Here’s some cheerful news to wake up to: elections prognosticator Larry Sabato has a new set of House race ratings out and they are extremely favorable to Democrats.
— With less than a week to go, the PA-18 special election moves from Leans Republican to Toss-up.
— In addition to that ratings change, we are making 25 other changes in the House, all in favor of Democrats.
— No Democratic incumbent is now rated worse than Likely Democratic, a nod to the reality that in a Democratic-leaning environment it will be difficult for Republicans to dislodge many or perhaps even any Democratic incumbents, though there are a handful of Democratic open seats that are more viable Republican targets.
— After these ratings changes, for the first time this cycle we have fewer than 218 seats (the number needed for a majority) at least leaning to the Republicans.
— Making his debut in our competitive House ratings is the chamber’s most powerful member, Speaker Paul Ryan (R, WI-1). While his district is competitive but clearly Republican-leaning on paper, this shift mostly reflects uncertainty surrounding his future.
Things could always change and, while the site is called Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball, he doesn’t actually have a crystal ball to make perfect predictions. But this is the kind of thing you want to be hearing. The House Majority PAC, a major Democratic super PAC, may be responding to some of the same information that made Sabato move so many ratings in a Democratic direction—it’s reserved $43 million in air time for the fall, weeks earlier than it made its reservations in previous cycles.
Take back the House! Can you give $1 to the Democratic nominee fund in each Daily Kos-targeted district?