U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids will remain in the U.S. House of
Representatives and seek reelection in Kansas’ 3rd Congressional District.
Davids, a citizen of the Ho-Chunk Nation and the longest
serving Indigenous woman in Congress, officially filed for reelection on May
11.
If reelected in 2026, she would serve a fifth term
representing the Kansas City-area district she has held since first being
elected in 2018.
Davids made national history in 2018 alongside former
Interior Secretary Deb Haaland as one of the first two Native American women
elected to Congress. Davids also became the first openly LGBTQ Native American
elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.
Her reelection decision comes after Kansas Republicans
discussed another possible congressional map redraw that many believed would
target her district.
Similar efforts during the 2022 redistricting cycle shifted
the district to favor Republicans more heavily, but Davids still secured
reelection.
Republicans were ultimately unable to gain enough support to
move forward with a special legislative session for a new mid-decade
redistricting effort.
During her reelection announcement, Davids said her campaign
will focus on affordability issues, healthcare and political dysfunction in
Washington.
“There are a lot of people so dissatisfied with the chaos
they see coming out of Washington,” Davids said during a news conference
following her filing. “I hope to continue to serve the Kansas 3rd and be a
voice of reason.”
Davids currently serves on the House Agriculture Committee
and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Throughout her time
in Congress, she has focused on infrastructure investment, healthcare, tribal
issues and economic development.
She remains the only Democrat in Kansas’ congressional
delegation and continues to be viewed nationally as one of the country’s most
prominent Indigenous elected officials. Her reelection campaign is expected to
draw national attention heading into the 2026 midterm elections.