Every two years, all seats in the House of Representatives are contested. The current House is composed of 229 Republicans, 201 Democrats, 1 Independent and 4 vacancies. The redestricting in 2002 based on new census data has increased the number of "safe" districts -- districts where an incumbent is almost guaranteed re-election.
Thus open seats take on more importance.
The following seats -- open or incumbent -- are deemed "competitive" in the battle over control of the House of Representatives.
| Competitive Republican Seats |
| District |
Candidates |
Status |
| Arizona |
| AZ-01 |
Incumbent Renzi versus Democrat Simonk |
Renzi projected winner
|
| AZ-05 |
Incumbent Hayworth versus Democrat Mitchell |
Mitchel projected winner
|
| AZ-08 |
Republican Graf versus Democrat Giffords |
Giffords projected winner;
seat vacated by Kolbe
|
| California |
| CA-04 |
Incumbent Doolittle versus Democrat Brown |
Doolittle projected winner;
Dootlittle under investigation by Justice Dept.
|
| CA-11 |
Incumbent Pombo versus Democrat McNerney |
McNerry projected winner;
Pombo linked to Jack Abramoff.
|
| Colorado |
| CO-04 |
Incumbent Musgrave versus Democrat Paccione |
Musgrave projected winner
|
| CO-07 |
Republican O'Donnell versus Democrat Perlmutter |
Perlmutter projected winner; seat vacated by Beauprez
|
| Connecticut |
| CT-2 |
Republican Simmons versus Democrat Courtney |
Courtney projected winner.
|
| CT-5 |
Republican Johnson versus Democrat Murphy |
Murphy projected winner.
|
| Florida |
| FL-13 |
Republican Buchanan versus Democrat Jennings |
Buchanan projected winner; seat vacated by Harris, who is running for Senate.
|
| FL-16 |
Republican Negron versus Democrat Mahoney |
Mahoney projected winner; seat vacated by Foley, whose name will appear on the
ballot.
|
| FL-22 |
Incumbent Shaw versus Democrat Klein |
Klein projected winner
|
| Illinois |
| IL-06 |
Republican Roskam versus Democrat Duckworth |
Roskam projected winner; seat vacated by Hyde.
|
| Indiana |
| IN-02 |
Incumbent Chocola versus Democrat Donnelly |
Donnelly projected winner
|
| IN-08 |
Incumbent Hostettler versus Democrat Ellsworth |
Ellsworth projected winner.
Hostettler tarred with Foley scandal. |
| IN-09 |
Incumbent Sodrel versus Democrat Hill |
Hill projected winner.
|
| Iowa |
| IA-01 |
Republican Whalen versus Democrat Braley |
Braley projected winner; seat vacated by Nussle.
|
| IA-01 |
Incumbent Leach versus Democrat Loebsack |
Loebsack projected winner; seat vacated by Nussle.
|
| Kentucky |
| KY-03 |
Incumbent Northup versus Democrat Yarmuth |
Yarmuth projected winner
|
| KY-04 |
Incumbent Davis versus Democrat Lucas |
Davis projected winner.
|
| Maryland |
| MD-31 |
Republican White versus Democrat Sarbanes |
Sarbanes projected winner.
|
| Minnesota |
| MN-01 |
Incumbent Gutknecht versus Democrat Walz |
Waltz projected winner. |
| MN-06 |
Republican Bachmann versus Democrat Wetterling |
Bachmann projected winner; seat vacated by Kennedy.
|
| Nevada |
| NV-02 |
Republican Heller versus Democrat Derby |
Heller projected winner;
Seat vacated by Gibbons.
|
| NV-03 |
Incumbent Porter versus Democrat Hafen |
Porter projected winner
|
| New Hampshire |
| NH-01 |
Incumbent Bradley versus Democrat Shea-Porter |
Shea-Porter projected winner.
|
| NH-02 |
Incumbent Bass versus Democrat Hodes |
Hodes projected winner.
|
| New Jersey |
| NJ-13 |
Republican Guarini versus Democrat Sires |
Sires projected winner.
