House Democrats add Latino-heavy districts to most vulnerable list for 2026
House Democrats are making it official: Latino voters have shifted their battleground map.
Their campaign arm is unveiling its list of top battleground incumbents to defend in 2026, giving the first insight into how the party views the midterm elections — with notable new additions to reflect a shift toward President Donald Trump in some majority-Latino congressional districts
The 26-member “frontline” list provided first to POLITICO otherwise largely matches the list of districts where Democrats played defense last cycle. As Democrats continue their post-election autopsy, the list reveals where the party thinks it is most vulnerable and will have to dedicate resources to protect incumbents.
Texas Democratic Reps. Henry Cuellar and Vicente Gonzalez weren’t initially on the list last cycle but saw their South Texas districts, some of the most heavily Latino in the country, shift dramatically toward Trump. Rep. Dina Titus (D-Nev.) is also on the list (though she was added later last cycle), meaning all three Democratic House members from Nevada will be considered “frontliners.” Another once-safe district, the North Jersey seat held by Rep. Nellie Pou, was deep-blue territory for years before Trump won it this past cycle.
Although there are warning signs that could signal a broader shift among Latino voters away from Democrats, the party still seemed confident about its potential to capture the majority next year.
“With the cost of living still top of mind for voters, and House Republicans actively pushing disastrous policies that further increase costs, it’s clear that House Democrats are poised to retake the majority in 2026,” said Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chair Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.) in a statement.
The DCCC list is a perennial source of heartburn — and sometimes conflict — among lawmakers who jockey to get onto the list because it helps allocate party resources and leads to a boost in fundraising and attention. With a shrinking number of competitive congressional seats, much of the list remains the same between elections, with changes based on factors such as how specific candidates performed and how presidential results emerged on a district-by-district basis.
Trump’s dominance last fall has changed the overall landscape. Thirteen Democrats now represent seats won by Trump in 2024, while only three Republicans represent seats won by former Vice President Kamala Harris. So even as the narrow House margin means Democrats only need to flip a handful of seats to win back the majority, they have to simultaneously defend many seats.
Recently flipped seats in California and New York like those held by Reps. George Whitesides, Derek Tran, Laura Gillen and Josh Riley, were also added to the list.
There were also some subtractions from last cycle’s list. Several midwestern Democrats — Reps. Angie Craig of Minnesota, Eric Sorensen and Nikki Budzinski of Illinois, and Hillary Scholten of Michigan — were removed after handily dispatching their opponents.
The full list of lawmakers:
- Josh Harder (Calif.)
- Adam Gray (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.)
Topics
-
Trump-district Democrats face risky vote on GOP spending bill
House Democrats in districts carried by President Trump are confronting a potentially risky vote next week when GOP leaders are expected to put their partisan government funding bill on the floor. ...The Hill - 13h -
Senate Democrats' impending choice: Shutdown or surrender
House Democrats say they won't vote for the House GOP's spending plan. Democrats across the Capitol aren't so sure.Politico - 2d -
A Sensitive Complex Housing a CIA Facility Was on GSA's List of US Properties for Sale
Plans to redevelop a Northern Virginia warehouse site have long been complicated by the area’s worst-kept secret—the presence of a CIA facility. The GSA put the site up for sale anyway.Wired - 3d -
House Republicans unveil spending bill boosting defense and trimming all else
Strategy is not likely to earn Democrats’ votes, so Trump is leaning on Republicans to force it through. US House Republicans unveiled a spending bill Saturday that would keep federal agencies ...The Guardian - 1d -
Top budget Democrat: GOP spending bill hands ‘a blank check to Elon Musk’
Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, slammed the new House Republicans’ six-month stopgap funding bill, claiming it is a “blank check” for tech ...The Hill - 1d -
Revealed: House of Lords members have given £109m to political parties
Conservatives benefit most from donations provided either before or after peers secured their seats. Cash before honours: the Tory donors made peers who barely speak in Lords . Peers who sat ...The Guardian - 9h -
Trump to lead task force for 2026 World Cup
