# US House races 2026 **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [September 23, 2025, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-house-races-2026/1023336 "2025-09-23T16:38:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2026, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-house-races-2026/1023336/141 "2026-10-07T19:06:37Z")
A Democrat running for Congress in Arizona was raped while repairing campaign signs: > **[Congressional candidate is raped while repairing her campaign signs](https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/congressional-candidate-is-raped-while-repairing-her-campaign-signs-40705248/)** > > Embarrassed, she initially didn’t want to report attack. Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office's investigation is ongoing. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2026, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-house-races-2026/1023336/142 "2026-10-08T03:58:18Z")
Oh, no! That’s awful. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2026, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-house-races-2026/1023336/143 "2026-10-10T14:28:27Z")
The blue tsunami is building: [Cook Political Report tilts 18 House races toward Democrats](https://www.axios.com/2026/10/09/cook-report-18-house-races-move-democrats) ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2026, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-house-races-2026/1023336/144 "2026-10-12T18:33:27Z")
It’s 22 days before the election, and she’s running, so I’ll post this NBC News story here, although it could also go in the compendium of horrors thread: [Rep. Ilhan Omar’s home searched by federal agents in criminal probe](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/rep-ilhan-omar-home-searched-federal-agents-criminal-probe-dhs-rcna602950) > [@](#): > > There is no blanket rule barring the department from acting within 60 days before an election, but that’s long been an unwritten practice. The written policy says prosecutors and agents cannot time investigative steps or public statements to influence an election and directs them to seek guidance when the timing could raise questions. I doubt I could vote for her, but there is no way a search 22 days before the election is acceptable. As for her guilt, I believe in the presumption of innocence for everyone but would agree it’s stronger here than normally. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2026, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-house-races-2026/1023336/145 "2026-10-12T18:52:02Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > As for her guilt, I believe in the presumption of innocence for everyone but would agree it’s stronger here than normally. Gonna nitpick grammar here because it’s important: “it’s” in your sentence has an ambiguous antecedent, and which antecedent you intend changes the sentence. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2026, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-house-races-2026/1023336/146 "2026-10-12T19:57:51Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Gonna nitpick grammar here because it’s important: “it’s” in your sentence has an ambiguous antecedent, and which antecedent you intend changes the sentence. I not only presume she is innocent, but think it. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2026, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-house-races-2026/1023336/147 "2026-10-12T21:14:55Z")
Got it. I thought that’s what you meant, but wondered if you meant her guilt was stronger than normal. Thank you for the clarification! ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2026, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-house-races-2026/1023336/148 "2026-10-12T21:53:29Z")
I don’t live in her state, but I’ve just made a donation to her campaign in the hope that there’s a huge backlash against the raid that persuades the regime that they will end up helping their enemies by pulling this kind of shit. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2026, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-house-races-2026/1023336/149 "2026-10-13T03:22:25Z")
She will almost certainly win reelection by an even bigger majority now. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2026, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-house-races-2026/1023336/150 "2026-10-13T17:36:14Z")
> **[Trump-linked super PAC pulls funding from 2 House Republicans as GOP fights...](https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-linked-super-pac-pulls-funding-from-2-house-republicans-gop-fights-keep-majority)** > > House Republicans face growing pressure as Trump-aligned MAGA Inc. pulls planned spending from Tom Kean and Marianette Miller-Meeks' districts. > [@](#): > > MAGA Inc. is reallocating its planned investments in districts represented by Rep. Tom Kean, R-N.J., and Rep. Marianette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, for the remainder of the midterm election cycle, a source familiar with those plans confirmed to Fox News Digital. > > A super PAC aligned with House GOP leadership, the Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF), is also pulling its cash from those districts to reroute into other races, a source familiar with those plans said. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2026, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-house-races-2026/1023336/151 "2026-10-18T00:08:37Z")
