National Republican super PACs MAGA Inc. and the Congressional Leadership Fund are withdrawing advertising dollars from vulnerable incumbent Reps. Tom Kean Jr. of New Jersey and Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Iowa weeks before the October 2026 midterms. Facing a slim three-seat majority and trailing in Fox News projections—which favor Democrats in 219 seats—the GOP is pulling back from competitive districts to redirect resources toward safer incumbents.
Changes to House GOP campaign spending
- ▪The Congressional Leadership Fund also withdrew planned funding from targets against Democratic Reps. Greg Landsman of Ohio and Kristen McDonald Rivet of Michigan, and abandoned spending in retiring Republican Rep. Don Bacon's open Nebraska seat
- ▪The Congressional Leadership Fund pulled its funding from Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks' reelection campaign four days after House Speaker Mike Johnson visited Iowa to campaign with and endorse her
- ▪The Congressional Leadership Fund is rerouting campaign cash diverted from the Kean and Miller-Meeks races to shore up battleground Republican incumbents, including Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Monica De La Cruz of Texas
- ▪The Trump-aligned super PAC MAGA Inc. and the House GOP leadership-aligned Congressional Leadership Fund are pulling remaining advertising and funding from Rep. Tom Kean Jr. of New Jersey and Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Iowa in October 2026
Tom Kean Jr. campaign reservations
- ▪A source close to Rep. Tom Kean Jr.'s campaign stated that Democratic opponent Rebecca Bennett has no soft dollar reservations on her behalf
- ▪A source close to Rep. Tom Kean Jr.'s campaign stated that his New Jersey race is fully funded through Election Day with major broadcast reservations
Rep. Tom Kean Jr.'s New Jersey district context
- ▪Rep. Tom Kean Jr.'s 7th Congressional District in New Jersey, which narrowly backed Donald Trump in 2024, is rated as 'Lean Democratic' by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report
- ▪Democratic candidate Rebecca Bennett, a former Navy helicopter pilot, is challenging Republican incumbent Rep. Tom Kean Jr. in New Jersey's 7th Congressional District
- ▪Rep. Tom Kean Jr. won his New Jersey House seat in 2022 by fewer than 10,000 votes against former Rep. Tom Malinowski, and won re-election in 2024 by approximately 23,000 votes
Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks's Iowa election history
- ▪Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks is seeking a fourth term in Iowa's 1st Congressional District against Democrat Christina Bohannan, whom she previously defeated in 2022 and 2024
- ▪Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks earned the nickname 'six-pack' among House Republicans after winning her initial 2020 election in Iowa's 1st Congressional District by six votes
Projections and context for the 2026 House midterms
- ▪Republicans entered the 2026 midterm cycle holding a narrow three-seat majority in the House of Representatives
- ▪The Fox News Power Rankings project Democrats to lead in 219 House seats for the 2026 midterms, compared to 198 seats for Republicans, with 19 seats listed as toss-ups
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