Rep. Ro Khanna Declares ‘DEI Is Back’ Following Democratic Midterm Victories

By yourNEWS Media Newsroom

Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) declared that diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) had returned to American politics Tuesday night after Democrats won control of the U.S. House and Senate in the 2026 midterm elections.

In a video posted on X, Khanna celebrated several historic election results involving Black, Hispanic, Muslim and openly gay candidates.

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“Tonight, DEI is back as America celebrated diversity and inclusion,” Khanna said. “Likely three black governors, the first Latina governor in Texas, the first Muslim-American senator, the first gay senator. I love this America.”

The congressman was referring to gubernatorial victories by Republican Byron Donalds in Florida, Democrat David Crowley in Wisconsin and Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms in Georgia. Donalds became Florida’s first Black governor, while Bottoms became the first Black woman elected governor in U.S. history.

Texas voters also elected Democratic state Rep. Gina Hinojosa, who defeated Republican Gov. Greg Abbott to become the state’s first Latina governor. Her victory ended Republican control of the Texas governorship, which had continued since 1995.

Khanna additionally highlighted the election of Democrat Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan, the first Muslim American elected to the U.S. Senate, and Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas in New Hampshire, who became the first openly gay man elected to the chamber.

The election results represented major political gains for Democrats, who secured congressional majorities and won several governorships previously held by Republicans, according to Associated Press election coverage.

Khanna’s remarks also brought renewed attention to DEI, a term commonly associated with institutional policies intended to promote diversity, equal opportunity and inclusion. Such programs have been a major point of disagreement between Democrats and Republicans, particularly during President Donald Trump’s second administration.

Trump has pursued efforts to eliminate DEI initiatives across the federal government, arguing that government decisions should emphasize merit rather than demographic characteristics. Supporters of DEI programs maintain that the policies help address discrimination and barriers to opportunity.

Khanna’s election-night declaration framed the victories of candidates from historically underrepresented backgrounds as a broader political shift, even as the incoming Democratic congressional majorities prepare to confront the Trump administration over its remaining two years in office.