iPhone or your Android.
Read the rest here:
At the Races: Democrats Announce for Wide Swath of Congressional Races - Roll Call
- Democrats tout another special election as boost for party ahead of midterms - The Washington Post - December 31st, 2025 [December 31st, 2025]
- The Blue Road to Trump Hell: Norm Solomon on How Corporate Democrats Paved the Way for Autocracy - Democracy Now! - December 31st, 2025 [December 31st, 2025]
- Commentary: Democrats are on a roll. So why not fight one another? - Los Angeles Times - December 31st, 2025 [December 31st, 2025]
- Democrats are raising worries about Trump interfering in the midterms. The White House calls it 'fearmongering' - PBS - December 31st, 2025 [December 31st, 2025]
- After years on their back foot, here's why Democrats are feeling good about 2026 - CBC - December 31st, 2025 [December 31st, 2025]
- 3 Democrats running in the 8th Congressional District, setting up first primary in almost 20 years - WBAY - December 31st, 2025 [December 31st, 2025]
- Democrats Aim to Spotlight Republican Efforts to Rewrite the Jan. 6 Capitol Riot - The New York Times - December 31st, 2025 [December 31st, 2025]
- Prince Georges Democrats choose one of their own to fill vacant District 27A seat - News From The States - December 31st, 2025 [December 31st, 2025]
- Elizabeth Warren Says 'Economy Is Rigged' Against Hardworking Americans And Democrats Have To 'Fix It' - Yahoo Finance UK - December 31st, 2025 [December 31st, 2025]
- Trump Spent 2025 Making Trans Lives Unlivable. Its Time for Democrats to Defend Them. - The Intercept - December 31st, 2025 [December 31st, 2025]
- A Democrat won a special election for an Iowa state Senate seat, setting back Republicans bid to regain a supermajority in the chamber and drumming up... - December 31st, 2025 [December 31st, 2025]
- Rantz: Washington Democrats force struggling movie theaters to burn money on unwanted open captions - seattlered.com - December 31st, 2025 [December 31st, 2025]
- Letter | Democrats need to cut through the lies - The Cap Times - December 31st, 2025 [December 31st, 2025]
- VA imposes a near-total ban on abortions, drawing condemnation from Democrats - Stars and Stripes - December 31st, 2025 [December 31st, 2025]
- Will N.H. Democrats field a challenger strong enough to take on Governor Kelly Ayotte? - The Boston Globe - December 31st, 2025 [December 31st, 2025]
- What the Fall of the Whigs Can Teach Republicansand Democrats - The Dispatch - December 31st, 2025 [December 31st, 2025]
- House Democrats demand answers after President Trump says the U.S. struck drug-loading facility in Venezuela - WKYC - December 31st, 2025 [December 31st, 2025]
- After quiet off-year elections, Democrats renew worries about Trump interfering in midterms - Los Angeles Times - December 31st, 2025 [December 31st, 2025]
- HARRIS/McDANIEL: Democrats Cant Win In 2026 on Trump Resistance Alone - The Washington Informer - December 31st, 2025 [December 31st, 2025]
- After quiet off-year elections, Democrats renew worries about Trump interfering in the midterms - AP News - December 31st, 2025 [December 31st, 2025]
- Democrats' redistricting win sparks a new party war in California - Politico - December 29th, 2025 [December 29th, 2025]
- Democrats spy rare opening in rural America - Politico - December 29th, 2025 [December 29th, 2025]
- 5 Hard Truths Democrats Must Face on Education - Washington Monthly - December 29th, 2025 [December 29th, 2025]
- Trump calls for release of any Epstein files naming Democrats: "Embarrass them" - CBS News - December 29th, 2025 [December 29th, 2025]
- Democrats should avoid impeaching Trump at all costs | Opinion - USA Today - December 29th, 2025 [December 29th, 2025]
