Pennsylvania takes center stage in Democrats’ push to flip the House

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Democrats are increasingly bullish they can deliver a major blow to Republicans in the midterms, viewing key GOP-held battleground House districts in Pennsylvania as central to their path to victory.

Four of the state’s most closely-watched House races — involving Republican Reps. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania’s 10th District, Brian Fitzpatrick of the 1st District, Rob Bresnahan of the 8th District and Ryan Mackenzie of the 7th District — have been rated as either toss-ups or lean Democrat by nonpartisan election handicappers, putting Pennsylvania squarely at the center of the battle for control of the lower chamber.

“The path to the majority runs right here through Pennsylvania,” Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.), chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said during a canvass launch Sunday in Bethlehem for Democratic House candidate Bob Brooks, who is challenging Mackenzie.

Still, Democratic challengers in Pennsylvania say they are keeping their expectations in check in the final few hours of the campaign season, haunted by a bruising 2024 election cycle and the risk of reading too much into the polls.

The stakes are enormous for both parties.

Democrats need a net gain of three seats to win back the House, while Republicans are working overtime to preserve their razor-thin margin and stave off a Democratic victory that would put President Trump and his inner circle at the center of congressional investigations and oversight. 

“We will flip the House,” DelBene told The Hill. “I’m confident … but I’m also paranoid. I’m very aware that, you know, Republicans have played games — redistricting, attacking campaign finance, you know, attacking vote by mail, all these things.”

Brooks, a retired firefighter, told The Hill that while he feels good about his prospects, he can’t “take anything for........

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