A flurry of Republican retirements in the House of Representatives is dampening the party’s bid to recapture the majority, a gloomy 2020 outlook that is nonetheless being roundly rejected by optimistic GOP leaders.

The Democrats turned 40 seats in the midterm elections, winning the House for the first time since losing the chamber in 2010 amid suburban discontent fueled by dissatisfaction with President Trump, especially among educated white women. The Democrats accomplished that feat by cleaning up in swing districts, including 31 who voted for Trump over Hillary Clinton in 2016. The Democrats hold another 25 seats that had voted GOP for Congress until recently.