Home Democrats are making it official: Latino voters have shifted their battleground map.
Their marketing campaign arm is unveiling its listing of prime battleground incumbents to defend in 2026, giving the primary perception into how the occasion views the midterm elections — with notable new additions to replicate a shift towards President Donald Trump in some majority-Latino congressional districts
The 26-member “frontline” listing supplied first to POLITICO in any other case largely matches the listing of districts the place Democrats performed protection final cycle. As Democrats proceed their post-election post-mortem, the listing reveals the place the occasion thinks it’s most weak and should dedicate sources to guard incumbents.
Texas Democratic Reps. Henry Cuellar and Vicente Gonzalez weren’t initially on the listing final cycle however noticed their South Texas districts, among the most closely Latino within the nation, shift dramatically towards Trump. Rep. Dina Titus (D-Nev.) can be on the listing (although she was added later final cycle), which means all three Democratic Home members from Nevada will likely be thought of “frontliners.” One other once-safe district, the North Jersey seat held by Rep. Nellie Pou, was deep-blue territory for years earlier than Trump gained it this previous cycle.
Though there are warning indicators that would sign a broader shift amongst Latino voters away from Democrats, the occasion nonetheless appeared assured about its potential to seize the bulk subsequent yr.
“With the price of residing nonetheless prime of thoughts for voters, and Home Republicans actively pushing disastrous insurance policies that additional enhance prices, it’s clear that Home Democrats are poised to retake the bulk in 2026,” stated Democratic Congressional Marketing campaign Committee chair Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.) in an announcement.
The DCCC listing is a perennial supply of heartburn — and typically battle — amongst lawmakers who jockey to get onto the listing as a result of it helps allocate occasion sources and results in a lift in fundraising and a focus. With a shrinking variety of aggressive congressional seats, a lot of the listing stays the identical between elections, with adjustments based mostly on components akin to how particular candidates carried out and the way presidential outcomes emerged on a district-by-district foundation.
Trump’s dominance final fall has modified the general panorama. 13 Democrats now represent seats won by Trump in 2024, whereas solely three Republicans symbolize seats gained by former Vice President Kamala Harris. So even because the slim Home margin means Democrats solely have to flip a handful of seats to win again the bulk, they need to concurrently defend many seats.
Lately flipped seats in California and New York like these held by Reps. George Whitesides, Derek Tran, Laura Gillen and Josh Riley, had been additionally added to the listing.
There have been additionally some subtractions from final cycle’s listing. A number of midwestern Democrats — Reps. Angie Craig of Minnesota, Eric Sorensen and Nikki Budzinski of Illinois, and Hillary Scholten of Michigan — had been eliminated after handily dispatching their opponents.
The total listing of lawmakers:
- Josh More durable (Calif.)
- Adam Grey (Calif.)
- George Whitesides (Calif.)
- Derek Tran (Calif.)
- Dave Min (Calif.)
- Jahana Hayes (Conn.)
- Frank Mrvan (Ind.)
- Jared Golden (Maine)
- Kristen McDonald Rivet (Mich.)
- Don Davis (N.C.)
- Nellie Pou (N.J.)
- Gabe Vasquez (N.M.)
- Dina Titus (Nev.)
- Susie Lee (Nev.)
- Steven Horsford (Nev.)
- Tom Suozzi (N.Y.)
- Laura Gillen (N.Y.)
- Josh Riley (N.Y.)
- John Mannion (N.Y.)
- Marcy Kaptur (Ohio)
- Emilia Sykes (Ohio)
- Janelle Bynum (Ore.)
- Henry Cuellar (Texas)
- Vicente Gonzalez (Texas)
- Eugene Vindman (Va.)
- Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (Wash.)
