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By Emily Cahn and Alexis Levinson Posted at 7:08 a.m. on March 23

Murphys Senate bid is opening up his competitive House district. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

A Senate recruitment victory for Democrats in Florida could, in turn, jeopardize the partys quest for the House majority.

Rep. Patrick Murphy, a favorite of national Democrats for the states potentially open-seat Senate race, is announcinghis statewide campaign Monday. Thatopensupthe Treasure Coast-based House seat Murphy held for the past two cycles one of just five Democrat-controlled House districts Mitt Romney carried in 2012.

Republicans have a voter registrationadvantage in the district, whichRomney won by 4 points. Its a seat Republicans say they never should have lost in the first place, and they are even more optimistic with it open.

There is a strongRepublican field growing down there, said Rick Wilson, a Florida-based GOP consultant. I dont think Murphys luck the first time and no race the second time should be indicative of the competitiveness of the seat.

Needing to pick up 30 seats for House control, if Democrats hold out any hope of winning the majority in the near future this is exactly the kind of district the party cant afford to lose.

The last time Democrats netted at least 30 seats was in 2006, when an unpopular Republican president dragged the GOP down and Democrats won moderate and Republican-leaning districts. Democrats expect next year to be a far more favorable environment than the dismal 2014, with the presidential race driving turnout.

Murphy captured his House seatin 2012 by ousting incumbent Republican Allen West, a tea party firebrand andfount of provocative comments. West is now a Texas resident, he told CQ Roll Call during a recent visit to Capitol Hill, and cannot run for his old seat.

Since that election, Murphy has proved to be a politically astute incumbent. His strong fundraisingcoupled with his moderate voting record scared off top-tier GOP opponents in 2014.

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Democrats' Florida Senate Hopes Could Cost House Seat