Republican Secure Key House Win

House Republicans are expanding their campaign operation ahead of the November elections, adding five congressional candidates to a national program aimed at some of the most closely watched House races in Florida and North Carolina.

The National Republican Congressional Committee announced Tuesday that Dan Green, Mike Beltran, Casey Askar, Scott Singer and Jennifer Balkcom have been added to its “MAGA Majority” program.

The latest additions bring the program to 27 Republican congressional candidates as the GOP works to defend its House majority while competing for seats currently held by Democrats.

The announcement offers another sign of how aggressively both parties are preparing for the battle over control of Congress.

Republicans Expand 2026 House Battleground Map

The MAGA Majority initiative, previously known as the NRCC’s Young Guns program, provides selected Republican candidates with campaign resources, strategic assistance and increased national exposure.

The NRCC says the program focuses on candidates competing in battleground congressional districts and supporting major elements of President Donald Trump’s agenda.

NRCC Chairman Richard Hudson of North Carolina said the party believes its latest group of candidates can compete effectively in November and help Republicans maintain their majority.

Hudson described the candidates as experienced leaders who could deliver results for their communities while advancing Republican priorities.

The NRCC’s announcement comes as Republicans and Democrats concentrate increasing amounts of attention on a relatively small group of congressional districts that could play an important role in determining which party controls the House.

Florida Emerges as a Major Republican Target

Four of the five newest MAGA Majority candidates are running in Florida, where recently redrawn congressional boundaries have changed the political landscape heading into November.

The new Florida map favors Republicans in 24 of the state’s 28 House districts, according to CQ Roll Call.

That has created additional opportunities for Republican candidates, although Democrats are continuing to compete in several districts and are targeting GOP-held seats of their own.

Three of the newly added Republican candidates are directly challenging Democratic members of Congress.

Dan Green Challenges Democrat Darren Soto

Dan Green, a Navy veteran and former Trump administration appointee, is challenging Democratic Rep. Darren Soto in Florida’s 9th Congressional District.

The race has taken on greater importance for Republicans following Florida’s redistricting.

Green’s military background and previous service in the Trump administration could also make the contest especially notable for voters following the president’s influence over Republican congressional campaigns.

Soto, meanwhile, will seek to defend a seat he has represented in Congress as Democrats attempt to withstand Republican gains under the state’s new political boundaries.

Mike Beltran Takes On Kathy Castor

Former Florida state Rep. Mike Beltran is challenging Democratic Rep. Kathy Castor in Florida’s 14th Congressional District.

Beltran is an attorney and former state lawmaker, giving him previous political and legislative experience as he campaigns for Congress.

Castor is a longtime member of the House who has represented the Tampa Bay region in Congress since 2007.

Republicans hope Florida’s new congressional map will give candidates such as Beltran an opportunity to compete in districts where Democrats previously enjoyed stronger political advantages.

Scott Singer Challenges Jared Moskowitz

Former Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer is joining the Republican effort in Florida’s 25th Congressional District, where he is challenging Democratic Rep. Jared Moskowitz.

Singer is an attorney who served three terms as mayor of Boca Raton before entering the congressional race.

Like Green and Beltran, Singer is running in a district currently represented by a Democrat but affected by Florida’s new congressional boundaries.

The race adds another Democratic incumbent to the list of lawmakers Republicans hope to defeat as they seek to expand their House majority.

Casey Askar Competes for Open Florida Seat

Businessman and Marine veteran Casey Askar is running for Florida’s open 22nd Congressional District seat against Democrat Pia Dandiya.

Unlike the other Florida contests involving the newly announced candidates, there is no incumbent defending the seat.

That has helped attract national attention from both parties.

The NRCC and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee are each targeting the contest, making it one of the races likely to receive substantial campaign resources as November approaches.

Open seats can become particularly important during closely divided election cycles because neither candidate benefits from running as an incumbent.

Jennifer Balkcom Enters Key North Carolina Race

The fifth candidate joining the MAGA Majority program is North Carolina state Rep. Jennifer Balkcom.

Balkcom is running for the open 11th Congressional District seat against Democrat Jamie Ager.

Republicans selected Balkcom to replace Rep. Chuck Edwards on the ballot after Edwards ended his reelection campaign.

The change followed a House Ethics Committee investigation involving allegations of inappropriate conduct toward two female staff members.

The House subsequently voted 413-2 to censure Edwards.

Balkcom now gives Republicans a new candidate in a district President Trump carried by approximately 9 percentage points during the 2024 presidential election, according to calculations from Inside Elections cited by CQ Roll Call.

Democrats have nevertheless identified the district as a potential opportunity.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee added Ager to its Red to Blue program, which provides support to Democratic candidates in races the organization considers important to its effort to gain House seats.

Trump-Won Districts Become a GOP Priority

Republicans are also looking beyond Florida and North Carolina as they develop their national House strategy.

One major focus involves Democratic lawmakers representing congressional districts that Trump carried during the 2024 presidential election.

These districts could become important political battlegrounds because voters who supported Trump at the presidential level also elected a Democrat to Congress.

That split-ticket voting gives both parties reasons to invest heavily in those races.

Republicans can argue that Trump’s previous success gives their congressional candidates an opening, while Democrats will point to the fact that their incumbents have already demonstrated an ability to attract voters in politically competitive territory.

MAGA Majority Program Continues to Grow

The NRCC has steadily expanded its MAGA Majority operation during the 2026 election cycle.

Earlier rounds included Republican candidates from states such as California, Michigan, Nevada, New York, Ohio and Texas.

The initiative is the successor to the committee’s longtime Young Guns program, which was designed to identify and support Republican challengers competing for House seats.

The NRCC says candidates accepted into MAGA Majority receive early assistance, strategic resources and additional visibility as their campaigns develop.

The program’s name also reflects Trump’s continued influence within the Republican Party and the importance of his political agenda to the GOP’s campaign strategy.

Both Parties Prepare for Battle Over House Control

Republicans and Democrats are heading into the final stretch of the campaign with control of the House at stake.

With the chamber closely divided, even a relatively small shift in congressional seats could change which party holds the majority.

That makes districts in states including Florida and North Carolina especially important as national campaign organizations decide where to spend money and deploy resources.

Republicans are attempting to defend their existing seats while taking advantage of newly competitive districts and areas Trump previously carried.

Democrats are simultaneously defending vulnerable incumbents and targeting Republican-held or open districts where they believe their candidates can compete.

The addition of Green, Beltran, Askar, Singer and Balkcom to the MAGA Majority program shows where the NRCC sees opportunities as the November elections draw closer.

For voters, the growing attention on these races means Florida and North Carolina could remain at the center of the national fight over control of the House all the way through Election Day.