The Great Plains and Mountain West Have a Few Key Races. Can We Make Gains in These Areas?

by bilboteach

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Friday, Aug. 16, 2024 Friday, Aug. 16, 2024 at 3:31:10am PDT

Rocky Mountains near Aspen — Such a beautiful stretch of our nation. Even the Great Plains have their stark beauty in their own way...

In the excitement about MVP Harris I feel that another important goal has been lost. We’re falling for the same trap we always do in a Presidential year — we focus so heavily on the race for the highest office that we lose sight of the fact that Congress is equally as important to enact our agenda.

I’ve covered the key races in the Rust Belt, Southwest, New York and California. Those states alone have enough potential to win back the House of Representatives and keep the Senate. But what about other areas of the United States? I’m happy to take a quick look elsewhere too!

Today, I’m looking at the key races in Colorado, Kansas, Montana, and Nebraska. They are the states in the Mountain West and Great Plains region that have competitive House and Senate races. We have both opportunities and the need to play defense in these regions.

But first, the donations to the Good News Roundup team have dried up in recent times. Donating below is more efficient than to each individual candidate, and you don’t get the spammy calls and emails either!

WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 23: Rep. Lauren Boebert (R) (R-CO) speaks during a press conference at the U.S. Capitol June 23, 2021 in Washington, DC. Boebert announced she has introduced a resolution to censure U.S. President Joe Biden related to border security and enforcement of immigration laws. Also pictured is Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA). (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Here is the Defeat the MAGA Dozen Fund on ActBlue! These 15 incumbent members of the GOP are MAGA Republicans residing in swing districts. The challengers are all strong and can win in these tougher districts. Please donate and then share a link to this site on your social media! #MAGADozen

We have raised nearly $8.3k of the new $10k goal so far!

WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 18: U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) holds hands with Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) as the House of Representatives holds its second round of voting for a new Speaker of the House at the U.S. Capitol on October 18, 2023 in Washington, DC. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) failed in his bid to become Speaker of the House on Tuesday after all Democrats and 20 members of his own party declined to vote for him. The House has been without an elected leader since Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) was ousted from the speakership on October 4 in a move led by a small group of conservative members of his own party.

Here is the Save the Majority 2024 Fund on ActBlue! There are plenty of Democratic members of the House that are still vulnerable to being defeated. These 26 members need a boost! Please donate and then share a link to this site on your social media! #SaveTheMajority

We have raised nearly $12k of the new $15k goal so far!

Now that this is out of the way, let’s dive into the contests!

Colorado

Colorado-3: Adam Frisch

Colorado’s 3rd district was host to the closest House race in 2022, as Adam Frisch nearly knocked off the loathed Rep. Lauren Boebert. Boebert ducked a rematch by jumping ship to the redder 4th district on the other side of the state. Instead, the opposition will be attorney Jeff Hurd. That will make the task of flipping this district much tougher for Frisch.

DONATE TO ADAM FRISCH

Colorado-8: Rep. Yadira Caraveo

Rep. Yadira Caraveo is our incumbent for Colorado's 8th district. — Rep. Yadira Caraveo has been a moderating influence in Congress. Let’s make sure she stays there!

Colorado’s 8th district was another close race in 2022. Rep. Yadira Caraveo narrowly prevailed but did not clear 50% of the vote. She will face State Rep. Gabe Evans in a coin-flip district that Biden barely won in 2020. The hope is that Latino voters will flock to the ticket now that MVP Harris is on top of it. I’ve already written about the race for Colorado’s 8th district.

DONATE TO REP. YADIRA CARAVEO

Kansas

Kansas-3: Rep. Sharice Davids

Kansas’ 3rd district was intentionally gerrymandered to jettison Rep. Sharice Davids from Congress. The incumbent had other ideas and easily won her contest in 2022. This time around, Davids faces physician Prasanth Reddy and a Presidential electorate that barely favored Biden in 2020. This district is zooming left, so I am not too worried about Davids.

DONATE TO REP. SHARICE DAVIDS

Montana

Montana Senate: Sen. Jon Tester

Sen. Tester had a farm. EIEIO. He’s probably the Senator most at risk of losing in 2024.

I am worried about this race. Montana is a state that will favor Trump by a lot and Sen. Jon Tester has never shared a ballot with the former President. Polling hasn’t looked so hot either. Still, the challenger in Tim Sheehy is everything natives to Montana hate about the interlopers moving to the state. Sheehy also has issues with telling the truth. If Tester can pull this off, it will be an amazing feat. I will be writing about this race this Sunday!

DONATE TO SEN. JON TESTER

Montana-1: Monica Tranel

Candidate Monica Tranel for Montana, 2024 — Hey, the Olympics just concluded! Support a former Olympian in Monica Tranel!

Monica Tranel has the privilege of facing Rep. Ryan Zinke once again in 2024 after holding him under 50% of the vote in 2022. She’s the real deal, as she has been added to the Red to Blue program for promising challengers. Tranel will have to count on the power of Sen. Tester being stronger than that of Donald Trump because the latter will certainly win this district. I’ve already written about the race for Montana’s 1st district.

DONATE TO MONICA TRANEL

Nebraska

Nebraska-2: Tony Vargas

Nebraska’s 2nd district is an important and overlooked part of getting to 270 Electoral College votes. The “Blue Wall” states are no longer enough to win! Even though the district voted for Biden in 2020, it traditionally elects Republicans such as Rep. Don Bacon. Tony Vargas is looking to change that after a good showing in 2022. I’ve already written about the race for Nebraska’s 2nd district.

DONATE TO TONY VARGAS

These are the endangered incumbents for the Great Plains and Mountain West, plus a few strong challengers. We need to win as many of these districts as possible to have a robust majority in the House of Representatives. The region also has THE MOST IMPORTANT Senate race in a chamber that will be 50-50 at best. May our nominees have luck in their races!