Rep. Lauren Underwood is leading a district-by-district Democratic recruiting drive focused on community-rooted candidates to try to flip a slim GOP House majority. Rep. Brian Jack, the GOP's top House recruiter, consults frequently with President Trump, who is playing a more hands-on role in endorsements and candidate selection than in 2018. Mid-decade gerrymandering and close 2024 margins have left many districts competitive, and recent special elections show Democratic gains that echo the environment ahead of 2018.
Another Blue Wave? The Democrat Recruiting To Flip the House — And The Republican Working With Trump To Stop Her
FILE - This combination photo shows Brian Jack, left, speaking at a campaign rally, March 9, 2024, in Rome, Ga. and Lauren Underwood speaking with reporters, Aug. 9, 2022, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart, Nathan Howard)
ATLANTA — Republican Rep. Brian Jack, though only in his first term in Congress, has become a frequent presence in the Oval Office. As the GOP's lead recruiter for House races, the Georgia native regularly reviews polling and candidate biographies alongside President Donald Trump.
At the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue, Illinois Democrat Rep. Lauren Underwood is leading a more grassroots recruiting effort. A registered nurse and a member of the 2018 freshman class, Underwood is spending her time calling and advising prospective candidates she hopes can help Democrats reclaim a slim House majority in the next midterm elections.
Lessons From 2018 Shape Both Sides
Both lawmakers say their approaches were forged by the 2018 wave, when Democrats flipped dozens of Republican-held seats and reshaped Trump's first term into an intense political battleground. Underwood won in 2018 and has since worked to replicate that success by recruiting candidates with deep community ties. Jack moved into a key White House political role months after those losses and now helps coordinate recruitment closely with the president.
Different Paths To The Same Goal
Republicans: Jack and other GOP operatives have doubled down on Trump’s message and the “Make America Great Again” agenda, betting that strong enthusiasm from the former president’s base will offset broader voter dissatisfaction. Jack says Oval Office recruitment sessions focus on candidates who can both align with the White House and win competitive districts. He cited former Maine Gov. Paul LePage as an example of a recruit in a GOP-leaning seat where Democrats face an open contest after Rep. Jared Golden announced he will not seek reelection.
Democrats: Underwood emphasizes a district-by-district strategy that prioritizes community service backgrounds and local credibility. She looks for candidates — veterans, health-care professionals, teachers, small-business owners, activists — who can connect their personal experience to the issues voters care about. Underwood also addresses practical concerns recruits raise, from balancing family and campaigning to personal safety amid rising political tensions.
“It's about having ordinary Americans step up,” Underwood says, urging recruits to draw a sharp contrast with what she calls the actions of "MAGA extremists."
Recruiting Dynamics And Local Politics
Measuring loyalty to Trump can be difficult with first-time candidates, and some GOP hopefuls emphasize local issues over national messaging. Jack highlighted competitive primaries such as in Albuquerque, where former DEA contractor Jose Orozco and former Marine and police officer Greg Cunningham present different appeals to Republican primary voters.
Democrats, meanwhile, underscore the need for candidates who fit district cultural sensibilities. In South Texas, for example, Tejano music star Bobby Pulido has emerged as a potential Democratic contender whose local profile could blunt GOP claims that national Democrats are out of touch.
Map, Money And Momentum
Mid-decade gerrymandering — largely in Republican-led states — has left many of the 435 House district lines unsettled. Democrats currently identify more than three dozen Republican-held seats as competitive, while Republicans point to roughly two dozen vulnerable Democratic seats. Targeted battlegrounds include multiple districts in Arizona, Nevada, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and New York.
Recent special elections have shown Democratic gains relative to President Trump’s 2024 margins. Officials point to a Tennessee special election where Democrats narrowed a 22-point 2024 Trump margin to within nine points, evidence they say of a shifting environment similar to the run-up to 2018.
As both parties continue recruiting, the fight for the House will hinge on recruiting the right local candidates, voter enthusiasm, the national political climate, and how the post-2020 redistricting maps settle in the months ahead.
