Dems Focus on Winning GOP Seats in Congress

With Democrats in danger of massive losses in the House, Senate and governorships across the country, their strategy is starting to shift. Knowing that they can’t defend all of their own incumbents, the Democrats are focusing on races they see as winnable for seats currently held by Republicans.

A plan is taking shape to oust about five Republicans so that Democrats can drop 40 or so seats and still remain in control of the House, Politico reports. In the Senate, wins in Missouri and Kentucky, where there are open seats currently held by Republicans, could enable the Democrats to withstand big losses elsewhere.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee maintains that “Democrats will win at least four Republican seats” in the House, according to a strategy memo obtained by Politico. “As a result, the real number of seats Republicans will have to pick up to win a majority is at least 43.”

Democrats are between a rock and a hard place, says National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman Ken Spain. “They have to make a calculated decision,. Do they want to go try and play offense in some of these open seats or in some of these costly media markets, as opposed to defending incumbents who are already in office?”