{"id":2600465,"date":"2026-05-08T15:53:02","date_gmt":"2026-05-08T19:53:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gop-leading-in-five-democrat-held-seats-that-voted-for-trump-poll\/"},"modified":"2026-05-08T15:54:38","modified_gmt":"2026-05-08T19:54:38","slug":"gop-leading-in-five-democrat-held-seats-that-voted-for-trump-poll","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gop-leading-in-five-democrat-held-seats-that-voted-for-trump-poll\/","title":{"rendered":"GOP leading in five Democrat-held seats that voted for Trump: Poll"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fgop-leading-in-five-democrat-held-seats-that-voted-for-trump-poll%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2600465&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The NRCC is projecting momentum ahead of the 2026 midterms, saying its new internal polling suggests Republicans could flip five House seats held by Democrats-especially in districts where President Trump won in 2024. NRCC chairman Richard Hudson frames the results as evidence the GOP is moving \u201con offense\u201d and will make it harder for Democrats to regain or hold power.<\/p>\n<p>In Maine\u2019s 2nd District, the poll shows Republican Paul LePage leading two Democratic candidates (50% to 40%). In Washington\u2019s 3rd District, Republican John Braun leads incumbent Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez by 7% (41% to 34%). For Texas\u2019s 34th District, the GOP candidate Eric Flores leads by a point, and North Carolina\u2019s 1st District is tied. New mexico\u2019s 2nd District shows the Democrat incumbent ahead by two points. In the remaining contests,the NRCC says races are within the margin of error.<\/p>\n<p>The Democratic campaign committee dismisses the polling, arguing Republicans are trying to influence the narrative ahead of Election Day, while asserting Democrats will still win back the House in November. The NRCC\u2019s release comes as Republicans nationwide consider further redistricting plans following the *Louisiana v. Callais* decision, which may allow additional states to redraw maps.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p>The GOP\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/republicans-outraise-democrats-across-the-board-in-january\/\" title=\"... Outraise Democrats Across the Board in January\">campaign arm<\/a> is signaling confidence ahead of the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/2026-election\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"11675\">2026 midterm elections<\/a>, claiming new <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/88-percent-of-black-marylanders-support-hogans-re-fund-the-police-initiative\/\" title=\"88 Percent of Black Marylanders Support Hogan\u2019s \u2018Re-Fund the Police\u2019 Initiative\">internal polling shows<\/a> them in position to flip five Democrat-held seats in November.<\/p>\n<p>The <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/nrcc\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"466\">National Republican Congressional Committee<\/a>\u2019s polling, its first released this cycle, shows Republicans are competitive in five Democratic-held districts that President Donald Trump won in 2024. <\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/4560781\/republicans-virginia-map-overturned-four-gop-seats\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Republicans breathe sigh of relief after Virginia map overturned, possibly saving four GOP seats<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/4559208\/texas-republican-introduces-bill-whca-shooter-death-penalty-attempt-trump-life\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Texas Republican introduces bill to give WHCA shooter death penalty for attempt on Trump\u2019s life<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/4559882\/house-measure-ban-congressional-prediction-market-use\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>House measure would ban lawmakers and staff from betting on prediction market<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p>\u201cHouse Democrats are staring down a political buzzsaw in districts that already rejected their party at the top of the ticket last cycle,\u201d NRCC Chairman Richard Hudson said in a statement. \u201cThese polls underscore the NRCC\u2019s strategy to go on offense, expand the battlefield and flip seats, putting Democrats on the back foot and making their climb out of the minority even steeper.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>The polling shows the Republican candidate for Maine\u2019s 2nd District, Paul LePage, leading Democratic candidates state Sen. Joe Baldacci and state Auditor Matt Dunlap, who are locked in a hotly contested primary. The NRCC\u2019s polling shows LePage holding 50% support compared to 40% for the Democratic candidates. LePage is a former two-term governor of Maine.<\/p>\n<p>In Washington\u2019s 3rd District, Republican state Senate Minority Leader John Braun leads incumbent Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA) by 7%. Braun leads the incumbent 41% to 34%, according to the poll.<\/p>\n<p>In the other three districts, however, the polls showed Republican candidates within the margin of error.\u00a0The polls, conducted from April 25 to 29, had margins of error ranging from plus or minus 3.12% to 3.5%.<\/p>\n<p>In Texas\u2019s 34th District, Republican Eric Flores holds a one-point advantage over incumbent Rep. Vincente Gonzales (D-TX), with the candidates at 41% and 40% support, respectively.<\/p>\n<p>Republican Laurie Buckhout, an Army veteran running for North Carolina\u2019s 1st District, is tied 41% to 41% against incumbent Rep. Don Davis (D-NC). The remaining district, New Mexico\u2019s 2nd District, has Republican Greg Cunningham, a former Albuquerque police officer, two points behind incumbent Gabe Vasquez (D-NM).<\/p>\n<p>Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Spokesperson Viet Shelton dismissed the polling in a statement to the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo matter how Republicans try to manipulate push polling on the House battlefield, they can\u2019t stop the inevitable \u2014 we are taking back the House in November,\u201d Shelton said.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/4556389\/gop-democrats-gerrymander-targets-supreme-court-ruling\/\">RED OR BLUE? GOP AND DEMOCRATS EYE NEXT GERRYMANDER TARGETS AFTER SUPREME COURT RULING<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The NRCC argues its polling shows Republicans are on the offensive heading into the midterm elections, despite history showing incumbent parties at a disadvantage politically.\u00a0Internal polling is also often more favorable to party candidates.<\/p>\n<p>The polling release showing the GOP candidates as competitive comes as Republicans across the nation are considering plans to move forward with redrawing their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/in-massive-blow-to-democrats-republicans-won-almost-every-house-race-thats-key-to-redistricting\/\" title=\"In Massive Blow To Democrats, ... Won Almost Every ... Race That&#039;s Key To Redistricting\">congressional districts<\/a> following the landmark ruling in <em>Louisiana v. Callais<\/em>, opening the door for <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >multiple southern red states<\/a> to redraw their maps amid the redistricting war that began last year. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The GOP says new internal polling shows it can flip five Democrat seats in 2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2912,"featured_media":2600466,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/richard_hudson.webp?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[79346,32319,45165,6203],"class_list":["post-2600465","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-democrat-held-seats","tag-donald-trump","tag-election-polling","tag-gop"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/richard_hudson.webp?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2600465","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2912"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2600465"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2600465\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2600469,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2600465\/revisions\/2600469"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2600466"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2600465"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2600465"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2600465"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}