|
| New Mexico |
| NM-01 |
Incumbent Wilson versus Democrat Madrid |
Madrid projected winner |
| New York |
| NY-11 |
Republican Finger versus Democrat Clarke |
Clarke projected winner.
|
| NY-19 |
Incumbent Kelly versus Democrat Hall |
Hall projected winner.
|
| NY-20 |
Incumbent Sweeney versus Democrat Gillibrand |
Gillibrand projected winner; Sweeney tarred with Jack Abramoff scandal.
|
| NY-24 |
Republican Meier versus Democrat Arcuri |
Arcuri projected winner; seat vacated by Boehlert
|
| NY-25 |
Incumbent Walsh versus Democrat Maffei |
Walsh projected winner. |
| NY-26 |
Incumbent Reynolds versus Democrat Davis |
Reynolds projected winner.
|
| NY-29 |
Incumbent Kuhl versus Democrat Massa |
Kuhl projected winner.
|
| North Carolina |
| NC-11 |
Incumbent Taylor versus Democrat Shuleer |
Shuleer projected winner; Taylor is accused of reaping financial rewards from
federal projects in his district.
|
| Ohio |
| OH-01 |
Incumbent Chabot versus Democrat Cranley |
Chabot projected winner
|
| OH-02 |
Incumbent Schmidt versus Democrat Wulsin |
Schmidt projected winner
|
| OH-04 |
Republican Jordan versus Democrat Siferd |
Jordan projected winner.
|
| OH-06 |
Republican Blasdel versus Democrat Wilson |
Wilson projected winner.
|
| OH-13 |
Republican Foltin versus Democrat Sutton |
Sutton projected winner.
|
| OH-15 |
Incumbent Pryce versus Democrat Kilroy |
Prcye projected winner; Foley scandal backlash may hurt Pryce
|
| OH-18 |
Republican Padgett versus Democrat Space |
Space projected winner; seat vacated by Ney, felony conviction.
|
| Pennsylvania |
| PA-04 |
Incumbent Hart versus Democrat Altmire |
Altmire projected winner.
|
| PA-06 |
Incumbent Gerlach versus Democrat Murphy |
Murphy projected winner.
|
| PA-07 |
Incumbent Weldon versus Democrat Sestak |
Sestak projected winner; Weldon is under FBI investigation.
|
| PA-08 |
Incumbent Fitzpatrick versus Democrat Murphy |
Murphy projected winner. |
| PA-10 |
Incumbent Sherwood versus Democrat Carney |
Carney projected winner; his extramarital affair and accusations of physical
abuse are haunting Sherwood.
|
| Texas |
| TX-22 |
Republican Sekula-Gibbs versus Democrat Lampson |
Lampson projected winner; seat vacated by DeLay; his name is on ballot.
|
| Virginia |
| VA-02 |
Incumbent Drake versus Democrat Kellan |
Drake projected winner. |
| Washington |
| WA-08 |
Incumbent Reichert versus Democrat Burner |
|
| Wisconsin |
| WI-08 |
Republican Gard versus Democrat Kagan |
Kagan projected winner; seat vacated by Green
|
| Wyoming |
| WY |
Incumbent Cubin versus Democrat Walz |
Cubin projected winner; WY has only one Representative; Cubin is reportedly under
Justice Department investigation.
|
| Competitive Democratic Seats |
| District |
Candidates |
Status |
| Georgia |
| GA-08 |
Republican Collins versus Incumbent Marshall |
Marshall projected winner. |
| GA-12 |
Republican Burns versus Incumbent Barrow |
|
| Illinois |
| IL-08 |
Republican McSweeney versus Incumbent Bean |
Bean projected winner.
|
| Iowa |
| IA-01 |
Republican Lamberti versus Incumbent Boswell |
Boswell projected winner. |
| Louisiana |
| LA-02 |
Incumbent Jefferson faces a flock of competition; election sure to end in December 9 runoff. |
Jefferson is under Justice Department investigation.
|
