DCCC Expands Red to Blue Program with Eight New Candidates Ahead of Midterms

The DCCC added eight candidates to its Red to Blue program, a resource-allocation list for competitive House districts. The new entrants are former TV journalist Marlene Galán-Woods (AZ-1), physician-legislator Jasmeet Bains (CA-22), state Sen. Joe Baldacci (ME-2), firefighter-union leader Bob Brooks (PA-7), Bucks County Commissioner Bob Harvie (PA-1), Army veteran Jessica Killin (CO-5), Tejano singer Bobby Pulido (TX-15) and Bexar County sheriff’s deputy Johnny Garcia (TX-35). All face at least one Democratic primary opponent; Pulido has already won his party’s nomination, while Garcia will face a runoff against Maureen Galindo.

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Unveiled in February with a dozen initial challengers, the Red to Blue program guides the DCCC’s effort to flip Republican swing seats and protect vulnerable Democratic incumbents. The committee historically avoids primaries in safe Democratic districts, intervening only “in a small number of cases.” In 2024, the DCCC backed Oregon’s Janelle Bynum over a progressive rival, leading to her primary win and defeat of Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer.

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DCCC Chair Suzan DelBene leads the expanded effort. The eight candidates cover media, medicine, law enforcement and agriculture, reflecting the committee’s “people-first” emphasis. Their districts span battlegrounds across the Southwest, West Coast, Northeast and Midwest.

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• Eight new candidates across six states (AZ, CA, ME, PA, CO, TX) in districts 1, 22, 2, 7, 5, 15, 35; the House majority is razor-thin.

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DelBene said House Democrats have momentum to retake the majority and that the new program additions reflect the party’s people-first message and broad candidate appeal. She added that DCCC involvement in primaries remains limited, occurring only in a small number of cases.

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The source material presents a consistent account of the program’s expansion; no contradictory figures or missing information were identified.

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• “House Democrats have the momentum to take back the majority,’’ DCCC Chair Suzan DelBene of Washington said in a statement.” — Suzan DelBene, DCCC Chair

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• “These latest additions to our Red to Blue program represent the strength of our people-first message and the broad appeal of our top-tier candidates.” — Suzan DelBene, DCCC Chair

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• “in a small number of cases” — Suzan DelBene, speaking to Axios

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The expanded roster reflects the DCCC’s assessment of improved prospects for contesting vulnerable Republican seats. By allocating resources to candidates with diverse professional backgrounds, the DCCC seeks to broaden voter appeal and potentially overturn the narrow Republican majority.

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The March 3 primary has already confirmed Pulido’s nomination in Texas 15th. Garcia’s runoff against Maureen Galindo is scheduled for the end of March, with other primaries and runoffs to follow throughout the spring, shaping the final slate of Democratic contenders for the 2026 midterm elections.

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