“Donald Trump is shaping this election,” Rep. Ben Ray Luján said, with things often changing “not just week to week” but sometimes day-to-day or even hour to hour. | AP Photo Congress DCCC chairman: Trump is a great surrogate Ben Ray Luján discussed the evolving House map and Hillary Clinton's down-ballot role.

LOS ANGELES — Even at the House level, the 2016 election is all about Donald Trump.

That’s the assessment of Rep. Ben Ray Luján, the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Luján says Trump’s rhetoric is the biggest force putting more districts in play as the election cycle has played out.


“Donald Trump is shaping this election,” Luján said, and creating “one of the most volatile” election cycles of all time, with things often changing “not just week to week” but sometimes day-to-day or even hour to hour — “if he’s tweeting,” Luján continued.

Sitting for an interview with POLITICO in downtown Los Angeles while campaigning for House Democrats, Luján was coy about whether control of the House of Representatives is really in play. “I haven’t made any predictions all cycle,” he said.

But all of this, Luján said, has played in Democrats’ favor. He said that Trump’s difficult October has made the fall election almost entirely about offense for House Democrats, putting more far-flung seats in play in states from Minnesota to Kansas to California.

Luján also talked up the galvanizing effect of Hillary Clinton’s candidacy in swing districts; which races he thinks are coming online late as potential pickup opportunities; and how voters’ attention has shifted toward control of the House as the election has progressed.

The conversation has been condensed and lightly edited for clarity.

So, is the House up for grabs? Can Democrats flip the House?

I haven’t made any predictions, but … I would say we have been on offense this whole time. We knew as House Democrats that we would pick up seats and we had a plan that we launched and put together. Especially after the revelation of the “Access Hollywood” tape, we feel very confident that we will pick up more seats than what was originally anticipated. And we’ll see what happens.

To be clear, you won’t make a prediction?

I think there’s others that will make predictions, it’s my job to win seats.

If the battlefield has opened up, where are you looking for new opportunities? What seats are coming online?

Minnesota, Florida … As we’ve seen the map expand, we’re now back in Kansas. We’ve seen polls tightening there … then you look to California, we’re into California-25 and California-49, and still pushing aggressively in California-10 and California-21. It’s all part of this Trump dynamic, if you will, in the suburbs — districts that were clearly getting more Democratic over time but clearly, Donald Trump has accelerated this. Virginia-10, too.

So it’s not a regional thing?

No, it’s across the country. We’re seeing Trump’s impact everywhere.

Will Democrats have the resources they need to compete in the new battlegrounds?

With Nancy Pelosi at the helm, the DCCC has outraised the NRCC every step of the way. Every month except for one month … our incumbents are in great shape. Each of our Frontline [the DCCC’s program for incumbent protection] members have done a great job. They’re all in really strong position. Right now, you’re seeing investments in upwards of — I don’t know how close — to 40 districts.

Do you feel like Democrats are paying close enough attention to flip the House? Is the average Democratic voter alert to the possibility of flipping the House?

Early on, as we know, the attention is all on the presidential … there’s not always attention to the House as a whole, if you will. What’s been intriguing … is there is more attention across the country in general with the importance of winning House seats now. Donald Trump and Paul Ryan have this civil war going on with House Republicans and it’s been in the news.

What’s the impact of Secretary Clinton on House races?

The House races are directly tied to the strength of Secretary Clinton. The better that Secretary Clinton does, the more seats we’ll pick up.

Is there a place or area of the country that she’s been particularly helpful?

There are many areas where there’s overlap … swing states … suburbs … the investment they’ve made will maximize our field programs.”

You’re coming to the end of your time as DCCC Chairman. It’s your first time. Would you do it again?

I was really honored when Leader Pelosi and my colleagues supported me in this responsibility and going forward if I’m asked to serve in this capacity or another capacity and it’s to strengthen the responsibility we as Democrats fight for, it’s definitely something I would consider and do to the best of my ability.

Anything else we can expect?

Going forward, we expect to be aggressive, to lean in and win as many House seats as we can.