EXCLUSIVE — As Republicans aim to hold and expand their congressional majority in this year’s midterm elections, the House GOP campaign arm is launching a new program to elevate what it says is the next wave of America First candidates.
The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) on Tuesday unveiled its initial list of GOP contenders in the MAGA Majority, which identifies candidates running in key battleground districts across the country. The announcement was shared first with Fox News Digital.
The unveiling of the MAGA Majority, which in past election cycles was known as the Young Guns program, comes as Republicans build resources to defend their fragile majority in the midterm elections. The GOP currently holds a razor-thin 218-214 control of the chamber, and Democrats need a net gain of just three seats in the midterms to flip the majority.
“House Republicans are on offense, and the MAGA Majority is the next wave of leaders who will help us expand our majority in 2026,” the NRCC chair, Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina, said in a statement.
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Hudson emphasized, “From veterans and job creators to proven conservative fighters and local leaders, these candidates are stepping up to secure the border, lower costs, and deliver on President Trump’s America First agenda.”
The NRCC says it will provide MAGA Majority candidates with early support, strategic resources, and visibility as Republicans aim to expand the map and go on offense in districts where it sees Democrats as vulnerable.
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Republicans are battling stiff political headwinds as the party in power in the nation’s capital traditionally loses seats in the midterms. The GOP is also facing a rough political climate fueled by economic concerns amid persistent inflation and Trump’s underwater approval ratings.
But Republicans highlight that Democrats in the midterms will be defending over a dozen districts that Trump won in the 2024 elections, and that “the MAGA Majority is designed to capitalize on that opportunity.”
The initial list of MAGA Majority candidates includes:
Mike LiPetri, New York’s 3rd District – LiPetri, a former state lawmaker, is an attorney and businessman running to flip a key Long Island battleground seat.
Peter Oberacker, New York’s 19th District – Oberacker is a state senator, farmer and small business owner with deep roots in upstate New York.
Tano Tijerina, Texas’ 28th District – Tijerina, a lifelong South Texan, is a Webb County judge whom the NRCC touts as a border security champion.
Eric Flores, Texas’ 34th District – Flores, a decorated Army veteran, is a Rio Grande Valley native and former prosecutor.
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Kevin Lincoln, California’s 13th District – Lincoln is a former Stockton mayor, Marine veteran and what the NRCC calls a rising Republican star in California’s Central Valley.
Paul LePage, Maine’s 2nd District – LePage, a former two-term governor in blue-leaning Maine, is running for Congress in a district Trump carried in all three of his presidential campaigns.
Jay Feely, Arizona’s 1st District – Feely is a former professional football player who played for the Arizona Cardinals, an NFL analyst and humanitarian.
Laurie Buckhout, North Carolina’s 1st District – Buckhout served 26 years in the Army, and is a decorated veteran of the Gulf War.
Joe Mitchell, Iowa’s 2nd District – MItchell is a former state representative, a veteran of the Trump administration, and grassroots conservative organizer.
The rival Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) is currently targeting 44 Republican-controlled districts in the midterms.
Democrats are energized, despite the party’s continued polling woes. Democrats, thanks to their laser focus on affordability amid persistent inflation, scored decisive victories in the 2025 elections and have won or over performed in a slew of scheduled and special ballot box contests in the 14 months since Trump returned to the White House.
“Democrats are on offense, and our map reflects the fact that everyday Americans are tired of Republicans’ broken promises and ready for change in Congress,” DCCC Chair Suzan DelBene emphasized in a statement. “Healthcare, housing, groceries, energy bills — they are all going up, and it’s directly because of Republican policies that favor the wealthiest few while leaving hardworking families behind.”
And DelBene predicted, “Going into the midterms, Democrats have the winning message, top-tier candidates, and the public on our side, paving the way for a new Democratic House Majority under the leadership of a Speaker Hakeem Jeffries.”
