House GOP campaign arm adds to target list

The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) added 10 Democratic lawmakers to its list of 2022 targets on Tuesday following the release of data from the U.S. Census Bureau that will be used to apportion seats in the House of Representatives. 

The newest Democratic lawmakers on the NRCC target list include Reps. Ami Bera (D-Calif.), Jim Costa (D-Calif.), Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.), Marie Newman (D-Ill.), Dan Kildee (D-Mich.), Kathleen Rice (D-N.Y.), Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.), Joseph Morelle (D-N.Y.), Brian Higgins (D-N.Y.) and Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.). 

The updated list brings the NRCC’s full target list to 57 Democratic members. 

The lawmakers added to the list all come from states that are set to lose congressional seats, based on the latest census data. California lost a House seat for the first time in its history as a state. New York, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Illinois each lost one House seat as well. 

Meanwhile, a number of red-leaning states are slated to gain House seats. The data showed Texas on track to gain two seats, while Florida, Montana and North Carolina will each gain one seat. 

NRCC Chairman Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) said in a statement that Republicans were on “offense all across the country,” while Democrats faced “an uphill battle.” 

However, last week’s census data was not all bad news for Democrats. The red states of Ohio and West Virginia each lost a seat, while the blue states of Oregon and Colorado gained seats. 

The full redistricting data will not be available until this fall. 

Democrats rolled out their own 2022 target list last month, playing offense in 21 GOP-held districts and one open district currently held by a Democrat.