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House, Senate & gov matchups All the races to watch
New York’s 19th CD
Democrat Antonio Delgado — a Harvard Law School graduate and Rhodes Scholar — is nipping at the heels of Republican incumbent John Faso in the too-close-to-call contest. Republicans have gone after Delgado for his former rap career, suggesting he’s a fit for New York City or Los Angeles, but not the more conservative Hudson Valley and Catskills region.
New York’s 22nd CD
Republican incumbent Claudia Tenney — originally a member of the Tea Party — is being threatened by Democratic Assemblyman Antonio Brindisi. While the motorcycleriding Tenney tries to portray Brindisi as a “radical-resistance candidate,” he’s been playing up his moderate positions, arguing that voters in central New York want an independent voice.
New York’s 27th CD
GOP incumbent Rep. Chris Collins, the first member of Congress to endorse Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential bid, stayed on the ballot despite being charged with insider trading and lying to the FBI earlier this year. The scandal, in a traditionally red district, has given Democrat Nate McMurray a chance to strike and represent the Buffalo and Rochester suburbs.
New Jersey’s 2nd CD
The Cook Political Report rates the South Jersey race as “likely Democratic,” with Democrat Jeff Van Drew leading Republican Seth Grossman by 17 points, according to a midOctober poll. It’s become a blowout because Grossman was accused of racism in July and lost the National Republican Congressional Committee’s support.
New Jersey’s 11th CD
The Cook Political Report rates it “lean Democratic” in a Morris County-centered battle that pits Republican Jay Webber, an assemblyman who supports Trump and has been aided in the race by Vice President Mike Pence, against Democrat Michelle “Mikie” Sherrill, a former US Navy helicopter pilot.
New Jersey’s 3rd CD
Rep. Tom MacArthur’s votes for the GOP tax bill and for the Housepassed ObamaCare repeal could make him politically vulnerable in Burlington and Ocean counties when he goes against Democrat Andrew Kim, a former Obama administration national security official.
Virginia’s 10th CD
With polls closing at 7 p.m. in Virginia, this race could provide the first look at whether Democrats will be able to set off a blue wave nationally. The easiest Republican for them to pick off is Rep. Barbara Comstock, who’s running against Democrat Jennifer Wexton in the district that encompasses the liberal Washington, DC, suburbs.
Virginia’s 7th CD
Republican Rep. David Brat, who shocked the country when he beat House Majority Leader Eric Cantor in the GOP primary in 2014, is being challenged by Democrat Abigail Spanberger, a former CIA operations officer. The district, a chunk of central Virginia that includes suburban Richmond, is too close to call.
Virginia’s 5th CD
Democrat Leslie Cockburn is trying to pull off a win against Republican Denver Riggleman, whom she attacked for being a fan of “bigfoot erotica” over the summer. A victory by Cockburn, a former journalist and mother of actress Olivia Wilde, in the district that includes Charlottesville would give Democrats hope that a blue wave is building. The seat was formerly held by Republican Tom Garrett, who admitted to being an alcoholic and announced in May he wouldn’t run for re-election.
Utah’s 4th CD
The race between Rep. Mia Love, a rising Republican star, against Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams now leans Democratic, according to FiveThirtyEight.com. Love is the only black woman in the Republican caucus.
THE SENATE New Jersey
Democrat Robert Menedez (right) is running for re-election against Republican Bob Hugin in a race in which Menendez has been hammered by ads about criminal corruption charges against him and a rebuke by the Senate Ethics Committee. The federal criminal case against Menendez ended in a mistrial. The Cook Political Report calls the race a toss-up, but a Stockton University poll released last week showed Menendez with a 12-point lead.
Arizona
Democrat Krysten Sinema is running against Republican Martha McSally for the seat left vacant by retiring GOP Sen. Jeff Flake in a state where President Trump defeated Hillary Clinton by a 3-point margin in 2016. The Cook Political Report rates Arizona as a toss-up state. A RealClearPolitics’ average of the polls shows Sinema with a 1 percent lead over McSally. Both have served in the House of Representatives since 2012.
Florida
Democrat Bill Nelson, first elected to the Senate in 2000, is defending his seat against Rick Scott, the term-limited Republican governor. Nelson is leading in the polls by about 2 percentage points in a state that Trump by just over a single point. The Cook Political Report marks the race as a toss-up.
Missouri
Trump won the Show Me State by 20 percentage points — 57 to 37 percent — and Democratic incumbent Claire McCaskill, elected in 2006, is trying to fend off a tough challenge from state Attorney General Josh Hawley. RealClearPolitics says an average of the polls leaves them tied, and the Cook Political Report rates the race a toss-up.
Indiana
Democratic Sen. Joe Donnelly is running for a second term against Mike Braun, a Republican state legislator, in Vice President Mike Pence’s home state. Trump won Indiana handily — 57 to 38 percent. Polls are all over the place, with some showing Donnelly with a 8-point lead, while others have Braun up by 4 points. RealClearPolitics’ average barely gives Donnelly the nod by 0.8 percent. Cook Political Report has it as a toss-up.
GOVERNORS Texas
Perhaps the closest-watched race in the country pits Republican Sen. Ted Cruz (inset), who mounted a bid for president in 2016, against Rep. Beto O’Rourke. Democrats are hoping O’Rourke can eke out a win and begin to turn the deep-red state purple. Trump’s 52-43 win there was the smallest margin of victory for a GOP presidential candidate in 20 years. The Cook Political Report calls it a toss-up, but most polls show Cruz with a lead of at least 3 points.
Florida
The Sunshine State’s race pitting Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum, a Democrat, against former GOP Rep. Ron DeSantis is drawing nationwide attention. Gillum is bidding to became the state’s first black governor, and polls show him with a 2-point lead over DeSantis, who is backed by President Trump.
Georgia
Democrat Stacey Abrams, hoping to become the nation’s first black female governor, is running against Republican Secretary of State Brian Kemp in a race marked by accusations of voter suppression. A federal judge last week ordered the state to change its “exact match” law, in a blow to Kemp, whose office oversees statewide elections. RealClearPolitics’ poll average has Kemp up by 1.1 points.
Ohio
Democrats are hoping Richard Cordray can beat Republican Mike DeWine and claim the top spot in a state where the GOP controls most offices and the legislature. Gov. John Kasich, a 2016 presidential candidate, was term-limited. Polls show Cordray leading DeWine by as many as 6 points or as few as 3.