GOP presents plan to seize legislative majorities in Virginia and New Jersey this November
The Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC) is working to strengthen its position in the upcoming legislative races in Virginia and New Jersey this November. recognizing the historical tendency for Democrats to perform well in off-year elections,the RSLC has devised a strategy aimed at defying expectations and securing key victories.
In a recent memo, the RSLC outlined the challenges ahead, recalling how Democrats successfully gained ground in previous elections, particularly in Virginia and New Jersey, where they flipped seats in 2017 and 2018. To counteract anticipated Democratic messaging, the RSLC plans to highlight failures of the current Democratic-controlled state legislatures and reinforce the importance of early and mail-in voting-practices they previously criticized.
Looking beyond the immediate elections, the RSLC is preparing for the 2026 midterms, focusing on establishing a strong foothold now to prevent Democratic momentum. Both states will also hold gubernatorial races, with notable candidates such as Republican Jack Ciattarelli in New Jersey and Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears in Virginia aiming to challenge their opponents effectively. The RSLC believes its current institution and strategy give it a significant advantage compared to previous election cycles.
GOP presents plan to seize legislative majorities in Virginia and New Jersey this November
The Republican State Leadership Committee is looking to make key expenditures in this year’s New Jersey and Virginia state legislature races.
Republicans are wary of how well Democrats tend to over-perform in off-year elections, but they have a strategy to “defy” expectations in November.
In a memo, the RSLC said the races “present significant challenges for Republicans, reminiscent of the complex political landscape of 2017, the last odd-year election Republicans had full control of Washington.”
“The strongest defense against the complete down-ballot takeover Democrats are planning this cycle will require defying expectations in 2025,” the memo said.
“While the 2025 races in Virginia and New Jersey will be challenging, we have the opportunity — and strategy — to avoid a 2017 relapse,” it continued.
The RSLC said Democrats made wide gains in the 2017 and 2018 midterm elections and performed well in recent off-year elections.
In 2017, Democrats flipped the Virginia House of Delegates and expanded their legislative majority in New Jersey. At the federal level, Democrats flipped the House in 2018.
The memo said the RSLC is looking to get ahead of Democratic messaging, which will likely focus on unpopular elements of President Donald Trump’s agenda. It is also planning to point out perceived failures from the current Democratic controlled state legislatures.
The RSLC also said it will emphasize early, absentee, and mail-in voting, practices it was previously skeptical of. Trump also embraced these practices in the 2024 election, despite criticizing them in 2020.
The RSLC said it is looking beyond 2025 in New Jersey and Virginia to the 2026 midterm elections nationwide. It said its spending will not “just to maintain our positions but to prevent Democrats from gaining the momentum they will need to pose a serious challenge in 2026.”
“We are now better positioned, better organized, and more focused than eight years ago in both Virginia and New Jersey, which gives us a significant advantage,” the memo said.
Both states also have gubernatorial races this year.
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In New Jersey, Trump endorsed Republican Jack Ciattarelli, who came close to beating Gov. Phil Murphy (D-NJ) in 2021. The Democratic primary field in New Jersey remains crowded.
In Virginia, Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) outraised her Republican opponent, Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, by more than $3 million. Both are front-runners for their respective parties.
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