RELEASE: State Democrats Shatter Candidate Recruitment Records Across the Country

From Texas to Georgia to Indiana, the DLCC and state legislative Democrats are delivering the best candidate recruitment numbers seen this century

WASHINGTON — As the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) gears up for its most ambitious midterm strategy ever, state Democrats across battleground, red, and blue territory are breaking one candidate recruitment record after another. The DLCC has supercharged candidate recruitment this cycle through early infrastructure, staffing, and caucus support.

State Democrats are breaking recruitment records across the country:

• Texas: All 150 House districts and 16 Senate districts will be contested – marking a first for either party in modern history.

• Georgia: Democrats are running in 204 state legislative races, contesting 88% of House seats and 82% of Senate seats. This represents Democrats’ highest number of qualified candidates and contested seats in at least three decades.

• North Carolina: Candidates are running in all 120 House districts and in all 50 Senate districts.

• Pennsylvania: House Democrats have recruited for at least 180 of 203 seats, marking 90% of the seats and a high watermark of the last decade.

• Indiana: Democrats are running in all 25 Senate districts and 90 of 100 House districts — marking the best recruitment this century.

• Ohio: Democrats have recruited candidates in 97 of 99 House districts – the best recruitment of many cycles.

• South Carolina: Democrats have recruited a candidate for every statehouse race for the first time in modern history.

• Maine: Democrats recruited in 34 of 35 Senate districts. Democrats are running in 137 of 151 House races, 22 of which are unopposed by Republicans.

• Arizona: Democrats are running in every Legislative District.

Filing periods are still open in many DLCC target states, but we are surpassing recruitment targets earlier than ever this year. The DLCC’s most urgent goal is to recruit candidates in over 500 target districts across the country by June, including 300 districts currently held by Republicans.

On the heels of flipping 30 seats red to blue since Trump’s election, strong candidate recruitment is the latest proof point of the DLCC’s strategy to harness grassroots momentum. The DLCC’s work is laying the foundation for a historic November as we prepare for the biggest gains at this ballot level in two decades.

Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee President Heather Williams issued the following statement:

“State Democrats are shattering recruitment records across the country, and the grassroots enthusiasm is undeniable. Our efforts are putting strong candidates in hundreds of key districts that will decide majorities and secure the largest shift of power at this ballot level in a generation. The DLCC’s proven strategy has already flipped 30 districts since Trump’s election, and we’re carrying our winning playbook forward into the midterms. Democrats are on offense across the country, and the DLCC’s work will ensure record candidate recruitment translates into record flips this November.”

The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) leads the national strategy to secure Democratic power in our state legislatures. We are the campaign arm for more than 3,000 state legislators and thousands of candidates across all 50 states who are advancing Democratic values and standing up to the dangerous MAGA agenda every single day. Over the last decade, our work has flipped 10 new chamber majorities. Those new majorities have ensured Democrats in state legislatures are positioned to protect our democracy and fundamental rights, while addressing the high cost of living and advancing opportunities. The DLCC’s national strategy and target map continue to pinpoint the most efficient paths to Democratic power across all 50 states.

###