New data from the DLCC shows a once-in-a-generation opportunity in the 2026 midterms to shift the balance of power in state legislatures
The DLCC is announcing an expanded target map and a $50 million political investment for 2026 to deliver new majorities, trifectas, and increased power for Democrats across the map
WASHINGTON — Today, the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee unveiled a new memo on our 2026 strategy and budget to transform the landscape of power in state legislatures for years to come. The DLCC’s data shows that state legislative Democrats overperformed 2025 elections in targeted districts by 4.5 points on average, which if replicated in 2026 elections would provide the most significant Democratic gains at this ballot level in two decades.
To meet this moment, the DLCC is expanding our target map to include 42 chambers – the most targets ever – and announcing a $50 million investment for 2026, the largest single-year budget to date.
The expanded target map includes:
- New flip opportunities: Arizona House and Senate and New Hampshire House and Senate
- Breaking and preventing Republican supermajorities: Florida House and Senate, Indiana House, Iowa House and Senate, Kansas House, Missouri House and Senate, North Carolina House and Senate, Ohio House, and South Carolina House
- Chipping away at Republican power and flipping seats: Pennsylvania Senate, Georgia House and Senate, Nebraska, Texas House, Maine House and Senate
- Building Democratic supermajorities: Colorado House and Senate, Delaware House, Nevada Assembly, New Mexico House, New York Senate, Oregon Senate, Vermont House and Senate, Washington House
This announcement marks a substantial expansion of the DLCC’s earlier target map, which focused on defending Democratic power in the Pennsylvania House, Minnesota Senate, Michigan Senate, and Alaska House and Senate, as well as flipping the Wisconsin Assembly and Senate, Michigan House, and Minnesota House.
The DLCC’s 2026 plan combines our proven strategy with the opportunity to put Democrats on offense to capitalize on the historic opportunity to fundamentally reshape power for years to come.
Read the DLCC’s 2026 strategy memo HERE.
Read the DLCC’s 2026 expanded target map HERE.
Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee President Heather Williams issued the following statement:
“2026 is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to fundamentally transform state legislative power. With multiple new majorities and trifectas in play next year, this isn’t a moment for modest gains – we are thinking more expansively than ever to sweep the landscape and create lasting power in statehouses. Beyond cementing Democratic state power, our 2026 wins will fundamentally shift power up and down the ticket and shape the future of Democratic power for years to come. The favorable political environment taking shape for Democrats is on a scale that only comes once in a generation, and the DLCC is poised to meet this moment through the largest target map and political budget ever. We aren’t wasting a moment to execute on our winning strategy.”
The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) is the campaign arm of Democratic state legislatures and leads the national strategy for building power and winning new majorities. Over the last three decades, we have strategized cycle over cycle to win majorities and lead the effort to bring national attention and investment to our ballot level, winning nearly a dozen new chamber majorities over the last decade. Our work has ensured that nearly half of Americans are represented by at least one Democratic majority in their statehouse. State legislatures are the building blocks of our democracy and have the closest connections to Americans’ day-to-day lives. From protecting fundamental freedoms and voting rights to growing the middle class and advancing opportunity, the DLCC and state legislators are moving the Democratic agenda forward and shaping the future of this country.
###
