Democrats are now 'soft favorites' to take the House, according to an analysis by University of Virginia political scientist Larry Sabato and his team.

The latest periodic installment of Sabato's 'Crystal Ball' newsletter handicapping congressional the elections shifts 17 House races in the direction of Democrats.

The minority party needs to pick up 23 seats to capture the House – which would give them the ability to conduct oversight over the government, subpoena witnesses, or even pursue impeachment – although Democratic party leaders have repeatedly tried to tamp down that sentiment.

According to the latest updates outlined by managing editor Kyle Kondik, Democrats now have a little better than 50 per cent chance of taking the House.

FORECAST IS CLOUDY: Larry Sabato's 'Crystal Ball' forecast gives Democrats a better than 50 per cent chance of taking the House in November

Race-by-race rankings are moving several GOP incumbents into the tossup category. Among them are Texas Rep. John Culberson, Illinois Rep. Peter Roskam, Indiana Rep. Steve Chabot, and Iowa Rep. David Young.

Culberson and Roskam's districts both went for Hillary Clinton, and longtime incumbent Chabot was outraised by Democratic challenger Aftab Pureval last quarter.

Rep. Peter Roskam, R-Ill., is seeking reelection in a district carried by Democrat Hillary Clinton in 2016

exas Rep. John Culberson's race has been moved to the tossup category

Democrat Danny O'Connor is calling for a change in the congressional leadership away from retiring Speaker Paul Ryan and Democratic Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. He is running in an Ohio special election

Incumbent Rep. Steve Chabot was outraised by Democratic challenger Aftab Pureval (above right) last quarter

One Democrat, Rep. Charlie Crist of Florida, moved from 'lean Democrat' to 'safe Democrat.'

A special election in Ohio's 12th congressional district, where GOP Rep. Pat Tiberi is among a raft of retirements, gets moved to the toss-up category. A Republican has held the seat, which includes Columbus suburbs, since 1983. Democrat Danny O'Connor is calling for a change in the congressional leadership away from retiring Speaker Paul Ryan and Democratic Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.

A high number of open seats — the highest number of any postwar election save 1992 — give Democrats many more targets than the GOP,' wrote Kondik.

Sabato moved the rankings of 17 House races in his latest 'Crystal Ball' report

'Election Day is getting closer, and the president's approval rating is still largely stuck in the low 40s, a big red warning sign that has bedeviled the party of similarly-situated presidents in past midterms,' he wrote. He pointed to strong Democratic fundraising and a slew of GOP retirements.

'Put it all together, and the Democrats now look like soft favorites to win a House majority with a little more than 100 days to go,' writes Kondik.

An Iowa district held by GOP Rep. David Young could be put in play by Trump's trade war, which drew a response from China targeting U.S. agriculture exports.

Even Iowa Rep. Steve King, who represents a very conservative district but has drawn criticism for his hardline views on immigration, has been downgraded to likely Republican.

The president's party has lost House seats in 36 of 39 off-year elections since the Civil War.