House Democrats try to seize on Harris momentum with swing district ad blitz

House Democrats are booking their latest round of ads attacking Republicans in competitive districts, marking only the second so far this cycle and the first since Vice President Kamala Harris became the Democratic nominee for president. 

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee announced it would be spending $27 million as part of its latest ad buy, bringing the group’s total to $55 million for the general election. The ads will air across nine states in districts that former President Donald Trump lost in 2020 but are held by Republican lawmakers in the House.

“House Democrats are on offense and this latest salvo of reservations reflects the strong position we are in to retake the majority,” said Julie Merz, executive director of the DCCC. “This election is a clear choice between Republican extremism and their unpopular agenda to give tax breaks to the ultra-wealthy and pass a nationwide abortion ban versus House Democrats’ forward-looking agenda of lowering costs and protecting reproductive freedom for all.”

At least $8 million of the investment will go toward House seats in New York, particularly those represented by the four freshmen lawmakers who helped flip the chamber into Republican control in 2022 despite President Joe Biden winning the districts two years earlier. The investment also includes $5 million to attack Republican-held Biden districts in California, as well as “red-leaning districts with vulnerable Republicans” in states such as Iowa and Pennsylvania. 

The ad reservations come as Democrats gather in Chicago this week for the quadrennial Democratic National Convention, during which Harris will accept the presidential nomination. Democrats have experienced a polling boost since Harris took over at the top of the ticket, prompting a sense of optimism among downballot candidates who hope that voter enthusiasm will help them win back the lower chamber. 

“We’re able to make these moves across the map thanks to the record-breaking fundraising we’ve had — driven by Leader Hakeem Jeffries and fueled by the historic numbers of individual donors this cycle,” Merz said. 

Harris holds a slight lead over Trump nationally, garnering 49% of the vote compared to Trump’s 45% among registered voters in a head-to-head matchup, according to polling from the Washington Post and Ipsos. When that polling includes third-party candidates, Harris stands at 47%, Trump at 44%, and independent Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at 5%. 

That is a boost from earlier this summer, when Trump led Biden 43% to 42% and Kennedy garnered 9%, according to polling.