# Here are some of the House seats that Democrats didn’t expect to win — but did

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/here-are-some-of-the-house-seats-that-democrats-didnt-expect-to-win-but-did/
- Published: 2026-11-10T20:52:28+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-10T21:24:50+00:00
- Original publisher: PBS NewsHour (publisher lean: Centre)
- Original article: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/here-are-some-of-the-house-seats-that-democrats-didnt-expect-to-win-but-did
- Topics: Politics

## Key points

- Democrats captured several traditionally Republican House seats.
- Local candidates capitalised on voter discontent and Republican setbacks.
- Nevada’s 2nd District elected its first Democratic representative.

## Summary

Democrats won several House seats that had appeared safely Republican, extending their gains into districts where they had not recently been competitive. The upsets show how local candidates and changing voter sentiment could overcome long Republican records and give Democrats a foothold in conservative areas.

In North Carolina, former Army major Richard Ojeda defeated seven-term representative Richard Hudson, who had led the Republicans’ House campaign organisation. In Colorado, former Army captain Jessica Killin beat Jeff Crank; in Nevada, Teresa Benitez-Thompson became the first Democrat to win the state’s 2nd District; and emergency room nurse Mitchell Berman defeated Bryan Steil in Wisconsin by nearly four points. The article also describes a Texas race triggered by Republican Tony Gonzales’s withdrawal, where Democrats saw an opening against gun enthusiast YouTuber Brandon Herrera.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.