House Republicans, with the midterm elections of 2026 already on their minds, are targeting Democrats who voted against a budget framework intended to extend the tax cuts granted by President Donald Trump in 2017.
The National Republican Congressional Committee launched digital ad campaigns targeting 25 House Democrats facing tough reelection campaigns. They voted against Trump’s budget plan to implement key legislative elements.
“Once more, House Democrats have made their priorities clear. They are destroying the American economy and slapping higher taxes on the working class to force their radical agenda onto all Americans. The voters will be constantly reminded of the betrayal until next fall,” NRCC spokeswoman Mike Marinella stated.
The Democrats being targeted include California Reps. Josh Harder, Adam Gray, George Whitesides, Derek Tran, and Dave Min; Florida Reps. Darren Soto and Jared Moskowitz; Indiana Rep. Frank Mrvan; Maine Rep. Jared Golden; Michigan Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet; North Carolina Rep. Don Davis; New Jersey Rep. Nellie Pou; New Mexico Rep. Gabe Vasquez; Nevada Reps. Dina Titus, Susie Lee, and Steven Horsford; New York Reps. Tom Suozzi, Laura Gillen, and Josh Riley; Ohio Reps. Marcy Kaptur and Emilia Sykes; Texas Reps. Henry Cuellar and Vicente Gonzalez; Virginia Rep. Eugene Vindman; and Washington Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez.
House Republicans approved their proposed budget on Thursday. This was a dramatic political turn after Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) worked late into the night to appease GOP holdouts, who refused to accept trillions of tax breaks unless deeper spending cuts were made.
Johnson said that Trump’s “big beautiful bill,” which would cut federal programs and services by up to $1.5 trillion, was on track.
The measure passed in a mostly party-line vote 216-214, with Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Victoria Spartz, R-Ind., voting against it. No Democrat voted in favor.
The House Democrat Campaign arm accused Republicans that they were trying to reduce government programs to pay the bill.
The Hill reported that Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spokesman VietShelton described the GOP ad as “what happens when people who want the Department of Education eliminated write political ads”.
“If they read the bill, they would see that their budget cuts health care and food assistance while raising costs to pay massive tax breaks for ultra-wealthy people, leaving working families to foot the bill. The Republican budget shows their inability to make life affordable for Americans.”
