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.)

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