Democrats banking on suburban discontent in 2018
From the old steel communities around Pittsburgh to the lakefront communities of Chicagoland, Republicans are facing an increasingly clear reality: They’ve got trouble in the suburbs.
In the last two weeks, Democrats scored an upset in southwest Pennsylvania and dominated the voting in the Republican suburbs outside Chicago. President Donald Trump, who never won over suburbia, continues to get poor marks from the educated, upper income Americans who often call it home. After Democratic victories in state legislative contests in Virginia and special elections across the country — even a stunning Senate election in Republican-dominated Alabama — Republicans have plenty of reason to worry that commuter country may be their undoing in the fight for control of the House in November’s midterm elections.
“Across the board, every single indicator points to one thing: a Republican bloodbath,” said Republican strategist Terry Sullivan.
Democrats need to pick up 23 seats to take the majority — a task made particularly challenging by the way House districts currently are drawn to favour Republicans. Still, any House majority is built on suburban success.