Republicans pour money into dozens of US House races

Republicans are pouring money into more than three dozen US House races previously considered “safe” after internal polling showed they could be vulnerable in the 3 November election, according to three Republican operatives familiar with the party’s thinking.
The shift is already starting to show in advertising reservations and campaign finance filings. Since 1 September, major Republican groups and megadonors have begun spending in at least 39 congressional races where they haven’t previously deployed money this cycle, a Reuters review of spending by some of the largest Republican political groups shows.
Many of the candidates receiving new support sit in Republican strongholds and are still running ahead of Democratic opponents in public polls, these people said, indicating rising worry among party leaders over whether voters will use the 3 November election to air dissatisfaction over US President Donald Trump’s policies.
House Republican leaders recently warned dozens of campaigns that the party's internal data shows that they cannot assume they will win, even if they are currently ahead in public polls and represent districts Trump won by double digits, two of the people said.
“Republicans are playing defense in some of the strongholds that they're used to not having to worry about,” said Republican strategist Ron Bonjean, a partner at bipartisan public affairs firm Rokk Solutions.
Republicans currently hold a narrow 218-214 majority in the House, with one independent caucusing with Republicans and two vacancies. Democrats would need to net at least four seats in the midterms to take control of the chamber next year.
Two Republican operatives working with party leaders said they’re using their larger spending power to stifle Democrats before they have a chance to attack. They said the party was taking out "insurance policies" to ensure Republican-held districts remain in the party's hands.