It's time to face it: congressional elections have moved into an era when there are more competitive primaries than general elections. Nowhere has this been on display more than in open seats, which used to be reliable generators of takeover opportunities. But in the last several cycles, the vast majority of these seats have been signed, sealed, and delivered well in advance of November. So far in 2016, there are ten open seats, including five retirements and five runs for higher office. Democrats occupy seven and Republicans currently hold three. Today, we rate only three as competitive: Democrats should be able to compete in New York's 19th CD and Pennsylvania's 8th CD, and Republicans have a great chance to steal Florida's 18th CD. With two newly open Senate seats in Florida and Indiana, we can expect at least several more House Republicans to seek a promotion soon. If history is any guide, the final open seat tally could end up at at least three times the current count. There were 44 open seats in 2014, 39 in 2012, and 41
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