National Republicans are pulling out of a handful of House races less than a month before the midterms, abandoning two sitting GOP lawmakers as the party tries to keep its losses from spreading.
Super PACs aligned with President Donald Trump and House GOP leadership canceled all remaining ad reservations over the weekend for Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-NJ) and Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA), three people with direct knowledge of the plans told the New York Times, and internal Republican polling had shown both incumbents’ chances fading.
It’s the first time this cycle that national GOP groups have cut loose their own incumbents, following last week’s decision to pull money from Nebraska’s open seat, held by retiring Rep. Don Bacon. Taken together, Republicans have effectively surrendered three districts they currently control, even after an aggressive redistricting campaign meant to pad the party’s narrow House majority.
GOP groups also scrapped their remaining reservations against two Democratic incumbents they had hoped to unseat – Rep. Greg Landsman (D-OH) and Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-MI) – and one source told the Times that more seats could be dropped as soon as this week.
The Congressional Leadership Fund, the super PAC aligned with Speaker Mike Johnson, is moving $10 million out of the Iowa, Michigan, New Jersey and Ohio races and into 16 other districts. Some of that money will go to Republicans the group hadn’t spent on before this year, including Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Rep. Monica De La Cruz (R-TX). De La Cruz represents a district Trump carried by 18 points in 2024.
“For two years, we’ve built the resources and infrastructure that allow us to maneuver in a difficult environment,” said CLF president Chris Winkelman. “These moves keep the pressure on the most vulnerable Democrats and preserve a path to 218 seats.”
Miller-Meeks has survived some of the closest elections in the country, including a six-vote win in 2020, and both parties have already spent more than $36 million on her race. Kean faces former Navy helicopter pilot Rebecca Bennett, a top Democratic recruit. CLF spent more than $2 million attacking Bennett this month alone before walking away.
In Michigan, the GOP never had a serious contender against McDonald Rivet. Tom Smith won the Republican primary over Trump’s preferred candidate even though he had suspended his campaign.