Republican PACs are pouring money into NV-02. The R candidate there is a less than stellar campaigner. The D candidate is much better, so I wouldn’t be at all surprised if this one flips. > **[OPINION: A notable no-show at a rural Nevada 'debate' hints the ground is...](https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/opinion-a-notable-no-show-at-a-rural-nevada-debate-hints-the-ground-is-shifting-in-cd2)** > > OPINION: A notable no-show at a rural Nevada ‘debate’ hints the ground is shifting in CD2. Read more at The Nevada Independent. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2026, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-house-races-2026/1023336/152 "2026-10-19T06:21:31Z")
Curious about the conventional wisdom here with 2 weeks to go. Feel free to vote in [my poll](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-races-2026/1013534/772), if you like. (It’s not in MPSIMS!) ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2026, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-house-races-2026/1023336/153 "2026-10-19T12:23:06Z")
Re poll, what about congress still exists and Trump is a dictator? Dictators normally have a legislature. They either ignore it or dictate to it. I think Trump mostly ignores. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2026, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-house-races-2026/1023336/154 "2026-10-19T12:54:07Z")
Here’s the fantasy land House Democrats are in, or at least their leader Hakeem Jeffries: “[One of the first things we’re going to do in the majority, we’re going to run Pete Hegseth out of town.](https://www.sfexaminer.com/hegseth-singled-out-in-democrats-campaign-attacks-for-war-and-high-prices/article_711efb0b-14e7-5e12-ad9e-bf600fbf9900.html)” That has nothing to do with House Democrats being in the majority. If Hegseth goes, it only has to do with Donald Trump liking to fire people, or, conceivably, and extremely unlikely, it has to do with the Senate. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2026, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-house-races-2026/1023336/155 "2026-10-19T12:56:18Z")
Hegseth is a great first target, if there is indeed a huge blue wave. Remaining Republicans might be perfectly willing to throw him under the bus, and if so, he’ll probably resign or he fired by Trump before it gets to a Senate impeachment vote. ---
**Author:** ![slash2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@slash2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slash2k)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2026, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-house-races-2026/1023336/156 "2026-10-19T14:24:15Z")
The House impeaches, the Senate convicts (or acquits). Hegseth isn’t popular on the Hill, and if the House impeaches, he’s likely doomed. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2026, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-house-races-2026/1023336/157 "2026-10-19T14:38:13Z")
> [@slash2k](#): > > Hegseth isn’t popular on the Hill, and if the House impeaches, he’s likely doomed. I mean, almost certainly not. The Democrats aren’t winning a two thirds majority in the Senate. Not even close, not even in a reasonable best case scenario. Meanwhile there will be no substantial defection of Republican votes to impeach Hegseth. Hegseth may be unlikeable and unliked even by some of his Republican peers, but realpolitik is realpolitik even in internal party politics. Hegseth would have to do something obviously criminal and by that I mean being caught red-handed using defense funds to buy a fleet of luxury cars, not just authorizing military strikes on Iran or forcing his religious bigotry onto the service. Impeaching Hegseth, like impeaching most anyone after the mid-terms, is a wildly over-optimistic fever dream. It’s just not going to be successful. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2026, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-house-races-2026/1023336/158 "2026-10-19T15:14:57Z")
The ironclad Trump grip on GOP senators isn’t necessarily permanent. With a sufficient sized blue wave, they may decide they need to push back in some way, and Hegseth could be a convenient scapegoat. Even Trump may be willing to cut him loose. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2026, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-house-races-2026/1023336/159 "2026-10-19T16:30:58Z")
My logic was that if he did meddle to that extent, he’d just leave the elected seats empty, effectively dissolving Congress. Installing puppets or illegally keeping the current members felt like an unlikely and weird halfway option. ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2026, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-house-races-2026/1023336/160 "2026-10-19T18:33:05Z")
I know we’ve all been conditioned to hopelessness by years of saying “Surely THIS will force the Republicans in Congress to turn on Trump” and being proven wrong. But there really has never been a “THIS” quite like “losing seven or eight Senate seats in his lame duck midterm”. If it becomes apparent that Trump has made it impossible for Republicans to win outside of the deepest red areas, I think we’ll see rats leaving the ship. Besides, even if we can’t impeach these people right away, Congressional investigations and impeachment trials will bring out a body of evidence that can be repackaged as criminal indictments in 2029. That’s when the real fun begins. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-house-races-2026/1023336.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-house-races-2026/1023336.md?page=9)