President Donald Trump created a task force Friday to prepare for the 2026 World Cup, which will bring the globe's premier soccer tournament to North America.ESPN - 1d -
FIFA, Infantino can have a World Cup halftime show: Just end it in 15 minutes
I don't mind FIFA adding a Super Bowl-style halftime show during the 2026 World Cup final -- as long as they don't mess with the most important thing in soccer: halftime can't be longer than 15 ...ESPN - 7h -
Tree loss from hurricane leaves Asheville vulnerable to new climate shocks
Damage to trees in western North Carolina from Hurricane Helene was ‘extraordinary and humbling’ but urban areas face particular problems. The city of Asheville and its surrounding areas have been ...The Guardian - 11h -
GOP funding patch boosts defense and deportations, cuts other programs
Ahead of a Friday shutdown deadline, House GOP leaders are serving up a plan Democrats will despise.Politico - 1d -
US exits fund that compensates poorer countries for global heating
Trump pulls out of Cop28 loss and damage deal that recognises harms done by richer, polluting economies to vulnerable nations. The Trump administration has withdrawn the US from a global agreement ...The Guardian - 2d -
Slotkin slams 'reckless' approach to tariffs: 'I just want a scalpel and not a sledgehammer'
Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) said Sunday that most Democrats don't oppose tariffs altogether, but she criticized President Trump's approach as "reckless." "Most of us aren't against tariffs, full ...The Hill - 7h -
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick says "it remains to be seen" if GOP can pass bill to avoid shutdown
Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi, who is one of the bipartisan co-chairs of the House Problem Solvers Caucus, tells "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" that he will be voting against the continuing ...CBS News - 6h -
Face the Nation: Fitzpatrick, Suozzi, Hill
Missed the second half of the show? The latest on...Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi, who is one of the bipartisan co-chairs of the House Problem Solvers Caucus, tells "Face the Nation with Margaret ...CBS News - 56m -
Apple delays Siri AI improvements to 2026
"It's going to take us longer than we thought to deliver on these features and we anticipate rolling them out in the coming year," the company said Friday.CNBC - 2d -
Democrats struggle against relentless Republican hammering on immigration
Republicans put Democrats in the hot seat as they continue to try and win the messaging wars on immigration policy.Politico - 4d -
Gavin Newsom splits with Democrats on transgender athletes
California's Democratic governor is already facing blowback from his own party after comments he made in the debut episode of his podcast "This is Gavin Newsom."CBS News - 2d -
US Secret Service shoots armed man outside White House
President Donald Trump was not in the White House at the time.BBC News - 9h -
Democrats need ‘new voices’ in fight against Trump, says Sen. Slotkin
In an exclusive interview with Meet the Press, Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), who delivered the Democratic response to President Trump’s joint address, says Democrats are still “finding our ...NBC News - 9h -
Auto Legends adds $1M to its funding round in Coinbase Ventures deal
Auto Legends, a social drag racing Web3 game, has added $1 million in a strategic investment from Coinbase Ventures' Base Ecosystem Fund.VentureBeat - 3d -
A prehistoric creature gets new life and a silent Democratic protest: The news quiz
A traveler got a very unpleasant welcome to Boston, Democrats staged a silent protest and a jewel thief got creative.NBC News - 1d -
Some Democrats Regret Their Scattered Responses to Trump’s Speech to Congress
Progressive and moderate Democrats criticized a protest by Representative Al Green as a distraction, and the party leadership tried to refocus attention on economic issues.The New York Times - 3h -
Trump creates 2026 FIFA World Cup task force
"I think it's going to make it more exciting," Mr. Trump said of playing the World Cup amid sharp rhetoric between leaders of the host nations amid the on-again, off-again tariffs.CBS News - 2d -
Schiff: Democrats lacked ‘coordinated response’ to Trump joint address to Congress
Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) said he thought Democrats lacked a “coordinated response” to President Trump’s joint address to Congress last week. Schiff joined ABC News’s “This Week” on Sunday, where ...The Hill - 4h -
House GOP releases stopgap bill to avert shutdown
House GOP leaders on Saturday unveiled a stopgap funding bill, known as a continuing resolution, that will fund the government at current levels through September 2025.ABC News - 1d -
James Carville is wrong. Democrats should fight, not ‘play dead.’
