Sharice Davids

Sharice Davids
Born	Sharice Lynnette Davids 22 5, 1980
Birthplace	Frankfurt, West Germany
Nationality	American
Occupation	Template:Hlist
Known for	First openly LGBT Native American elected to the United States Congress; one of the first two Native American women elected to Congress
Education	Cornell Law School (J.D.)
Website	[https://davids.house.gov/ Official site]

Sharice Lynnette Davids (born May 22, 1980) is an American politician, attorney, and former professional mixed martial artist who has served as the U.S. representative from Kansas's 3rd congressional district since January 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, Davids represents a district encompassing much of the Kansas side of the Kansas City metropolitan area, including Kansas City, Kansas, Overland Park, Prairie Village, Leawood, Lenexa, and Olathe. Born in Frankfurt, West Germany, to a single mother who served in the United States Army, Davids grew up in a military family and is an enrolled member of the Ho-Chunk Nation. Her election in 2018 was historic on multiple fronts: she became the first Democrat to represent a Kansas congressional district in a decade, the first openly LGBT Native American elected to the United States Congress, the first openly LGBT person elected to Congress from Kansas, and—alongside Deb Haaland of New Mexico—one of the first two Native American women ever elected to Congress. She is also the second Native American to represent Kansas in Congress, after Charles Curtis, who served as Vice President of the United States under Herbert Hoover. An attorney educated at the University of Missouri–Kansas City and Cornell Law School, Davids brought an unusual background to Congress, having competed as a professional mixed martial artist during the 2010s before entering politics.

Early Life

Sharice Lynnette Davids was born on May 22, 1980, in Frankfurt, West Germany, where her mother was stationed as a member of the United States Army. Davids is an enrolled member of the Ho-Chunk Nation, a Native American people historically based in present-day Wisconsin and surrounding areas. She was raised by her mother, a single parent and Army veteran, and grew up in a military family environment that instilled discipline and resilience.

Davids has spoken publicly about the challenges she faced growing up, including economic difficulties and the experience of being raised by a single mother in a community where Native American representation was limited. Her identity as both a Native American and a member of the LGBT community shaped her worldview and would later become central themes in her political career. She has described her experiences with discrimination not as hindrances but as assets that informed her understanding of systemic challenges faced by marginalized communities.

The family eventually settled in the Kansas City metropolitan area, where Davids spent much of her youth. Growing up in the region gave her deep roots in the community she would later represent in Congress. As a young person, Davids developed an interest in athletics and competitive sports, a pursuit that would eventually lead her to the world of mixed martial arts.

Education

Davids pursued her undergraduate education at the University of Missouri–Kansas City, earning a degree from the institution. She went on to attend Cornell Law School, one of the Ivy League law schools, where she earned her Juris Doctor degree. Her legal education at Cornell provided the foundation for her subsequent career in law and public policy.

After completing law school, Davids passed the Missouri bar examination. According to records from the Missouri Courts, she appeared on the list of successful candidates for the Missouri bar in July 2010. Her legal credentials would later serve as the professional backbone of her political career, complementing her diverse background in athletics and public service.

Career

Mixed Martial Arts

Before entering politics, Davids pursued a career as a professional mixed martial artist during the 2010s, an unusual background for a future member of Congress. She competed professionally and built a record in the sport, training and fighting in various venues. Her fighting career was documented by combat sports outlets, including Sherdog, which maintained a professional record page for her. ESPN also tracked her record as a professional fighter.

Davids's transition from the cage to the campaign trail attracted significant media attention during her 2018 congressional run. The Guardian profiled her unusual path, noting the mental and physical discipline she developed through competitive fighting and how it translated to the rigors of political campaigning. MMA Fighting published a detailed feature in March 2018 titled "From the cage to Congress," examining how a former professional fighter was entering the political arena. The story of her MMA background became one of the defining narratives of her candidacy, helping to distinguish her in a crowded Democratic primary field.

White House Fellowship and Legal Career

Following her legal education and admission to the Missouri bar, Davids served as a White House Fellow, a prestigious nonpartisan program that provides emerging leaders with firsthand experience in the workings of the federal government. Her fellowship connected her to national policy discussions and deepened her understanding of governance at the highest levels. As a trained attorney, Davids worked in the legal field, applying her Cornell Law education and Missouri bar admission to her professional endeavors prior to running for Congress.

2018 Congressional Campaign

In February 2018, Davids, then a resident of Shawnee, Kansas, entered the race for Kansas's 3rd congressional district, seeking to unseat incumbent Republican Kevin Yoder. The district, which covers the Kansas suburbs of Kansas City, had been represented by Republicans for years, and no Democrat had held a Kansas congressional seat in a decade.

Davids faced a competitive Democratic primary. Her chief rival was Brent Welder, a labor attorney who had received endorsements from prominent progressive figures. Despite being outspent in some respects, Davids's candidacy attracted national attention due to her unique biography and the historic nature of her potential election. On August 7, 2018, Davids won the Democratic primary, edging out Welder in a closely contested race.

CNN reported on the significance of Davids's primary victory, noting that she was positioned to become one of the first Native American women elected to Congress. The Washington Post profiled Davids extensively, highlighting how she viewed her experiences with past discrimination—as both a Native American and as an openly gay woman—as strengths rather than liabilities in her campaign.

In the November 2018 general election, Davids defeated the Republican incumbent Kevin Yoder, winning the race in a result tracked by The New York Times. Her victory was part of a broader Democratic wave in the 2018 midterm elections. CNN reported on election night that Davids and Deb Haaland of New Mexico had made history as the first two Native American women elected to Congress.

