US election: Ahead of results, here are 10 House races we should keep an eye on
As the election draws nearer, here are 10 races to watch out for.
With the US election drawing closer than ever, various competitive races will determine the chamber’s majority in the next Congress, with all 435 House seats on the ballot. While Republicans are defending a slim majority, Democrats require a net gain of four seats. This year, a single-seat majority could also be possible.
Whether Kamala Harris will be elected or Donald Trump, we will learn soon. Ahead of the results, CNN listed 10 races to watch on Tuesday, October 5.
Virginia’s 7th District
On Tuesday night, this contest between Democrat Eugene Vindman and Republican Derrick Anderson will be closely watched. Both of them are Army veterans and lawyers.
Nebraska’s 2nd District
The number of crossover districts has been declining in recent years. There are as many as 21 such districts as we enter Tuesday’s elections, 16 of which are Republican-held seats that President Joe Biden would have won four years ago. One is the Omaha-area seat belonging to GOP Rep. Don Bacon. In 2016, he defeated Rep. Brad Ashford by a little more than a percentage point, and now faced a rematch with Democrat Tony Vargas. Bacon defeated Vargas back in 2022 by less than three points.
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Maine’s 2nd District
At present, there are five seats represented by Democratic members of Congress that former president Trump would have carried during the 2020 election. Democratic Rep. Jared Golden, who has challenged his party on issues like spending to immigration, has declined to endorse Harris. Trump-endorsed Austin Theriault is Golden’s opponent.
Michigan’s 7th District
The race between two former state senators – Democrat Curtis Hertel and Republican Tom Barrett – has reportedly spent a whopping $37 million in ad spending since early September. According to AdImpact data, this is the second most of any House race in the country. Barrett ran against Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin in 2022, and lost by more than five points. Hertel has ties to Michigan’s popular Democratic governor Gretchen Whitmer, and his family has political roots in the state.
Colorado’s 8th District
This year, both parties have freshman members running in a presidential cycle for the very first time. Democratic Rep. Yadira Caraveo, who is a paediatrician and former state legislator, went on to win a newly created seat in the northern suburbs and exurbs of Denver, and faces a challenge from GOP state Rep. Gabe Evans. Evans is a Mexican American and a former Army helicopter pilot and police officer.
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Pennsylvania’s 10th District
GOP Rep. Scott Perry won his most recent race in 2022 by nearly 8 points, even though he has been in the midst of controversies for a long time, including after he supported Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. He is being challenged by Democrat Janelle Stelson, a political newcomer who worked for years as a news anchor and reporter in Central Pennsylvania.
New York’s 19th District
The 19th District is being represented by GOP Rep. Marc Molinaro, who won the seat back in 2022 by less than two points. Molinaro faced a rematch with Democrat Josh Riley, who is a lawyer who served as counsel to former. Sen. Al Franken on the Senate Judiciary Committee.
California’s 45th District
The 45th District, based in Orange and Los Angeles counties, has a constituency that is nearly 40% Asian American and over 30% Latino. At present, the seat is held by GOP Rep. Michelle Steel, a Korean immigrant who was first elected in 2020. Steel is facing off against Democrat Derek Tran, who is a US Army veteran and first-generation Vietnamese American.
North Carolina’s 1st District
The 1st District has Democratic Rep. Don Davis, an Air Force veteran. Davis, who won his 2022 race by a little less than five points, has retired Army colonel and political newcomer Laurie Buckhout as his opponent.
Iowa’s 3rd District
Iowa’s 3rd District is one of the places voters can keep an eye on for signs of how Trump is faring. GOP Rep. Zach Nunn, an Air Force officer who was first elected in 2022 after defeating Democratic Rep. Cindy Axne, is running against Lanon Baccam, the son of refugees from Laos.