Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives will defend a narrow majority in the Nov. 5 elections. Below are some of the races to watch as Republicans and Democrats battle through 2024 for control of the chamber.
DEMOCRATS' GAZA DIVIDE Anger over the Gaza war has deeply divided Democrats this year, resulting in pro-Israel groups backing challengers to left-wing lawmakers, which most incumbents have so far held off. But progressive New York Democratic congressman Jamaal Bowman, a former school principal, will face a real challenge on Tuesday as he seeks his party's nomination to run for a third two-year term representing a district covering part of New York City and some of its suburbs. His challenger, Westchester County Executive George Latimer, has attacked Bowman's outspoken criticism of Israel's handling of the conflict in Gaza as well as over a vote against Democratic President Joe Biden's infrastructure bill. Bowman has pointed to the resources he has steered toward the district. Latimer has raised more campaign funds than Bowman, and polling suggests the primary will be competitive. The seat is considered safely Democratic, meaning that whoever wins the primary is favored to win the general election.
NEW YORK SUBURBS Republican Representative Nick LaLota's district, made up of a number of suburbs of New York City, is one of several seats Democrats are aiming for in their quest to recapture the House majority.
The leading Democrats seeking the nomination to challenge LaLota are former CNN journalist John Avlon and the former chair of a university's chemistry department, Nancy Goroff. Republican George Santos, who was expelled from Congress in December after being indicted over corruption charges, ended his long-shot independent bid to unseat LaLota in April. LAUREN BOEBERT'S SWAP Colorado will hold a special election on Tuesday to replace Republican Ken Buck, who left Congress before his two-year term was up.
Firebrand conservative Lauren Boebert, who won an unexpectedly narrow reelection bid in 2022 and who was facing a tough primary opponent in Colorado's 3rd Congressional District, has said she would run in Buck's old district instead. But Boebert, who would have needed to resign her seat to run for the special election, has said she would only run in the general election. The special election will include candidates such as Greg Lopez, a Republican former mayor who has pledged to serve as a placeholder through the end of Buck's term, and Trisha Calvarese, a Democrat who worked as a speechwriter in Washington before returning home to Colorado to care for her parents after they became ill.
The crowded Republican general primary also includes an Army veteran, a radio host and a former Republican leader in the state's general assembly. The seat is not considered competitive for the Democrats in the general election.
DEMOCRATS AIM AT SCHWEIKERT In Arizona's 1st District, Republican David Schweikert, who was first elected in 2010, is considered one of Democrats' top targets as they seek to gain control of the House. Schweikert narrowly won his reelection bid in 2022.
Among the half-dozen Democrats in the race to take him on are a first-time candidate who works in finance, a former White House speechwriter and former chair of the Arizona Democratic Party, and a doctor and state lawmaker. Arizona's primary elections are on July 30.
REPUBLICAN BID TO UNSEAT PEREZ First-term Democratic Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington state is seeking reelection, after initially edging out her opponent by 1 percentage point.
Hoping to face off against Perez is Joe Kent, who was the lawmaker's opponent in 2022 and who was endorsed by the state Republican Party in August. Kent has challenged the results of the 2020 election and raised conspiracy theories about the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Also seeking the Republican nomination is Leslie Lewallen, a former prosecutor and member of a local city council.
Washington's primaries will be held on Aug. 6. FILLING GALLAGHER'S SEAT
Republican lawmaker Mike Gallagher, who had been considered a rising star in his party, retired from Congress on April 25. Wisconsin scheduled a special election to fill Gallagher's seat through the end of his term for Nov. 5, the same day as the general election. A primary for the seat is scheduled for Aug. 13. So far, five people have filed to replace Gallagher in the general election: three Republicans and two Democrats. They include a state lawmaker, a former state Senate president and an obstetrician/gynecologist.
It is considered a safe seat for Republicans. VIRGINIA WHISTLEBLOWER WINS RACE Eugene Vindman, a former member of the National Security Council who helped sound the alarm on a call between former President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that led to Trump's first impeachment, won the Democratic primary to run for the seat in Virginia's 7th district.
He will face off against Derrick Anderson, who worked in the Office of National Drug Control Policy during former President Donald Trump's administration. The district, which is considered competitive, had opened up when Representative Abigail Spanberger opted instead to run for governor.
GOOD BATTLES FOR SEAT Bob Good, the head of the House Freedom Caucus, made some powerful enemies when he endorsed Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in the Republican presidential primary and was among the eight House Republicans who voted to oust Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
Trump, McCarthy and others threw their weight behind John McGuire, a former Navy SEAL, in the Republican primary. The two faced off in a June 25 primary, and no winner has yet been declared in the close contest. The district is not considered competitive for Democrats in the general election.
OHIO REPUBLICAN FACEOFF Michael Rulli, a Republican state senator, won a June 11 special election to replace Representative Bill Johnson of Ohio against Michael Kripchak, a Democrat who worked in the entertainment industry before co-founding an electronic signal location tracking company, in a June 11 special election. Johnson had stepped down to head Youngstown State University, leaving voters in his district to choose candidates to hold the seat through the rest of the term and also in the general election. Rulli and Kripchak will again face off in November's general election.
The district is heavily Republican.
(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
