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Is Paulsen's Seat In Play With Trump Candidacy?

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A Washington D.C. politics blog believes that a Minnesota seat in the U.S. House of Representatives might be primed to flip if Donald Trump gets the Republican presidential nomination.

As reported in The Hill, some Democrats believe they have an opportunity to gain a number of Republican-held seats in the U.S. House if Trump gets the nomination.

The Hill said Trump's recent comments on, among other things, abortion have "underlined concerns about his appeal to women voters."

The blog identified 10 districts that appear primed to flip in the November election, and one of them was Minnesota's 3rd congressional district.

Currently, that district is represented by Rep. Erik Paulsen. The Hill said that, until recently, Paulsen's seat hadn't even been on the Democratic Party's radar, though Barack Obama won the district in 2008 and 2012.

The Hill observed that in the March 1 caucuses, Republican voters in the district voted decisively for Marco Rubio, who Paulsen previously endorsed.

The blog also noted that the Cook Political Report shifted the district from "solid Republican" to "likely Republican."

The Hill also cited districts in Wisconsin (the 8th district, currently represented by Rep. Reid Ribble) and Iowa (the 3rd, represented by Rep. David Young).

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