[Magnum44]

Republicans are not even fielding a contestant in 39 out of the 435 seats

Why is that I wonder. Are any of those in places like Kali where the two most populous primary candidates go to the general, regardless of party?

[Jonty30]

Most likely because no politician wants a loss on their record by running in a non-winnable district.

[dynoman]

Were those 39 held by democrats previously?

[deport]

Are any of those in places like Kali

*************

Seven are in California....

But there’s another side to that coin. None of the seven California challengers
has ever held an elected public office—none has been a city council member, county
supervisor, or school-board member, and few have run for office before—and several
have had trouble persuading voters that they’re intrinsic enough in their district to
represent it. Which is to say that most of the seven are new to this business—and, in
many cases, new to the voters.

https://www.thenation.com/article/can-california-democrats-flip-the-house-in-november/