
- Details
- By Darren Thompson
U.S. Representative Sharice Davids, a Ho-Chunk Nation tribal citizen, was reelected to the U.S. House of Representatives to represent Kansas 3rd congressional district. Davids, a Democrat, flipped a Republication-held seat in 2018 to become one of the first Native American women to be elected to the U.S. Congress in American history.
Davids faced one of the most contested seats in the country in a rematch against Amanda Adkins, a Republican she beat in 2020 by 10 points. The 3rd congressional district was redrawn by the GOP-led Kansas legislature in hopes Davids would be defeated. Davids met the challenge by campaigning hard in a more rural district than she previously represented.
The Associated Press called the race for Davids at 11:06 p.m. - EST. With 93 percent of the vote in, Davids had 55.0 percent; Adkins had 42.8 percent.
According to Sharice Davids for Congress, she was raised by a single mom who spent more than 20 years serving in the U.S. Army. She graduated from Leavenworth High School, and became the first person in her family to attend college working her way from Johnson County Community College to Cornell Law School. While in college, she managed multiple jobs while attending school.
Davids went on to work in economic and community development on American Indian reservations, helping federally recognized tribes create programs and initiatives for economic growth. Her community work inspired her to apply for the White House Fellows program, where she later served in theU.S. Department of Transportation under President Barack Obama and President Donald Trump.
Since serving in Congress, Davids has become a champion for Indian Country. She was elected to her third term on Tuesday.
More Stories Like This
Native News Weekly (August 25, 2024): D.C. BriefsUS Presidents in Their Own Words Concerning American Indians
Native News Weekly (August 4, 2024): D.C. Briefs
Seattle Seahawks Tackle Preservation Projects at Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center for Annual Day of Service
Native News Weekly (June 15, 2025): D.C. Briefs
Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions
At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.
This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.
We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.
Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
Support independent Native journalism. Fund the stories that matter.
Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher