Republicans oppose Democrats’ expansion of House redistricting map to 2026 midterms

Congressional Democrats are emboldened to widen their battleground map for the midterm elections, when Republicans will be defending their slim majority in the House.

But the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), Rep. Richard Hudson, he’s not buying it.

“I mean, I’ve read fiction all my life, and I know it when I see it,” Hudson said in an exclusive interview with Fox News.

Republicans currently control the House 218-214, with two right-leaning districts and one left-leaning seat currently vacant. Democrats need a net gain of just three seats in the midterms to regain the majority for the first time in four years.

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The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) this week added five more upset chances in Colorado, Minnesota, Montana, South Carolina and Virginia to its list of what it sees as vulnerable Republican House states.

That brings the total number of states Democrats are hoping to carry to 44. The DCCC notes that all of the five new states it added to its list of “invasions” were carried by President Donald Trump by 13 points or less in the 2024 election.

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“Democrats are full of guilt, and our map reflects the fact that everyday Americans are tired of Republicans’ broken promises and are ready for change in Congress,” DCCC Chair Suzan DelBene emphasized earlier this week.

And DCCC spokesperson Viet Shelton told Fox News Digital, “In a political climate where Democrats are doing well by more than 17 points in congressional special elections, it’s clear we’re poised to retake the majority. The momentum and the American people are on our side while the Republicans are afraid.”

Asked about the DCCC’s move, Hudson scoffs.

“They should have a list that they can present to their sponsors,” he said, pointing to the DCCC. “But it’s not true. I mean, if you look at the map, there are very few seats up for grabs, and most of those seats are held by Democrats, but they’re seats that Donald Trump holds or very close….if you look at the seats that we’re going to compete against this fall. They’re all in favor of the Republicans.”

The House GOP campaign chairman added, “If you look at the map, it’s a Republican map. We have to go out and win those races.”

The DCCC’s move comes at a time when Democrats are on fire, even as the party struggles to poll. Democrats, thanks to their laser focus on shopping amid persistent inflation, they have scored significant victories in the 2025 election and have won or significantly won many organized and special ballot contests since Trump returned to the White House a year ago.

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Republicans, on the other hand, are dealing with political situations where the party in power in the nation’s capital often faces challenges in mid-term elections. And the GOP is facing increasingly underwater Trump approval ratings.

Recent national polls, including a recent Fox News poll, show Democrats ahead of Republicans by mid-single digits on a generic ballot question, which asks respondents whether they would support a Democratic or GOP candidate in their congressional district without giving specific names to the candidates.

Asked about the votes, Hudson said, “We’ve probably never led in a general election. But a single-digit general vote, we’re doing pretty well.”

And the House GOP campaign chairman added that he remains “very strong.”

Cost of living concerns helped propel Trump and the Republicans to a landslide victory in 2024, but affordability and general economic concerns may work against them this year.

While the latest AP/NORC national poll showed that the GOP has a slight advantage over the Democrats in managing the economy, many polls, including the latest Fox News poll, show that many Americans feel that things are worse than last year and remain pessimistic about the economy.

But on Friday the latest government numbers showed that inflation eased in January.

And Hudson says the economy is still a winning issue for Republicans.

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Pointing to the many tax cuts this year in the GOP’s sweeping One Big Beautiful Bill, which Trump signed into law last summer, Hudson said “we’re putting policies in place that will bring prosperity to the American people, and they’re starting to feel it.”

“And as we get into tax season…people who work overtime, people who work for tips, they’re going to see more money in their pocket because of no tax on tips, no tax on overtime,” he added.

The GOP also faces the problem of low propensity: MAGA voters who don’t always go to the polls when Trump’s name isn’t on the ballot.

“Our voters tend to be working-class voters, and you have to make an extra effort to get them to the polls,” Hudson said. “We know that’s our challenge. President Trump knows that’s a challenge, and he’s willing to help us.”

President Donald Trump moves as he arrives to deliver a speech on the economy and affordability at the Mount Airy Casino Resort in Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania, on Dec. 9. 2025. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)

Pointing to the NRCC’s annual fundraiser, which Trump will headline again this year, Hudson said the dinner will be a great start to the year. We raised a lot of money with President Trump last year. We plan to raise a lot of money in March with President Trump, and then he comes out on the campaign trail to help us get those voters out and make that case. “

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Asked about predicting the midterm elections, Hudson was wary of giving hard numbers.

“I won’t give you a number, but we will catch the majority,” he predicted. “President Trump was elected with a clear agenda. We have done almost all of his internal agenda, and we will go back to the voters to say the promises made, the promises kept, and they will keep the majority of the House.”