With midterm elections on the horizon, Democrats are planning to invest millions of dollars in challenges to Republican incumbents in deep-red districts. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) on Monday morning released the first of its picks for the party’s “Red to Blue” campaign, a bid to elect Democrats in congressional districts President Donald Trump won by relatively wide margins in the 2024 general election.

The campaign will target Arizona’s 2nd and 6th Congressional Districts, currently held by Reps. Eli Crane (R) and Juan Ciscomani (R), respectively; Iowa’s 1st and 3rd, held by Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R) and Zach Nunn (R); Michigan’s 4th, held by Rep. Bill Huizenga (R); North Carolina’s 11th, held by Rep. Chuck Edwards (R); Pennsylvania’s 8th and 10th, held by Reps. Rob Bresnahan (R) and Scott Perry (R); Tennessee’s 5th, held by Rep. Andy Ogles (R); Virginia’s 1st and 2nd, held by Reps. Rob Wittman (R) and Jen Kiggans (R); and Wisconsin’s 3rd, held by Derrick Van Orden (R).

Most of the GOP congressmen targeted by the DCCC campaign won their districts by modest margins in 2024, while Trump scored much higher numbers: Perry won Pennsylvania’s 10th District by 1.2 points against Trump’s 5.2, Bresnahan won Pennsylvania’s 8th by 1.6 points against Trump’s 8.6, Van Orden won Wisconsin’s 3rd by nearly three points against Trump’s 12.7, while Nunn won Iowa’s 3rd by a closer margin: 3.9 points to Trump’s 4.4.

While Ciscomani won Arizona’s 6th by only 2.6 points, he outperformed Trump, who won the district by less than 1% of the vote. Likewise, Edwards outperformed Trump in North Carolina’s 11th District, winning by nearly 14 points, while Trump won by fewer than 10, and Huizenga outperformed Trump Michigan’s 4th District by six percentage points. While Crane won Arizona’s 2nd District by an impressive nine points, he was still outperformed by Trump, who won by 15 points. Ogles won Tennessee’s 5th District by the highest margin, 17.4 points, nearly matching Trump’s 18.2 points. Regardless, with the exception of Arizona’s 6th, Trump won all the targeted districts by modest to sizable margins, including three districts he won by double digits.

The “Red to Blue” campaign aims to equip each of the named Democratic candidates with the DCCC’s war chest and promotional prowess, but the party’s hand-picked candidates still have to win their contentious primaries before facing their Republican opponents. Jamie Ager, for example, vying for North Carolina’s 11th District, still has three opponents for the Democratic nomination, while Elaine Luria in Virginia’s 2nd District faces five opponents, and Shannon Taylor in Virginia’s 1st District faces a staggering seven primary opponents. According to Axios, at least one opponent in each of those races has accumulated at least six figures in fundraising.

In a press conference last week, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) touted Democrats’ efforts to secure a majority in the House, pointing to recent Democratic wins in off-year and special elections. “It’s happening. Democrats are going to take control of the House. The only question is, ‘What’s the margin?’” Jeffries suggested.

“Someone needs to buy the DCCC a gift card to help pay for all the lipstick they’re putting on the pig that is their recruitment class,” National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) spokesman Mike Marinella countered in a statement. “Their pathetic list of deeply radical candidates consists of recycled losers, far-left activists, and full-blown socialists who will be soundly rejected by voters across the country.”

One such socialist is Rebecca Cooke, running in Wisconsin’s 3rd District. A pro-abortion radical endorsed by groups like EMILY’s List, Cooke has proposed housing “affordability” schemes similar to those embraced by New York City mayor and self-described socialist Zohran Mamdani (D).

In comment to The Washington Stand, Van Orden’s campaign spokeswoman Grace Kim lambasted the Democrats’ attempt to unseat Republican incumbents. “The DCCC backing certified loser Rebecca Cooke proves how crazy their party has become. Wisconsinites have rejected this Midwest Mamdani twice, and they will reject her again this November,” Kim said. “Republicans will maintain and expand the House majority by continuing to deliver on our promises under President Trump and drawing a clear contrast between Democrats’ America last policies.”