Staff Reports
The political differences between the conservative residents of Maine and the liberal University of Maine are stark. While the UMaine is known for its climate change research, neighboring houses display signs supporting Donald Trump's potential presidential run in 2024.
The 2nd Congressional District in Maine, which voted for Donald Trump in 2020, is considered to be a competitive district. Jared Golden, the current Democratic representative, is from this district.
Five House Democrats hold districts Donald Trump won in 2020 and are running for their political lives https://t.co/7Lq4Bz5tTQ
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) July 21, 2023
One of the districts in New England that voted for Trump over Biden is in this region. It is among five that supported a Democratic congressman in 2020 and a Republican president. These districts, which are known as crossover territories, are expected to play a vital role in determining which party will control the House in 2024. Currently, Republicans have a slim majority.
Since he was first elected to Congress in 2014, Golden has faced a tough battle in his re-election campaign. Due to the district's large population of blue-collar residents, he is expected to face a strong challenge from Republicans. Despite his attempts to distance himself from the national Democrats, Rob Cross, a mortgage broker, has already announced his intention to challenge Golden in 2024.
Another competitive district is expected to be featured in the upcoming election. In 2022, the first time that ranked choice voting was used in Alaska, Mary Peltola won a special election. She became the state's first Native member of congress. She will be seeking reelection in 2024, and Nick Begich, the Republican who lost to her in the election, is expected to challenge her again.
In Ohio, Congressman Kaptur is expected to face a tough challenge from Republicans in the district that voted for Donald Trump in 2020. Some of the potential candidates who are expected to challenge her include former mayor Steve Lankenau and Dan Wilczynski, a state representative. Kaptur has been serving in congress since 1982.
In Pennsylvania's 8th Congressional District, which voted for Donald Trump in 2020, Congressman Matt Cartwright is expected to face a tough challenge from Jim Bognet, a political consultant and attorney. Despite the district's conservative leanings, he was able to hold onto his seat during the election.
In Washington's 3rd Congressional District, Jaime Beutler lost to Marie Gluesenkamp Perez in 2022. She was able to defeat Beutler due to the Republican rifts over the impeachment of Donald Trump. Perez, who was an independent-minded Democrat, won the election by a narrow margin. She will now face a challenge from Joe Kent in 2024.
The results of the 2024 elections will be watched closely as Republicans aim to maintain their majority in the House and the Democrats try to regain their position. This election will also be a test of the voters' sentiment in politically-divided areas.
Source: News
