National Democrats, Republicans eye Tampa Bay for power in Congress

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – Democratic Rep. Kathy Castor is getting some help from her national party ahead of the election in November.

Castor represents portions of Hillsborough County and southern Pinellas County. However, District 14 has been redrawn. It now only involves parts of Hillsborough County, including a portion of Tampa. The district now leans Republican.

Rep. Suzan DelBene is the chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. The DCCC currently trails its Republican equivalent committee in fundraising.

“They may have a lot of money. We need enough. We will have enough to make sure people can get their message out,” DelBene said.

One of the messages involves President Trump’s signature legislation, The One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Democrats say it’s not helping taxpayers.

“They are also struggling with high costs, with healthcare being taken away, especially right here with so many people who lost healthcare because of the ‘Big Ugly Bill’,” DelBene said.

On Tuesday, the DCCC also released an ad to help Rep. Castor. The ad criticizes former state lawmaker Mike Beltran, who is Castor’s republican opponent.

Maureen O’Toole is a press secretary with the National Republican Congressional Committee. That’s the group helping the GOP with its effort to keep the majority.

“We are extremely confident in the candidates that we have running in districts across the country, right here in Florida, right here in Tampa Bay with Mike Beltran,” O’Toole said.

Polls continue to show Republicans have an uphill battle to climb. Charlie Cook, who is the founder of the Cook Political Report, recently said that Democrats will control the House of Representatives.

The NRCC continues to move forward with campaigning. The group is not shying away from President Trump’s policies, despite the president’s favorability ratings reaching new lows.

Republicans say there are many benefits from President Trump’s signature legislation. Many in the GOP are attacking Democrats this campaign cycle since the Democratic caucus voted against the bill and its provisions.

“Those are real policies that put money back into the pockets of her own constituents and she (Castor) voted no,” O’Toole said.

The NRCC added Beltran to its MAGA Majority program to invest resources in his race. Beltran has also been endorsed by President Trump.  

The DCCC is also working to flip the district where Rep. Vern Buchanan currently serves. The longtime congressman is retiring. The group is also eyeing the district currently represented by Rep. Gus Bilirakis. Democrats are also working to flip Rep. Anna Paulina Luna’s seat.

The NRCC is working not only to flip Rep. Kathy Castor’s seat, but they have their sights set on the district that includes a portion of Polk County that’s represented by Democratic Rep. Darren Soto. The district has been redrawn and includes more registered Republicans than Democrats.

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