Tenure in Congress

Davids took office on January 3, 2019, succeeding Republican Kevin Yoder as the representative from Kansas's 3rd congressional district. She has since been reelected multiple times, maintaining her seat in a district that has historically leaned Republican. Davids is currently the only Democrat in Kansas's Republican-dominated congressional delegation.

Throughout her tenure, Davids has focused on issues affecting her constituents in the Kansas City suburbs, including small business support, veterans' affairs, and bipartisan legislative efforts. In February 2026, she hosted a roundtable discussion with Johnson County small business owners in Overland Park to discuss growth opportunities and challenges facing local entrepreneurs.

Davids has also maintained a consistent focus on veterans' services. In February 2026, she delivered Valentine's Day cards to the Lenexa VA facility as part of her eighth annual "Valentine's for Veterans" initiative, a tradition she has maintained since taking office.

On aviation safety, Davids introduced bipartisan legislation in February 2026 in response to the deadly midair collision involving Flight 5342 traveling from Wichita (ICT) to Washington, D.C. (DCA). The bill aimed to strengthen aviation safety protocols and protect air travelers.

In early 2026, Davids was one of a few Democrats to vote in favor of temporary funding for the Department of Homeland Security, a decision that drew criticism from some within her own party. She described herself as "beyond disappointed" regarding aspects of the funding debate, while maintaining that her vote reflected a pragmatic approach to governance.

Following a Supreme Court ruling in February 2026 that struck down tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump in a 6–3 decision, Davids released a statement responding to the ruling, signaling her opposition to the tariff policies.

Potential 2026 Senate Campaign

By early 2026, reporting from multiple Kansas outlets indicated that Davids was considering a run for the United States Senate seat held by Republican Roger Marshall, who was facing his first re-election campaign. The Kansas Reflector reported in January 2026 that while Davids had not formally announced a Senate bid, "signs point to yes," noting that she "sure looks like someone exploring a campaign for Senate."

In February 2026, the Kansas City Star reported that Davids was "entertaining a Senate run," noting that Kansas had not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1932, underscoring the scale of the challenge such a campaign would represent. Davids began touring areas of Kansas far beyond her 3rd District in early 2026, visiting Topeka, Wichita, Dodge City, and Colby to gauge public sentiment across the state, a move widely interpreted as groundwork for a potential statewide campaign.

Personal Life

Davids is openly gay, a fact she has discussed publicly throughout her political career. Her identity as an openly LGBT Native American woman has been a central part of her public profile and contributed to the historic significance of her 2018 election. She is an enrolled member of the Ho-Chunk Nation.

Davids's mother served in the United States Army, and Davids was born at a military installation in Frankfurt, West Germany, before the family relocated to the United States. Her upbringing in a military family has informed her focus on veterans' issues during her time in Congress. She has maintained strong ties to the Kansas City metropolitan area, where she has lived for much of her life. The Amos Family funeral home records reference Frederick J. Davids in connection with the family's history in the region.

Davids has been a resident of the Kansas City suburbs, including Shawnee, Kansas, from which she launched her initial 2018 campaign.

Recognition

Davids's 2018 election was recognized as a watershed moment in American political history. Her victory, alongside that of Deb Haaland of New Mexico, marked the first time Native American women had been elected to the United States Congress. The historic nature of these elections received extensive coverage from national and international media outlets, including CNN, The Washington Post, The New York Times, and The Guardian.

As the first openly LGBT Native American elected to Congress, Davids's election was noted as a significant milestone for both LGBT representation and Native American representation in American government. She is also recognized as the first openly LGBT person elected to Congress from the state of Kansas, breaking new ground in a state with a conservative political tradition.

Davids's background as a former professional mixed martial artist added to the media interest in her candidacy and early tenure. Profiles in The Guardian, MMA Fighting, and other outlets highlighted the rarity of a former cage fighter serving in Congress, contributing to her national profile.

Her position as the only Democrat in Kansas's congressional delegation has further heightened her visibility as a political figure in the state, particularly as she has been discussed as a potential candidate for the U.S. Senate in the 2026 election cycle.

Legacy

Davids's election in 2018 is recorded as a landmark event in the representation of both Native Americans and LGBT individuals in American government. She and Deb Haaland broke a barrier that had stood for the entire history of the United States Congress, becoming the first Native American women to serve as members of that body. Davids was also the second Native American to represent Kansas in Congress, following Charles Curtis, who served in both the House and the Senate before becoming Vice President in 1929.

Her path from a military family upbringing to professional mixed martial arts to the White House Fellows program to Congress represents an unconventional trajectory in American politics. Media coverage of her career has frequently noted the breadth of her experiences as distinguishing her from typical congressional candidates.

As a Democrat representing a historically Republican-leaning suburban district, Davids's continued electoral success has been cited as evidence of shifting political dynamics in suburban America, particularly in the Kansas City metropolitan area. Her ability to win and hold the 3rd District seat through multiple election cycles—as the sole Democrat in Kansas's congressional delegation—has established her as a prominent figure in Kansas Democratic politics.

The possibility of a 2026 Senate campaign, if pursued, would test whether Davids's political appeal extends beyond the Kansas City suburbs to the broader, more conservative Kansas electorate. As the Kansas City Star noted, Kansas has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1932, making such a campaign a significant undertaking regardless of outcome.