Democrats are building real momentum in their effort to take back the House in 2018, as the Cook Political Report changed their ratings on 12 House races with 11 of them moving towards Democrats.
As you can see from the chart below, Republicans are losing ground from coast to coast:
David Wasserman of The Cook Political Report wrote about the energy behind the 2018 Democratic House candidates, “Over the past week, the Cook Political Report has met with dozens of Democratic candidates sporting impressive resumes, ranging from military veterans and former Obama administration officials to prosecutors and scientists. Much like the GOP’s crop of candidates in 2010, only a handful were current or former elected officials. However, some campaigns have progressed more quickly than others and not all opportunities are created equal.”
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The key to tapping into the country’s frustration with the Republican majority in Congress is fresh faces and voices. If a new crop of Democrats wins seats in Congress, it will also end talk about how the Democratic Party is old and needs to bring in fresh blood. A new supply of rising young stars could arrive in the House as soon as January 2019.
At this point in any conversation about Democrats taking back the House, the topic of gerrymandering will always be used to throw cold water on the sense of optimism. The problem with gerrymandering is that it only works when the voters in the district show up. There are already indications that Republicans could be facing a massive turnout and motivation problem for 2018.
While there won’t be much clarity until this time next year, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan could soon be out of a job. Democrats are coming for the House, and their odds of victory continue to get better.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
