[1]Swing LeftSwing Left
Hi there,
Last week Swing Left announced that we’re expanding our House targets list
for the 2026 midterm election. With the addition of 11 new swing
districts, we’re now targeting a total of 33 districts that could make the
difference in helping Democrats win back the House of Representatives next
year.
Today we’re taking a deeper look at 4 newly-formed districts (as a result
of redistricting) that have been added to our target map.
As a reminder of how we got here, Ohio was required to redraw its
congressional map this year due to the state legislature failing to adopt
a map with bipartisan support in 2022. And in California, in response to
gerrymandered maps passed by Republicans in Texas, voters approved new
maps with the passage of Prop 50.
With new maps in place, Swing Left has decided to add these swing
districts—2 currently held by Republicans in California and 2 held by
Democrats in Ohio—to our target races, as the work of the Swing Left
community has the potential to make the difference in who wins on Election
Day.
* California’s 22nd District is currently held by Republican Rep. David
Valadao, who was first elected to Congress in 2012. But since
California voters passed Prop 50 this November, Fresno’s urban and
suburban areas were added to the district under the new map, reducing
its Republican lean and prompting independent analysts The Cook
Political Report and Sabato’s Crystal Ball to classify it as a “toss
up.”
* California’s 48th District is currently held by Republican Rep.
Darrell Issa, who was first elected to Congress in the year 2000.
Although he won by nearly 20 points in 2024, his district was also
redrawn following the passage of Prop 50, and now includes more
Democratic-leaning portions of the Coachella Valley and surrounding
areas, sharply reducing the district’s Republican tilt. The Cook
Political Report and Sabato’s Crystal Ball also classify this district
as a “toss up” following redistricting this year.
* Ohio’s 1st District is currently represented by Democratic Rep. Greg
Landsman, who was first elected in 2022. His district was redrawn to
remove many urban Hamilton County voters and reintroduce GOP-friendly
suburbs and exurbs in their place, making this seat ultra-competitive.
Independent analysts rate the newly drawn district as a “toss up.”
* Ohio’s 13th District is currently held by Democratic Rep. Emilia
Sykes, also first elected in 2022. Last year, Rep. Sykes defeated her
Republican opponent by just 2.2%. While redistricting this year gives
Democrats a slight advantage in this district, the counties that make
up the seat have been trending towards Republicans over the last few
elections. This is expected to be a tight race that comes down to a
few points.
While Democrats are certainly entering 2026 with meaningful momentum,
strong results in 2025 won’t automatically translate into success next
year. These newly redrawn districts are now some of the most competitive
in the country—and winning them will require early organizing and
financial support.
There will be many opportunities in the months ahead to volunteer, and
we’ll keep you updated on ways to take action.
[ [link removed] ]You can also split a donation of $25, or any amount that
makes sense for you, between Swing Left and the future Democratic nominees
in each of our 33 target swing districts.
Your contribution supports Swing Left’s national organizing work,
including our innovative voter contact program, Ground Truth. It also
allows campaigns to go on offense on day one of the general election:
hiring staff, running ads, and reaching voters sooner before Republicans
go on the attack.
[ [link removed] ]Donate $25 Now
Together, we can put Democrats in the strongest position possible to flip
the House next year—and put a real check on Donald Trump’s agenda.
Thank you for reading, and make sure to stay tuned for another deep-dive
into more of our target swing districts coming soon.
Tomás Kloosterman
National Political Director, Swing Left
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