Cook Report shifts 12 House races, all but one toward Democrats

The Cook Political Report on Wednesday updated its analyses of a dozen House races, shifting all but one more in favor of Democrats as the party looks to expand its majority in the chamber.

Illinois Rep. Cheri Bustos (D) saw her race against Republican Esther Joy King shift from “likely Democratic” to “lean Democratic,” the lone advancement on the list for the GOP.

According to the report, three elections — in Illinois, Michigan and Minnesota — that had previously leaned towards the Republican candidates are now seen as toss-ups, and two toss-up races, in Florida and Virginia, have now become more likely wins for the Democratic Party.

NEW: 12 House rating changes in #CA50 #FL26 #GA06 #IL13 #IL17 #KS03 #MI03 #MN01 #MN02 #NC09 #VA02 #WA03

Read @Redistrict‘s latest anaysis (): https://t.co/PF72q7arr5 pic.twitter.com/NuqLjkv46I

— CookPoliticalReport (@CookPolitical) October 21, 2020

Democrats recaptured the House in the 2018 midterms, and with President Trump on the ballot in November, they hope to expand on that majority in more traditional GOP strongholds such as Iowa and South Carolina. 

The race for California’s vacant 50th District seat, which hasn’t voted for a Democratic representative in more than 15 years, was shifted from “likely Republican” to “lean Republican” by Cook.

Strategists tell The Hill that the two parties are fighting it out over the largest House battlefield in a decade, and with the most spending ever.