House GOP eyes Spanberger’s seat amid reports she’ll run for Virginia governor
Cami Mondeaux
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House Republicans are turning their eyes and resources toward Virginia amid reports that Rep. Abigail Spanberger will forgo reelection, leaving a seat up for grabs in one of the most competitive districts of the 2024 cycle.
“Abigail Spanberger didn’t like life in the minority, joining a growing list of extreme Democrats clamoring for the exits,” said Delano’s Bomar, spokesperson for the National Republican Congressional Committee, the House GOP’s main campaign arm. “House Republicans are all hands on deck to add this seat to our column and grow our majority.”
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Other Republican groups were quick to seize on the news, citing Spanberger’s absence as a key pickup opportunity to expand their slim majority in the House next year.
“Abigail Spanberger’s departure makes an already competitive House seat all the more winnable next November and presents Republicans with a big opportunity to hold and expand the House majority,” said Courtney Parella, communication director for the Congressional Leadership Fund.
The reactions come after Politico reported on Friday that Spanberger has decided not to run for a fourth term but will instead run for Virginia governor. Spanberger’s absence would leave open a key seat in Virginia, a state that has become more competitive over the last few election cycles. Spanberger has held the seat since 2019.
Spanberger has not publicly announced her plans, and a spokesperson for the Virginia Democrat has not yet responded to a request for comment by the Washington Examiner.
Spanberger joins at least two other Democrats in competitive districts who have announced they won’t seek reelection in the House: Reps. Elissa Slotkin (MI) and Katie Porter (CA). Both Democrats are running for Senate in 2024.
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All 435 seats are up for grabs in 2024 as Republicans seek to hold their slim majority in the lower chamber. Of these, 42 are considered competitive, with most of those held by Democrats compared to Republicans, giving the GOP a slight advantage as it prepares for the next election cycle.
However, of the 42 competitive seats, 18 are held by Republicans in districts that voted for President Joe Biden in 2020, compared to just five Democrats who must defend their seats in districts carried by former President Donald Trump. That means there are just enough vulnerable GOP-held seats to keep things competitive heading into the next election cycle.