- House Democrats Demand More Support for Latino Candidates in 2026 - NOTUS News of the United States - December 29th, 2025 [December 29th, 2025]
- Trump urges Department of Justice to release names of 'all' Democrats in Epstein files - Anadolu Ajans - December 29th, 2025 [December 29th, 2025]
- Theres a whole new bench of progressive creators: how Democrats can catch up in the online space - The Guardian - December 29th, 2025 [December 29th, 2025]
- Trump demands US Justice Department embarrass Democrats with ties to Epstein - The Times of Israel - December 29th, 2025 [December 29th, 2025]
- Mass. Democrats are pushing back against the Trump administration. Theres only so much they can do. - The Boston Globe - December 29th, 2025 [December 29th, 2025]
- Meet the Montana GOP lawmakers who were kicked out of their party for voting with Democrats - CBS News - December 29th, 2025 [December 29th, 2025]
- The problem for Democrats is nominating candidates who are too far left: Former WH official - Fox News - December 29th, 2025 [December 29th, 2025]
- Trump says he cut ties with Epstein early, accuses Democrats and media of witch hunt against him - Anadolu Ajans - December 29th, 2025 [December 29th, 2025]
- Democrats Chances of Flipping the House From Republicans in 2026 - Newsweek - December 29th, 2025 [December 29th, 2025]
- The passage of Proposition 50, which redrew Californias congressional map, means that all of the states conservative north is likely to be represented... - December 29th, 2025 [December 29th, 2025]
- Ohio labor unions, traditional allies of Democrats, have drifted right - News 5 Cleveland WEWS - December 29th, 2025 [December 29th, 2025]
- Affordability? Abundance? Aspiration? As 2026 looms, which message will Democrats run with? - San Francisco Chronicle - December 29th, 2025 [December 29th, 2025]
- How will Republicans and Democrats respond to the delayed release of the Epstein files? - CBS News - December 29th, 2025 [December 29th, 2025]
- What Are the Odds Democrats Flip the House in the 2026 Midterms? - InsuranceNewsNet - December 29th, 2025 [December 29th, 2025]
- Im busy and focused on winning the House for the Democrats in 2026: Pelosi - ABC News - December 29th, 2025 [December 29th, 2025]
- Pelosi Confident Democrats Will Retake House in 2026, Jeffries to Become Speaker - VINnews - December 29th, 2025 [December 29th, 2025]
- US President Donald Trump is blaming the Democrats for the latest Epstein files release and is accusing them of pushing a hoax. - facebook.com - December 29th, 2025 [December 29th, 2025]
- With Trump in Power, Democrats Try to Redefine Themselves as Disrupters - The New York Times - December 25th, 2025 [December 25th, 2025]
- Democrats Are Ending the Year on a Particularly Dumb Note - Slate - December 25th, 2025 [December 25th, 2025]
- Opinion | Democrats hopes lie in a House win. But how much would it slow Trump? - The Washington Post - December 25th, 2025 [December 25th, 2025]
- 20 NC legislators are running unopposed, and they're all Democrats - WUNC - December 25th, 2025 [December 25th, 2025]
- Congressional Democrats push for remaining Epstein files to be released - CBS News - December 25th, 2025 [December 25th, 2025]
- E&E News: Senate Democrats threaten permitting talks over offshore wind - POLITICO Pro - December 25th, 2025 [December 25th, 2025]
- Makeovers are part of the prep for Democrats eyeing the White House in 2028 - Axios - December 25th, 2025 [December 25th, 2025]
- Missouri Democrats, outnumbered and at odds, face a test of unity - Missouri Independent - December 25th, 2025 [December 25th, 2025]
- Could a group of women veteran Hellcats help Democrats flip the House in 2026? - Reuters - December 25th, 2025 [December 25th, 2025]
- Republicans, Democrats have a way for clergy to rejoin Social Security rolls - Union-Bulletin - December 25th, 2025 [December 25th, 2025]
