WASHINGTON, November 1 (ANI) — With all 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives set to be contested on November 3, as many as 16 closely fought races could prove decisive in determining which party controls the next Congress, according to ABC News.
The 16 districts, spread across several states, have been rated as “tossups” by ABC News, indicating that the contests are expected to be closely fought and could come down to the wire.
Democrats need a net gain of at least three seats to take control of the House in the 120th Congress.
According to ABC News, the competitive contests include Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District; Colorado’s 5th; Florida’s 14th and 22nd; Iowa’s 2nd; Kentucky’s 6th; Michigan’s 4th, 7th and 10th; Montana’s 1st; New York’s 17th; Ohio’s 7th; Pennsylvania’s 1st; Texas’ 15th and 35th; and Virginia’s 1st Congressional District.
In Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District, incumbent Democrat Shomari Figures is facing Republican state Representative Rhett Marques. The district was redrawn after the U.S. Supreme Court allowed Alabama to reinstate its 2023 congressional map, which had previously been blocked by a federal court. Figures is counting on strong turnout among Black voters, who make up about 40% of the district’s voting-age population.
President Donald Trump campaigned for Marques in Mobile on October 2 and urged voters to support him. Trump would have carried the newly drawn district by 14 percentage points in 2024.
In Colorado’s 5th District, Republican incumbent Jeff Crank is facing Democrat Jessica Killin, an Army veteran and former chief of staff to then-second gentleman Doug Emhoff. The district, which includes Colorado Springs and nearly all of El Paso County, has leaned left over the past three presidential election cycles, although Trump won it by about nine percentage points in 2024.
The Iran war has emerged as a key issue in the contest, with Crank supporting the war while maintaining that Trump should have sought congressional approval.
Florida has two tossup contests. In the 14th District, 10-term Democratic incumbent Kathy Castor is being challenged by Trump-endorsed Republican Mike Beltran. The seat became more competitive after Florida’s Legislature redrew the district, putting Castor on the defensive, ABC News reported.
In the 22nd District, an open seat following redistricting, Democrat Pia Dandiya faces Republican Casey Askar, a Marine Corps veteran. Both are political newcomers.
Iowa’s 2nd District is also an open seat, with Democrat Lindsey James, a state representative and chaplain, challenging Republican Joe Mitchell, a lobbyist and former state representative. The seat became vacant after incumbent Ashley Hinson entered the Senate race.
According to ABC News, Trump won the district by 10 percentage points in 2024, but the economic impact of the Iran war and tariffs on the agriculture-heavy district has made the contest competitive.
In Kentucky’s 6th District, Democrat Zach Dembo, a former federal prosecutor and Navy judge advocate general officer, is challenging Republican Ralph Alvarado, a physician and former state senator. The seat became vacant after Republican Andy Barr entered the race for the Senate seat held by Mitch McConnell. Redistricting in 2022 made the district more favorable to Republicans, although Barr remained a consistent target for Democrats after his 2012 election, ABC News reported.
Michigan has three competitive contests. Republican incumbent Bill Huizenga is facing Democrat Sean McCann in the 4th District, while first-term Republican Tom Barrett is contesting the 7th District against Democrat William Lawrence. The 10th District is an open seat, with Democrat Christina Hines facing Republican Mike Bouchard after incumbent John James entered the gubernatorial race.
Huizenga has the advantage of incumbency and substantially outperformed Trump in 2024. However, his race appears to be tightening as pollsters anticipate an unfavorable political environment for the president’s party.
Trump has campaigned for Barrett in the competitive 7th District, which Democrat Elissa Slotkin flipped in 2018 before winning a Senate seat in 2024. In another Michigan district, Trump carried the seat by more than six percentage points in 2024.
In Montana’s 1st District, Republican Aaron Flint, an Army veteran and conservative radio host, is contesting the open seat against Democrat Sam Forstag, a union leader and wildland firefighter. The seat became vacant following the retirement of Republican Representative Ryan Zinke. Trump won the district, which covers western Montana, by nearly 12 percentage points in 2024.
New York’s 17th District is another closely watched contest, with Republican incumbent Mike Lawler facing Democrat Cait Conley, an Army combat veteran. Lawler is among two Republicans seeking reelection in districts won by Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election.
In Ohio’s 7th District, Republican incumbent Max Miller is facing Democrat Brian Poindexter, a union organizer and ironworker. Miller’s reelection campaign has been affected by domestic assault allegations made against him by his former wife, Emily Moreno. Miller has denied wrongdoing and has not been charged with a crime, according to ABC News.
Pennsylvania’s 1st District will see Republican incumbent Brian Fitzpatrick face Democrat Bob Harvie, a Bucks County commissioner. Fitzpatrick has established himself as a moderate Republican and has broken with Trump on several policy issues.
Texas has two contests rated as tossups. In the 15th District, Republican incumbent Monica De La Cruz is facing Democrat Bobby Pulido, a Latin Grammy-winning Tejano singer. The contest is being closely watched as a potential test of Trump’s standing among Latino voters.
The 35th District is an open seat, with Democrat Johnny Garcia, a deputy sheriff, challenging Republican Carlos De La Cruz, an Air Force veteran and brother of Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz.
In Virginia’s 1st District, 10-term Republican incumbent Rob Wittman is facing Democrat Shannon Taylor, the top prosecutor in Henrico County. The district is among those where Harris outperformed former President Joe Biden’s 2020 performance in the 2024 election, indicating a shift toward Democrats, according to ABC News.
The outcomes of these closely contested races could play a significant role in determining the balance of power in the U.S. House of Representatives in the next Congress. (ANI)
About The Author
