Special Elections Could Put Democrats Closer to Majority in Congress

Democrat Representative and DCCC chair Suzan DelBene signaled she was optimistic about the candidates her party is running in upcoming special elections and ahead in the midterms as Democrats try to wrestle back control of congress from Republicans. DelBene also weighed in on the ongoing fight over government funding, saying the blame for a government shutdown would fall on the GOP.

Two upcoming special elections that favor Democrats could fast-track a House vote on releasing files related to the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) need two more signatures for their discharge petition on the Epstein files, with Democrats and four Republicans already supporting it.

Voters in Virginia and Arizona will likely deliver those signatures in special elections on Tuesday and Sept. 23, to replace deceased Reps. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) and Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.).

Democrat James Walkinshaw is the favorite to win the Virginia seat, while Adelita Grijalva is poised to replace her late father in Arizona.

Walkinshaw has specifically addressed the Epstein case in his race, posting on X that he would sign the discharge petition. “We cannot ignore the calls from these survivors,” he said, referring to the women who say they were abused by Epstein and who have shown up at the Capitol urging release of the files.

Democratic leaders have been actively urging members to sign the petition, reminding them in multiple whip notices last week.

The elections are spurring the White House to persuade at least one of the Republican dissidents — Massie, Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.), Lauren Boebert (Colo.), or Nancy Mace (S.C.) — to remove their names. Massie is unlikely to budge as he’s leading the effort, but the other three are typically reliable allies of President Donald Trump.

Trump, who campaigned on publishing the full Epstein files, has since resisted the full release and called the push a liberal “hoax.” Trump had a well-documented friendship with Epstein before the late businessman was convicted of sex crimes.

House Republican leadership backs Trump’s position and has discouraged members from signing Massie’s discharge petition, while Democrats have rallied around the effort as part of their opposition to Trump.

All Democrats have signed the discharge petition except for Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), who said in a statement that he’s been absent from the House after his mother’s death, but plans to add his name when he returns.

The House Oversight Committee previously subpoenaed a suite of Epstein documents from the Trump administration, and a reported “birthday book” from Epstein’s estate. Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), the top Democrat on the panel, said lawmakers received the book Monday. Garcia published the “bawdy” note it contained from Trump, which the president had previously denied writing.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt again denied the Wall Street Journal’s reporting on the birthday book Monday afternoon.

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