South Texas GOP seat among top Democratic targets for 2026

Context: This is the second consecutive election Democrats have aimed to flip back the seat they long held before De La Cruz secured it in 2022.

The latest: The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's list of "districts in play" includes a whopping 35 Republican-held seats they believe "will determine the House majority."

• That's more than the 29 districts listed as competitive by Cook Political Report.

The intrigue: More than a half-dozen Republicans on the DCCC's list are considered to represent seats deemed "safe Republican" by Cook.

• Many Republicans on the list, like Cruz, represent districts rated "likely Republican" by Cook.
• Cruz's 15th Congressional District is the sole Texas seat on the list.

The other side: "It's a week after April Fools' Day, but the DCCC is still joking around with this laughable list in a pathetic attempt to distract voters from their party's terrible approval ratings," said National Republican Congressional Committee spokesperson Mike Marinella.

• "Voters aren't buying it, and they know Democrats are too extreme, too unpopular, and totally out of touch."