The National Republican Congressional Committee unveiled its first publicly released battleground polls of the 2026 cycle on Thursday, revealing Republican candidates in strong positions across five Democratic-held districts that President Donald Trump carried in 2024.

The surveys, conducted by GOP-aligned firm co/efficient from April 25 to 29 among 842 to 982 likely general election voters per district, carry margins of error between 3.1 and 3.5 percentage points. In four of the five races, Republicans either lead or are tied with the Democratic incumbents or nominees.

In Maine's 2nd District, an open seat after Rep. Jared Golden opted not to seek reelection, former Republican Gov. Paul LePage leads Democratic state Sen. Joe Baldacci and state Auditor Matt Dunlap by 10 points each, 50% to 40%. Washington's 3rd District shows state Senate Minority Leader John Braun ahead of Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez by 7 points, with the Democratic incumbent holding a net unfavorable rating of -30 points and 50% unfavorable overall.

Texas' 34th District features Republican Eric Flores edging Rep. Vicente Gonzalez 41% to 40%, in a district where 45% of voters are unfamiliar with the nine-term incumbent. North Carolina's newly redrawn 1st District is deadlocked at 41% apiece between GOP challenger Laurie Buckhout and Rep. Don Davis. The one exception is New Mexico's 2nd District, where Rep. Gabe Vasquez holds a slim 43%-41% edge over Greg Cunningham.

Trump won these districts in 2024 by margins from 2 points in New Mexico's 2nd to 11 points in North Carolina's 1st, creating a favorable landscape for Republican pickups, according to the NRCC. Democratic Party favorability ratings in the districts range from the mid-30s favorable and low-50s unfavorable in North Carolina to 29% favorable and 61% unfavorable in Maine.

NRCC Chairman Richard Hudson highlighted the results as evidence of the party's offensive strategy. "House Democrats are staring down a political buzzsaw in districts that already rejected their party at the top of the ticket last cycle," Hudson said. "These polls underscore the NRCC’s strategy to go on offense, expand the battlefield and flip seats, putting Democrats on the back foot and making their climb out of the minority even steeper."

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee dismissed the surveys as partisan push polling. Spokesman Viet Shelton stated, "No matter how Republicans try to manipulate push polling on the House battlefield, they can’t stop the inevitable; we are taking back the House in November."

Republicans currently hold a narrow House majority and are defending it six months before the November 3 election. Recent NRCC internal polling across competitive battlegrounds showed a +2% Republican generic ballot edge and challengers or incumbents leading by an average of 3 points on named ballots. The committee also boasts a fundraising advantage, with $78.2 million cash on hand after the first quarter, surpassing the DCCC's $69.9 million.

Four of the five districts are rated tossups or lean Republican by the Cook Political Report, underscoring the NRCC's confidence in expanding its target list and leveraging Trump's 2024 performance in these areas.