- Democrats are united in bashing GOP on Obamacare. Medicare for All could reopen a rift. - Politico - December 25th, 2025 [December 25th, 2025]
- Senate Democrats cut off permitting talks after Trumps wind farm pause - The Hill - December 25th, 2025 [December 25th, 2025]
- Democrats demand answers from Rubio on deal to send MS-13 informants to El Salvador - The Hill - December 25th, 2025 [December 25th, 2025]
- Mike Johnson warns of another Trump impeachment if Democrats win out in 2026 - Colorado Politics - December 25th, 2025 [December 25th, 2025]
- Democrats make plans to challenge DOJ on the release of Epstein files - thv11.com - December 25th, 2025 [December 25th, 2025]
- The Democrats Had One Huge Shutdown Win. Trump Tried to Thwart It. He Just Failed. - Slate - December 25th, 2025 [December 25th, 2025]
- Democrats Threaten Legal Action Over Epstein Files - WBOC TV - December 25th, 2025 [December 25th, 2025]
- The real lessons Democrats should learn from the fractured GOP coalition - Bleeding Heartland - December 25th, 2025 [December 25th, 2025]
- Theyre attacking their own: DC Democrats irked by surge of left-wing challengers with House majority on the line - CNN - December 25th, 2025 [December 25th, 2025]
- Wisconsin Democrats say they wont act like Republicans if they win a legislative majority in 2026 - Wisconsin Watch - December 25th, 2025 [December 25th, 2025]
- Democrats threaten legal action over unreleased Jeffrey Epstein files - cbs19.tv - December 25th, 2025 [December 25th, 2025]
- Democrats threaten legal action over partial release of Epstein files - CBS News - December 25th, 2025 [December 25th, 2025]
- The risks of Democrats embracing eat-the-rich populism - The Japan Times - December 25th, 2025 [December 25th, 2025]
- Democrats Try Out All of the Above Energy Pitch - Bloomberg - December 25th, 2025 [December 25th, 2025]
- White Christian clergy running for Congress as Democrats face skeptics in their own party - Anabaptist World - December 25th, 2025 [December 25th, 2025]
- House Democrats Squander the Opportunity of Trumpian Corruption - The American Prospect - December 25th, 2025 [December 25th, 2025]
- Democrats Are Getting Their Own MAGA Makeovers - The Daily Beast - December 25th, 2025 [December 25th, 2025]
- In Fraught US Energy Fights, All of the Above Is Now Democrats Pitch - Bloomberg - December 25th, 2025 [December 25th, 2025]
- How Democrats Used the Word Affordability to Take On Trump - The New York Times - December 21st, 2025 [December 21st, 2025]
- Democrats see health care subsidies leverage in shutdown deadline - thehill.com - December 21st, 2025 [December 21st, 2025]
- Democrats are making 2028 moves. Heres what to know - CNN - December 21st, 2025 [December 21st, 2025]
- Examining Democrats 2025 Victories in Pennsylvania and What They Could Mean for the Future - The Center for Politics at UVA - December 21st, 2025 [December 21st, 2025]
- DNC won't release its report on what went wrong for Democrats in 2024 - NBC News - December 21st, 2025 [December 21st, 2025]
- Even Democrats dont care if Bill Clinton is burnt by Epstein - The Times - December 21st, 2025 [December 21st, 2025]
- Andy Beshear builds buzz among Democrats for possible White House run - thehill.com - December 21st, 2025 [December 21st, 2025]
- Frustrations mount among survivors about House Democrats selective releases of Epstein files and photos - CNN - December 21st, 2025 [December 21st, 2025]
- House Democrats release more Epstein photos, including Bill Gates and a dinner full of wealthy philanthropists - Fortune - December 21st, 2025 [December 21st, 2025]
- If Democrats Campaign on Stopping Scam Calls, Theyll Be Re-Elected Forever - Home Current Affairs - December 21st, 2025 [December 21st, 2025]