House Democrats are expanding their map of midterm target districts by adding three more congressional races in Alaska, Michigan, and Wisconsin to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s “Red to Blue” program.
The DCCC announced it is investing the program’s resources into the challengers seeking to oust GOP Reps. Nick Begich (R-AK), Tom Barrett (R-MI), and Bryan Steil (R-WI). The three additional districts bring the number of GOP districts targeted by the House Democrats’ campaign arm up to 40.
“The three candidates added to our Red to Blue program today represent the very best of their communities—unbought, practical leaders who know what it takes to win in tough districts,” DCCC Chairwoman Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-WA) said in a statement. “The American people have soured on the GOPs’ broken promises and failure to lower costs. With less than 50 days until the election, voters are ready to send a clear message to House Republicans and elect new leaders that will fight for them.”
By targeting these three districts, House Democrats are throwing their weight behind Democratic candidates Will Lawrence and Mitchell Berman in Michigan and Wisconsin, respectively, and independent candidate Bill Hill in Alaska.
Lawrence, the founder of the progressive climate group Sunrise Movement, is taking on incumbent Barrett in the race to represent Michigan’s 7th District around Lansing. The Democrat is a former socialist who let his Democratic Socialists of America membership lapse in an effort to bring “people together” around the Democratic ticket after his primary against a more centrist Democrat. Lawrence is endorsed by lawmakers such as Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Ro Khanna (D-CA) and is running on ideas including healthcare for all, a yearlong federal data center moratorium, and ending the Iran war.
Cook Political Report ranks Barrett’s Michigan district as a toss-up, and the limited Democratic-sponsored polls show a tight race swinging either way between Barrett and Lawrence.
In a statement, NRCC Spokesman Mike Marinella bashed the DCCC’s backing of candidates like Lawrence, who has a 2013 felony charge of resisting arrest and obstructing a law enforcement officer that he received during a climate protest.
“The DCCC endorsing a socialist felon who wants to defund the police, ban fracking, and raise your taxes tells you everything you need to know about the state of House Democrats. The DCCC is scraping the absolute bottom of the barrel with radical activist candidates who couldn’t win a student council race, let alone a seat in Congress,” Marinella said.
Berman, a nurse, is running against incumbent Steil in Wisconsin’s 1st Congressional District in November. He is prioritizing issues involving lowering the cost of living through raising the federal minimum wage and supporting affordable healthcare through restoring the Obamacare subsidies. Cook Political Report still lists the race as Likely Republican, while limited polling has mainly shown either Steil in the lead or an even race.
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In Alaska’s at-large House race, independent candidate and commercial fisherman Hill advanced to the general election to take on Begich alongside Democratic federal prisoner and perennial candidate Eric Hafner and Libertarian Jim McDermott. The DCCC is backing Hill, who has a largely Democratic-leaning “Alaska First” agenda of taxing billionaires and corporations, supporting fisheries, and cutting taxes for the middle class.
Begich’s district is still considered likely Republican, while polls largely lean in his favor.