More House Seats Leaning Toward Democrats, Cook Political Says

Democrats are on track to pick up as many as 19 House seats in next month’s election, enough to secure the party a strong majority and oversight of President Donald Trump, the nonpartisan Cook Political Report said Friday.

Cook moved 18 seats toward Democrats and said the party would most likely emerge from the election with between 224 and 234 seats, well above the 218 needed for control.

“Republicans have hoped that a massive ad campaign effort could dent Democratic candidates’ images and shore up Republicans struggling to free themselves of the anchor of President Donald Trump,” Cook House editor Erin Covey wrote. “With less than four weeks to go, that heavy spending has yet to move the needle.”

Trump’s low approval ratings have dragged down Republican candidates across the board as voters blame the president’s tariffs and conflict with Iran for ongoing inflation and high costs of living.