Democrats must fight back against Trump and his agenda, as a lack of action will make them appear weak and Americans will despise weakness.The Hill - 1d -
Secret Service shoots man near White House
United States Secret Service personnel shot a man near the White House on Sunday following an “armed confrontation with law enforcement,” a spokesperson said in a statement. Secret Service ...The Hill - 6h -
I’m a psychologist who studies couples—if you say 'yes' to these 4 questions, your relationship is stronger than most
Psychologist Mark Travers has spent most of his career studying what makes marriages successful. If you answer “yes” to each of these questions, he says, there’s no doubt that your relationship ...CNBC - 10h -
The pink protest at Trump’s speech shows the Democrats aren’t coming to save us
The general reaction is that this was yet another stunning example of how spineless and performative the Democrats are. Happy International Women’s Day (IWD), everyone! I’ve got some good news and ...The Guardian - 1d -
‘Gut punch’: Democrats decry Trump's plan to cut 80,000 at Veterans Affairs
Democrat lawmakers and veterans' groups are fuming over the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) plans to cut roughly 80,000 employees in the coming months, decrying the lack of transparency and ...The Hill - 13h -
House unveils stopgap measure to keep government funded, avert shutdown
The continuing resolution bill will go to the House Rules Committee on Monday and a floor vote is expected Tuesday.CBS News - 22h -
Secret Service shoot man carrying gun near White House
A man brandished a firearm near the White House, leading to an "armed confrontation," the Secret Service said in a statement.CBS News - 9h -
Phillips produces 'the most stunning of catches' to dismiss Gill
Glenn Phillips produces yet another "incredible" piece of fielding, this time dismissing Shubman Gill for 31 runs with a leaping catch at cover to leave India on 105-1 in the Champions Trophy final ...BBC News - 8h -
Updated list of Bruins' NHL draft picks after trade deadline moves
Here's an updated look at all of the Bruins' future draft picks after they made several moves before the 2025 NHL trade deadline.Yahoo Sports - 2d -
'SNL' taps into cynicism over Elon Musk's White House influence
Questions about tech investor Elon Musk's extraordinary influence in President Donald Trump's White House found answers that doubled as punchlines on "Saturday Night Live."NBC News - 18h -
The Best Cinderella Story in Men’s College Basketball Comes With a Twist
St. Thomas, coached by a former psychology professor, is good enough to play in the N.C.A.A. Tournament. It has to wait until 2026.The New York Times - 1d -
First-ever White House crypto summit leaves some investors unhappy
The White House hosted its first-ever “crypto summit” Friday, convening top executives from various digital asset firms to discuss the Trump administration’s commitment to rolling back the ...NBC News - 2d -
Al Green censure highlights increased appetite for retribution in House
A formal House reprimand didn't contain the fallout from Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) interrupting President Trump’s speech to Congress, showing how petty fights and demands for retribution have become ...The Hill - 1d -
House GOP seeks spending cuts, defense increases in plan to avert shutdown
House Republicans on Saturday unveiled a six-month stopgap government funding plan, that seeks cuts to nondefense programs while boosting funding for defense. The bill's rollout kicks off a crucial ...The Hill - 1d
More from Politico
-
‘Potty mouth’ Democrats have some new fighting words we can’t put in this headline
Profanity isn’t new in politics. But it’s reaching new heights on the left.Politico - 9h -
Funding bill skips measure to avert physician pay cuts, a blow to GOP Doctors Caucus
A key Republican said inclusion of the language would be a “line in the sand” necessary for his support.Politico - 1d -
GOP funding patch boosts defense and deportations, cuts other programs
Ahead of a Friday shutdown deadline, House GOP leaders are serving up a plan Democrats will despise.Politico - 1d -
Capitol agenda: Senate Dems' shutdown test
Politico - 2d -
House GOP stopgap funding bill expected to avert pay cuts to doctors, extend telehealth access
Politico - 3d
More in Politics
-
Mark Carney to become Canada’s next prime minister after Liberal Party vote
Canada’s Liberal Party chose its next leader in Mark Carney, and he will soon replace Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to lead the country. The exact date for Carney, 59, to take office is uncertain, ...The Hill - 33m -
Canada’s Liberal Party elects Mark Carney to replace Justin Trudeau
Canada’s Liberal Party on Sunday elected Mark Carney as the party’s new leader after a high-stakes race to replace Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. NBC News’ Molly Hunter has the latest.NBC News - 36m -
Congressional Republicans unveil spending plan to avert government shutdown
Congressional Republicans unveiled their plan for a spending bill to avert a government shutdown as the deadline approaches this Friday. NBC News’ Yamiche Alcindor reports.NBC News - 36m -
Secret Service shoots armed man in confrontation near White House
The U.S. Secret Service shot an adult male near the White House in Washington, D.C., shortly after midnight on Sunday after an “armed confrontation” with law enforcement, according to the agency. ...NBC News - 36m -
Protesters dispute Vance’s description of clash on street over Ukraine: 'No one was chasing him'
The protesters who confronted Vice President Vance disputed his version of what happened, claiming that “no one was chasing him.” Video shared with WCPO in Cincinnati from one of the protesters, ...The Hill - 59m