DCCC Chair Targets GOP Seats With Staggering Investment — Here’s Where They’re Desperate to Flip

Liberty Check

• Democrats add five new races to their Red to Blue target list as they scramble to retake the House from Republicans
• Despite massive campaign investment, three of the five targeted seats were won by GOP by nearly 20% margins
• DCCC Chair pushes anti-Trump messaging while backing candidates with military backgrounds to appear moderate

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is expanding its Red to Blue program with five new races, signaling where the party’s House campaign arm sees opportunities to flip seats currently held by Republicans. The additions bring the program’s designated races to a total of 37.

The Red to Blue program is now backing Tom Perriello in Virginia, Nancy Lacore in South Carolina, Matt Dunlap in Maine, Zach Dembo in Kentucky and Leela Gray in Florida. These candidates will receive strategic guidance, staff resources, training and fundraising support as part of the program’s commitment to competitive races.

The move comes as Republicans hold a slim majority in the House of Representatives. The announcement telegraphs significant financial investment in these particular races, though several face uphill battles in solidly Republican districts.

DCCC Chair Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., framed the candidates as coalition-builders in her statement.

“All of these candidates are proven fighters who are running strong campaigns, talking to every voter, and building coalitions across the ideological spectrum to power their victories in November.”

Notably, all five candidates have some record of prior public or military service — a strategic choice that allows Democrats to present a more moderate face while advancing their agenda. Leela Gray, running in Florida’s 13th Congressional District, captured the Democratic nomination on Tuesday evening, highlighting her 30-year Army career during which she rose to the rank of brigadier general.

Her military background mirrors that of Nancy Lacore, the Democratic candidate in South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District, who served as a three-star Navy admiral. Zach Dembo, attempting to flip Kentucky’s 6th District, served as a Navy JAG officer and DOJ prosecutor.

The remaining two candidates — Matt Dunlap in Maine’s 2nd District and Tom Perriello in Virginia’s 5th Congressional District — both have held public office before. Dunlap served as Maine Secretary of State, while Perriello is a former congressman.

Despite the DCCC’s enthusiasm and resource commitment, the electoral math reveals significant challenges. Most of the targeted districts remain relatively safe for Republicans.

Three of them — VA-05, S.C.-01 and KY-06 — were all won by the GOP by an average 19.3% margin of victory. Only two districts, FL-13 and ME-02, were decided by less than 10%.

The Maine race represents the most competitive battleground of the group, having been decided by just 0.6% in 2024 in a narrow win for Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, who is not pursuing re-election. This open seat presents Democrats with their best opportunity among the five newly designated races.

In her statement, DelBene attempted to tie the Democratic candidates’ campaigns to economic concerns while attacking President Trump and the Republican majority.

“American families are struggling under the broken promises and higher costs caused by House Republicans, and they’re eager for leaders who will always put the well-being of their communities first, not rubber-stamp Trump’s failed agenda.”

The framing reveals the Democratic strategy: present military veterans and former public servants as moderate alternatives while simultaneously pushing anti-Trump rhetoric. Whether voters in these largely Republican districts will buy the message remains to be seen.

Having cleared their respective primaries, all five candidates are now headed to their general elections on November 3. The DCCC’s willingness to invest heavily in districts with double-digit Republican margins suggests either confidence in a broader political wave or a recognition that the playing field has narrowed significantly.

The Constitution must be defended.