WASHINGTON — Pennsylvania Democrat Janelle Stelson gave Republican Rep. Scott Perry the closest race of his political career in 2024, and many in her party are eager to see her try again.

The former television journalist, who said she is “seriously considering” another run, isn’t the only Democrat gearing up for a potential comeback.

Rebecca Cooke, who outpaced the top of the ticket last fall while losing to GOP Rep. Derrick Van Orden in Wisconsin, and Marlene Galán-Woods, who finished third in a six-way Arizona primary to take on Republican Rep. David Schweikert, are among the repeat contenders whom Democrats are counting on to help them win the House in 2026.

Democrats are looking for House candidates who “rose above the brand (and) overperformed” compared with Vice President Kamala Harris in her race against Donald Trump, said Mike Nellis, a Democratic strategist who works on House and Senate campaigns.

The GOP also has a few 2024 candidates who party strategists hope will return next year, even as Republicans face potential midterm headwinds. That list includes Kevin Coughlin, a former Ohio legislator who lost to Democratic Rep. Emilia Sykes; Kevin Lincoln, the former mayor of Stockton, Calif., who lost to Democratic Rep. Josh Harder; and former California Rep. Michelle Steel, who was narrowly unseated by Democrat Derek Tran.

“Our candidates will hit the ground running to expand our majority and retire extreme, out-of-touch House Democrats,” said Mike Marinella, a spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee, which, like its Democratic counterpart, traditionally remains neutral until after primaries have determined the nominees.

Advantage experience

Repeat candidates often bring certain advantages: They’re battle-tested, they know the terrain and they have experience with everything from raising money to retail politics.

And persistence can pay off: Iowa Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks came up short in three House runs before the Republican finally emerged victorious in 2020 — by a scant six-vote margin.

“It takes time to build trust with voters,” Cooke said in an interview.

Cooke came within 3 points of beating Van Orden in the western Wisconsin-based 3rd District last fall; Harris lost the district by more than 7 points. Cooke launched her third consecutive run for the seat earlier this month.

“I overperformed every Democrat on the ballot in Wisconsin 3,” she said. “I’m excited to be back in this fight.”

Cooke grew up on a dairy farm in Eau Claire, Wis., and emphasized her working-class roots during her last run against Van Orden.

“My campaign has always been very focused on the things that keep people up at night,” she said. But those issues could come into even sharper focus in the midterms, she said, citing Trump’s aggressive efforts to slash government programs.

“A lot of voters who voted for Trump are pretty outraged at Elon Musk’s overreach,” Cooke said of the tech billionaire’s efforts with the Department of Government Efficiency. “We have these oligarchs who are trying to steer the course of our country, and that’s really concerning to a lot of folks.”

Republicans, though, have sought to paint Cooke as a perennial candidate who has already been rebuffed twice. (She also lost a bid for the Democratic nomination for the seat in 2022.)

“Certified loser Rebecca Cooke was already rejected by Wisconsinites twice and will lose again in 2026. Voters are well aware that she is nothing more than a sleazy political activist who remains out-of-touch with Western Wisconsin,” NRCC spokesman Zach Bannon said in a statement.

In Pennsylvania, Stelson came within a point of unseating Perry in a Central Pennsylvania district that Harris lost by more than 5 points, according to calculations by elections analyst Drew Savicki.

Galán-Woods didn’t make it through the Democratic primary last cycle, but her repeat try is already garnering support: She recently picked up endorsements from EMILY’s List, which backs Democratic women who support abortion rights, and BOLD PAC, the campaign arm of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.

In her launch video, Galán-Woods refers to her unsuccessful 2024 run.

“We ... need to do something different to defeat David Schweikert this time around, and you’re looking at her,” she said. “When I ran in ’24, Republicans came after me because they know I can beat Schweikert. And if I’m the Democratic nominee in ’26, I will do just that.”

Sometimes, winning a competitive election is simply a matter of timing. Even strong candidates can get pulled down in a tough political environment.

History suggests Democrats could have an edge in 2026, as the party controlling the White House typically loses seats in midterm elections. And House Democrats are expected to lean heavily on economic issues — if rising prices doomed their chances in 2024, they could boost them next year.

“Pocketbook issues” can be “an incredibly effective message when contrasted with the fact that House Republicans haven’t done a single thing to lower costs, breaking their promise to the American people,” Viet Shelton, a spokesperson for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said in an email. “It’s a recipe that we know works and will power House Democrats when we retake the majority in the midterms.”

Not all repeat candidates

But not all reruns are welcome. Politico reported earlier this year that two-time nominee Carl Marlinga’s potential third run in Michigan’s 10th District was getting a cool reception from Democrats. The former county judge lost to Republican John James in both 2022 and 2024, and with James eyeing a gubernatorial run next year, the seat could be a top Democratic pickup opportunity.

Meanwhile, some Republicans say privately that they aren’t eager for a repeat run by former Trump administration official Paul Junge, who lost a toss-up race in Central Michigan to Democrat Kristen McDonald Rivet. McDonald Rivet, who was recently named an NRCC target, is also reportedly weighing a statewide bid next year.

Republicans also say they don’t expect a rerun from Joe Kent, the retired Army Special Forces officer who twice lost to Democratic Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Pérez, after he was appointed by Trump to be director of the National Counterterrorism Center.

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