Two candidates run against the odds in deeply partisan districts

Most congressional races are decided before the first vote is cast.

Eighty percent of House districts are rated solidly for one party or the other. Candidates who challenge that status quo often face a campaign with few resources, few donors, and a thin staff.

Lisa Kinney is running as a Democrat in Wyoming, a state that has sent only Republicans to the House since the late 1970s. She spent a recent day campaigning in Casper, stopping at a local diner to talk to early risers. Some customers declined to discuss politics over their pancakes. Others expressed concern about her party’s stance on immigration and trans issues.

Kinney, a former state senator, said she wants to offer a different perspective to voters. “I don't think the people of Wyoming always hear both sides,” she said. “I'm glad to give another opinion. And I'm a Wyomingite, so I'm still moderate no matter what.”

Her campaign lacks a central office. She and a small group of volunteers spend long hours on the road to discuss public lands and health care costs. Her husband, Rodney Lang, said that even if they lose, the state party will be stronger for the effort.

Kinney acknowledged the difficulty of the race. “You have an uphill battle. This is the reddest state in the nation,” a supporter told her at the diner. She responded that she needs to be a moderate who can speak to both sides.

More than 2,000 miles away, George Austin is running as a Republican in Connecticut’s second congressional district. The district has been held by Democrat Joe Courtney for 20 years. Democrats in Connecticut have won 45 consecutive U.S. House elections since 2008.

Austin, a home builder and former football coach, said he feels a connection with Kinney. “I applaud, I admire, I empathize, I commiserate with anyone and everyone who is in the same boat,” he said. He noted that voters often disengage when they learn he is a Republican, particularly when the conversation turns to the Trump administration.

Austin put a quarter of a million of his own money into the race. He serves as the scheduler and volunteer coordinator for his campaign. He said the financial toll is high, but he believes the race deserves the effort.

Eric Ostermeier, founder of the nonpartisan political news site Smart Politics, noted that 19 state delegations in the current Congress are made up entirely of members from the same party. He said this is the highest number seen since 1953. Ostermeier cited gerrymandering and geographic sorting of voters as reasons for this partisan entrenchment.

In Connecticut, 46 of the state legislature’s 187 seats are uncontested. Austin said he wants to be a catalyst for other working people to consider running. “I want to win, I'm competitive and I believe in the cause,” Austin said. “The nuanced one is that I want to be a catalyst to show other working men and women, other regular Joes out there, that this is worthwhile.”

Both candidates face a challenging path but maintain that the effort is necessary. Austin said he does not think his race is a lost cause, even if the odds are against him. Kinney said she knows many voters will choose the candidate with an R next to their name, but she keeps her own mind on winning.