Logan Pierson
Special to ICT
OVERLAND PARK, Kansas — Sharice Davids has swiftly claimed reelection for a fifth term in the U.S. House of Representatives for Kansas’ 3rd Congressional District in the 2026 general election.
Davids, a citizen of the Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin, was called to win by the Associated Press in her face off against Republican Eric Jenkins and Libertarian Steve Hohe in the election.
At the Overland Park Convention Center in Johnson County, Davids held a watch party with the Kansas House Democratic Caucus where she spoke to a room packed with supporters, volunteers and democratic allies following the announcement.
While Davids was only the first speech of the night, she came out to a crowd energized and certain that more victories, in and out of state lines, were to come.
“People in Kansas aren’t here for the political fear. They care about lowering costs, about making sure that groceries and gas are more affordable. They care about protecting our public schools, and making sure that when our kids and grandkids are out here working hard, that that actually pays off – that they have a fair shot,” Davids said in her victory speech.
“If Washington listened a little more to Kansas, we would all be better off.”
As the night pushed onward, the crowd’s energy only grew as more Democratic candidates across the country won their races.
Davids’ district includes most of the Kansas side of the Kansas City metropolitan area – representing all of Anderson, Franklin, Johnson and Miami counties and parts of Wyandotte County.
The 46-year-old first took office for the district in 2019 as one of the first two Native women to hold seats in Congress. Davids is the only Democrat in the Kansas U.S. congressional delegation and the longest-serving Indigenous woman in Congress, often taking a moderate, bipartisan approach to her work in Congress.
Davids and her opponents put the economy and affordability of everyday life at the front and center of their campaigns. All three candidates spoke of cutting government waste but differed greatly on other topics.
Kate Guimbellot, 60, voted for Davids for each of her election cycles, and said that the economy has been a pain point for Kansans this election season.
“My family and I are feeling it is a direct result of what is happening with tariffs and the war. I’ve never paid this much for gas,” Guimbellot said.
Guimbellot said Davids has been consistent in fighting for Kansans economic and financial health, and that she trusts her to continue that fight going forward.
“She looks for what’s at the core of the issue, not the outlying opinions, but like what is the right thing to do,” Guimbellot said.
“She represents Kansas and that’s unique. I think a lot of people who get into office very quickly get swayed to party, and I think Sharice [Davids] really stands the ground of Kansans first, party second.”
Davids has also focused much of her time in congress on protecting reproductive rights, expanding the affordable care act and pushing for investments in infrastructure such as roads, renewable energy and manufacturing. Davids has called for an expansion of legal pathways to citizenship and strong oversight and accountability from ICE, but has maintained a need for strong border security.
Jenkins served on the Shawnee City Council from 2015 to 2023, with two years as council president. Jenkins has focused on expanding border security and immigration enforcement, extending President Trump’s tax cuts, removing governmental regulations and expanding American energy production with oil, gas, nuclear and renewables.
Jenkins previously said that Davids’ support of the Biden-Harris administration drove up costs. Davids spoke with ICT following early voting in Johnson County to respond to the statement from Jenkins.
“This last two years with the Trump administration and what the president has been doing – whether it’s our reckless tariff policies, the chaos, the uncertainty – that has really made a lot of people who are already struggling feel it even more,” Davids said.
“I think that people who are stuck in their partisanship way of thinking are always going to try to point fingers. But, the point is for us to figure out how we can come together, whether we’re a Democrat or a Republican, and get stuff done. I think that’s why I have been able to get legislation passed regardless of who’s president or who’s in charge in D.C.”
Eric Jenkins was not able to be reached for comment by ICT.
While the economy was put front and center in the election, younger voters mentioned that AI data centers and their impacts on the environment were a pivotal issue for them in this election.
ICT stopped by Haskell Indian Nations University, which brings together Native youth from across the midwest in Lawrence, Kansas, to hear the concerns of young voters. AI data centers and the effects on the environment was one of the most common concerns for young voters at the University.
Mi’tna Goodenow, Omaha, who votes in Davids’ district in Kansas City, Kansas, said that she wants to see what Davids will do at the federal level to stop data centers from continuing to needlessly expand and pollute the environment. AI data centers often come with excessive energy and water consumption and raise greenhouse gas emission.
“It’s just taking away more land that could be given back to mother nature and that could be given back to the animals, instead we’re just building more man made creations,” Goodenow said.
Data centers have been popping up across Davids’ district, with at least 44 centers spanning across the Kansas City metro area.
Davids took a stance on data centers back in July when asked by KSHB 41.
“Data center decisions are primarily made at the state and local level, but the standard should be clear: no data center should move forward if it raises electricity costs for families, wastes our limited water resources, or shifts the burden onto Kansas communities,” Davids wrote.
“Kansas should, of course, continue pursuing opportunities that create good-paying jobs and help us compete globally, and that must be done transparently and responsibly.”
Davids will be sworn in on Jan. 3, 2027 at noon, marking the beginning of the 120th Congress.
The post Davids continues her reign as the longest-serving Native woman in Congress appeared first on ICT.
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