WASHINGTON — House Democrats on Friday identified 29 members who are most at risk in the 2024 elections.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s initial list of Frontline members, shared first with CQ Roll Call, includes incumbents from districts that President Joe Biden lost in 2020, such as Reps. Mary Peltola of Alaska, Marie Gluesenkamp Pérez of Washington and Matt Cartwright of Pennsylvania.
It also includes lawmakers who had tougher-than-expected races in 2022 or who hail from battleground states — such as Michigan, Nevada and Pennsylvania — where presidential and Senate races will dominate the airwaves.
The DCCC provides incumbents in the Frontline program with extra fundraising and messaging help. The designation signals to potential benefactors, from big-money contributors to small-dollar digital donors, where to send their cash. It’s the first Frontline list as the party enters a new cycle in the minority and with its new leadership roster that no longer includes former House Speaker and mega fundraiser Nancy Pelosi at the helm.
DCCC Suzan DelBene of Washington said in a statement her party was “well positioned” to retake the House because of members’ advocacy for their communities.
“House Republicans have shown voters their caucus is more concerned with political investigations, empowering extremists, and seeking power for themselves, than working to improve the lives of everyday families — and that will stand in clear contrast to the formidable Democratic Frontliners,” she said. “Democrats will have great offensive opportunities in 2024, and holding onto these seats is key to our path to reclaiming the majority.”
The Frontline list does not include GOP-held seats in such states as California and New York that House Democrats view as part of their formula for winning the majority in 2024. The DCCC will identify those targets later, and will include them in programs such as its Red to Blue designation. The Frontline list also does not include open-seat swing districts, such as Michigan’s 7th, where Rep. Elissa Slotkin is leaving to run for Senate.
“Even before the parties know their full list of offensive targets, it’s pretty easy to figure out where they’ll be playing defense,” said CQ Roll Call elections analyst Nathan L. Gonzales. “There’s no harm in an early warning system to point potential donors and partners to the incumbents who might be in the most trouble. Vulnerable incumbents might not have challengers yet, but they can start raising money now with the expectation of a serious race.”
Democrats need to win a net five seats to take back the majority in 2024. The DCCC raised more than $8 million in January, according to Federal Election Commission records, and had $17.2 million cash on hand. It also held $16 million in debt.
Its GOP counterpart, the National Republican Congressional Committee, raised more than $4.5 million in January, FEC records show, and had $17.5 million on hand and $14 million in debt.
Along with Cartwright, Gluesenkamp Pérez and Peltola, the initial list of Democrats includes:
-- Mike Levin of California
-- Yadira Caraveo of Colorado
-- Jahana Hayes of Connecticut
-- Nikki Budzinski and Eric Sorensen of Illinois
-- Frank J. Mrvan of Indiana
-- Sharice Davids of Kansas
-- Jared Golden of Maine
-- Hillary Scholten and Dan Kildee of Michigan
-- Angie Craig of Minnesota
-- Don Davis and Wiley Nickel of North Carolina
-- Chris Pappas of New Hampshire
-- Gabriel Vasquez of New Mexico
-- Susie Lee and Steven Horsford of Nevada
-- Pat Ryan of New York
-- Greg Landsman, Marcy Kaptur and Emilia Sykes of Ohio
-- Andrea Salinas of Oregon
-- Susan Wild and Chris Deluzio of Pennsylvania
-- Abigail Spanberger of Virginia
-- Kim Schrier of Washington
