GOP picks 12 vulnerable House ‘patriots’

The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) on Friday named the first 12 lawmakers who will be part of a program to protect vulnerable incumbents.

Eleven of the 12 lawmakers named are freshmen elected as part of the 2015 class that gave the GOP its largest majority in decades.

Reps. Martha McSally (Ariz.), Will Hurd (Texas), Bob Dold (Ill.), David Young (Iowa), Carlos Curbelo (Fla.), Mike Bost (Ill.), Bruce Poliquin (Maine), John Katko (N.Y.), Frank Guinta (N.H.), Lee Zeldin (N.Y.) and Cresent Hardy (Nev.) are the freshmen named to the Patriot Program.

They are joined by Rep. David Valadao (Calif.), who was elected in 2012. 

“Our new Patriots have just shown that they know what it takes to run aggressive, organized, and winning campaigns,” NRCC Chair Rep. Greg Walden (Ore.) said in a statement.

The program provides the members with additional support in their races, including fundraising. It’s designed to provide them with that support as early as possible in the election cycle, according to a release from the NRCC.

Other lawmakers will likely be added to the program’s roster; it ended the 2014 cycle with 20 members.

Rep. Steve Stivers (R-Ohio) leads the program.