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You are here: Home / 2026 Campaign / 18 House Races Shift Towards the Democrats

18 House Races Shift Towards the Democrats

January 15, 2026 at 1:02 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Cook Political Report: “Ten months out from Election Day, it’s increasingly clear that Democrats are in a strong position to win control of the House this November.”

“All the major indicators — the president’s unpopularity, special election results and the generic congressional ballot — point to a favorable environment for Democrats. President Donald Trump’s approval rating sits at 42%, driven by Americans’ widespread frustration over the economy. And Democratic candidates’ consistent overperformance in special elections shows their voters are more motivated to turn out than Republicans — despite the fact that many Democratic voters have a dim view of their own party.”

“As the contours of the battleground map come into view, we’re shifting 18 ratings in favor of Democrats.”

Perhaps even more important is that four races moved from Lean Republican to Toss Up.
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About Political Wire

goddard-bw-snapshotTaegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire, one of the earliest and most influential political web sites. He also runs Political Job Hunt, Electoral Vote Map and the Political Dictionary.

Goddard spent more than a decade as managing director and chief operating officer of a prominent investment firm in New York City. Previously, he was a policy adviser to a U.S. Senator and Governor.

Goddard is also co-author of You Won - Now What? (Scribner, 1998), a political management book hailed by prominent journalists and politicians from both parties. In addition, Goddard's essays on politics and public policy have appeared in dozens of newspapers across the country.

Goddard earned degrees from Vassar College and Harvard University. He lives in New York with his wife and three sons.

Goddard is the owner of Goddard Media LLC.

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