Democrats find sweet relief in GOP's electoral woes
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House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries speaks to reporters at the U.S. Capitol on March 24. Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images.
After months dominated by infighting, bad headlines and even worse national polling, Democrats feel they finally have Republicans on the run in at least one area: Special elections.
Why it matters: Things have gotten to the point where President Trump said he pulled Rep. Elise Stefanik's (R-N.Y.) nomination for U.N. ambassador in part because he didn't want to "take a chance" on a special election for her seat.
- Stefanik's upstate New York district, which went for Trump by 21 percentage points last year, should be an easy lift for Republicans.
- But polling that shows a single-digit race in a Florida district Trump won by 30 points reportedly has some in the party spooked.
Driving the news: "House Republicans are in a full-blown panic over their razor-thin majority, worrying about holding on to a seat that Trump won by 21%," said CJ Warnke, a spokesperson for Democrats' House Majority PAC said in a statement about Stefanik's seat.
- Warnke added, "They know they're screwed in 2026."
- House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said in a statement that Republicans are "afraid they will lose the special election to replace her."
- "They are so scared they can't even face voters at the polls," said Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spokesperson Courtney Rice.
The other side: "We'd win this seat in a special election and we'll win it in a general election," National Republican Congressional Committee spokesperson Maureen O'Toole said of Stefanik's district in a statement.
- Torunn Sinclair, a spokesperson for Republicans' Congressional Leadership Fund, said Democrats "are playing defense and they're scared because Republicans are strong, united and poised to grow the House Majority."
- A GOP internal poll reported by Politico on Thursday showed a generic Republican beating Democratic candidate Blake Gendebien by 17 points.
- The district has also been trending Republican, transforming from a perennial swing seat to a solidly red district in recent cycles.
Yes, but: Trump, in a post on Truth Social, said, "With a very tight Majority, I don't want to take a chance on anyone else running for Elise's seat."
- "The people love Elise and, with her, we have nothing to worry about come Election Day," he added.
Zoom out: Even before Stefanik's nomination was pulled, Jeffries was citing Florida polling and an upset GOP loss in a Pennsylvania state Senate district that Trump won by 15 points to parry questions about Democrats' own troubles.
- "In special election after special election after special election, Democrats are winning," the Democratic leader said at a Thursday press conference.
- "That seems to run counter to the narrative that some in this town continue to try to put forward," he added.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional reporting.
