These Democrats helped flip the House in Trump’s first term. They’re coming back to try to do it again

From left: Ben McAdams of Utah, Tom Malinowski of New Jersey and Elaine Luria of Virginia. AP

Seven years ago, they were part of a wave of first-time candidates who helped Democrats retake the US House. But their tenures in Congress were brief.

Ben McAdams of Utah lost his first re-election bid in 2020. Two years later, Tom Malinowski of New Jersey and Elaine Luria of Virginia were defeated by Republican opponents as the GOP retook control of the House .

Now, the former lawmakers are launching comebacks, running on both affordability issues and the public service and democracy-focused messaging that helped them during the first Trump administration.

“There’s a lot of dissatisfaction across the country,” Luria said in an interview. “This administration, these current incumbent mem