Democrats Flip Republican Strongholds in House Upset Wave
Democrats captured several House seats they had considered difficult or unlikely to win, reaching into Republican territory across the country. One notable loss was North Carolina Rep. Richard Hudson, who led the National Republican Congressional Committee. Richard Ojeda, a former Army major who had previously run for office in West Virginia, defeated him in the state’s 9th District. The upset came as Republicans struggled to support Senate candidate Michael Whatley against Democrat Roy Cooper.
In Colorado’s 5th District, former Army captain Jessica Killin unseated Rep. Jeff Crank, campaigning as a moderate and criticizing his support for President Donald Trump. In Nevada, Teresa Benitez-Thompson became the first Democrat to win the state’s 2nd District. Her opponent, David Flippo, faced accusations over his military record and late financial disclosures; Republican Rep. Mark Amodei declined to endorse him.
Democratic newcomer Mitchell Berman, an emergency room nurse, beat Wisconsin Rep. Bryan Steil by nearly four points. In Texas’ 23rd District, Katy Padilla Stout won by eight points after Republicans nominated YouTube personality Brandon Herrera to replace Rep. Tony Gonzales, who had said he would not seek reelection after admitting to a romantic relationship with an ex-employee, who subsequently took her own life.
Texas Democrat Leticia Gutierrez defeated Alex Mealer by more than 15 points in the 9th District, despite a Republican-favoring map drawn at Trump’s urging. In Indiana, state Sen. J.D. Ford beat Rep. Victoria Spartz by 3.4 points. The victories mark a broad reach into districts that had been considered safe for Republicans.
Democrats Break Through in Republican Districts
Democrats’ House gains reached well beyond the districts their party expected to compete in, defeating Republican incumbents and overcoming a map designed to make one Texas seat more conservative. In North Carolina, Richard Ojeda beat Richard Hudson, the Republican campaign committee’s leader, as Republicans struggled to rally behind Senate candidate Michael Whatley.
The wins also exposed the limits of Republican advantages in traditionally conservative districts. Former Army captain Jessica Killin unseated Jeff Crank in Colorado, while emergency room nurse Mitchell Berman defeated Bryan Steil in Wisconsin. In Indiana, Democrat J.D. Ford beat Victoria Spartz by 3.4 points, even though Donald Trump had carried the district by 17 points two years earlier.
Texas offered a particularly sharp rebuke to expectations. Leticia Gutierrez won the 9th District by more than 15 points after lawmakers redrew it at Trump’s urging to make it more Republican. Katy Padilla Stout also won the 23rd District by eight points, despite Democrats initially viewing the race as a long shot.
The results show that Republican-friendly maps and once-reliable district histories did not prevent voters from choosing Democrats. In Nevada, Teresa Benitez-Thompson’s victory made Democrats the party holding every congressional seat in the state.
Republicans Lose Safe Seats Amid Democratic Wave
Democrats’ gains swept through districts Republicans had counted on keeping, costing the party incumbents and seats with long conservative records. The losses included Richard Hudson in North Carolina, despite his role leading the National Republican Congressional Committee. Richard Ojeda defeated him as Republicans also struggled in the state’s Senate contest against Roy Cooper.
The defeats reached districts where Republicans had built substantial advantages. Bryan Steil had won his previous four Wisconsin races by at least nine points, and Paul Ryan represented the district for 20 years before him. Yet first-time candidate Mitchell Berman beat him by nearly four points. In Indiana, J.D. Ford defeated Victoria Spartz by 3.4 points in a district Trump had won by 17 points two years earlier.
Republicans also lost two Texas seats. Leticia Gutierrez beat Alex Mealer by more than 15 points in a district redrawn at Trump’s urging to favor Republicans. Katy Padilla Stout won the 23rd District by eight points after voters chose YouTube personality Brandon Herrera as the Republican nominee.
In Colorado, Jessica Killin beat Jeff Crank, while Nevada Democrat Teresa Benitez-Thompson captured a district that had never elected a Democrat. The results show the difficulty Republicans faced holding seats they had expected to retain.
Reported by The Philadelphia Inquirer, PBS NewsHour.
