House GOP campaign arm releases slate of 26 ‘Young Gun’ competitive candidates

The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) on Monday announced a slate of 26 Republican candidates as part of its “Young Gun” program, which highlights nonincumbent candidates and challengers in competitive districts.

The initial list of 2024 candidates includes 24 Republicans who are either challenging incumbent Democrats or seeking a seat that a Democrat is vacating, along with two Republicans seeking election to districts that a Republican representative is leaving to run in a different district.

Those in the Young Guns program receive extra mentorship and assistance from the House GOP campaign arm, and are required to meet certain goals and benchmarks through the election cycle, according to the NRCC.

“Extreme House Democrats’ border, crime and cost of living crises wrecked Americans’ safety and security,” NRCC Chair Rep. Richard Hudson (R-N.C.) said in a statement announcing the list. “Fortunately, these Republican candidates are already well on their way to running winning campaigns that will grow our House majority in November.”

It is possible that the NRCC adds candidates to its Young Gun slate as election season progresses. The NRCC Young Guns program first kicked off in the 2008 election cycle, spearheaded by then-reps Reps. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), Eric Cantor (R-Va.), and Paul Ryan (R-Wis.).

Here is the initial list of the NRCC’s 26 Young Gun candidates for 2024:

• Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom in Alaska’s at-large district, challenging Rep. Mary Sattler Peltola (D)
• Caroleene Dobson in Alabama’s 2nd District, which Rep. Barry Moore (R) is vacating to run in a different district
• Kevin Lincoln in California’s 9th District, challenging Rep. Josh Harder (D)
• Scott Baugh in California’s 47th District, which Rep. Katie Porter (D) is vacating since she ran for Senate
• Matt Gunderson in California’s 49th District, challenging Rep. Mike Levin (D)
• Jeff Hurd in Colorado’s 3rd District, which Rep. Lauren Boebert (R) is vacating as she runs in a different district
• Gabe Evans in Colorado’s 8th District, challenging Rep. Yadira Caraveo (D) 
• George Logan in Connecticut’s 5th District, challenging Rep. Jahana Hayes (D)
• Joe McGraw in Illinois’s 17th District, challenging Rep. Eric Sorensen (D)
• Randy Niemeyer in Indiana’s 1st District, challenging Rep. Frank J. Mrvan (D)
• Prasanth Reddy in Kansas’s 3rd District, challenging Rep. Sharice Davids (D)
• Austin Theriault in Maine’s 2nd District, challenging Rep. Jared Golden (D)
• Tom Barrett in Michigan’s 7th District, which Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D) is vacating as she runs for Senate
• Joe Teirab in Minnesota’s 2nd District, challenging Rep. Angie Craig (D)
• Laurie Buckhout in North Carolina’s 1st District, challenging Rep. Don Davis (D)
• Yvette Herrell in New Mexico’s 2nd District, challenging Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D) for the seat she previously held
• John Lee in Nevada’s 4th District, challenging Rep. Steven Horsford (D)
• Alison Esposito in New York’s 18th District, challenging Rep. Pat Ryan (D)
• Derek Merrin in Ohio’s 9th District, challenging Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D)
• Kevin Coughlin in Ohio’s 13th District, challenging Rep. Emilia Sykes (D)
• Monique DeSpain in Oregon’s 4th District, challenging Rep. Val Hoyle (D) 
• Ryan Mackenzie in Pennsylvania’s 7th District, challenging Rep. Susan Wild (D)
• Rob Bresnahan in Pennsylvania’s 8th District, challenging Rep. Matt Cartwright (D)
• Rob Mercuri in Pennsylvania’s 17th District, challenging Rep. Chris Deluzio (D) 
• Mayra Flores in Texas’s 34th District, challenging Rep. Vicente Gonzalez (D) for a seat she previously held after winning a special election in 2022
• Derrick Anderson in Virginia’s 7th District, which Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D) is vacating