WELCOME ANNOUNCES ADDITIONAL WIN THE MIDDLE SLATE ENDORSEMENTS FOR 2026 ELECTION CYCLE
WelcomePAC, which works to elect centrist Democrats in Trump-won congressional districts, is excited to announce three additional endorsements for the 2026 cycle: Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet (MI-08), Rep. Tom Suozzi (NY-03), and Janelle Stelson, Democratic challenger in Pennsylvania’s 10th congressional district. They join the candidates from WelcomePAC's initial slate endorsements last month, bringing the total number of candidates on the 2026 Win The Middle slate to seven.
Rep. McDonald Rivet over-performed Harris by 8.7 points and had a WAR of D+8.6 in a Trump +2 district. Rep. Suozzi over-performed Harris by 7.9 points and had a WAR of D+1.9 in a Trump +4.4 district. Janelle Stelson over-performed Harris by 4 points and had a WAR of D+8.7 in a Trump +4 district.
These three Democrats all competed in districts that Trump won, had a positive SplitTicket WAR, and overperformed Vice President Harris by at least 4 points. All three ran aggressively centrist and authentically local campaigns that resonated with the voters in their respective districts and are gearing up to do so again to help Democrats win back the House in 2026.
Welcome co-founder Lauren Harper Pope said, “We’re thrilled to add Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet, Rep. Tom Suozzi, and Janelle Stelson to our Win the Middle slate for the 2026 election cycle. These three Democrats who over-performed in competitive districts that Trump also won prove that a compelling centrist vision to address voters' concerns is a winning approach in our politics. Reps. McDonald Rivet and Suozzi and Janelle Stelson bring incredible value, nuance, and leadership to our Party, and we are proud to support them in the 2026 election cycle.”
Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet said, “To win elections, we need to have real conversations with people who get up every day and work hard, and then offer real solutions to the problems they face. That means lower costs, a fair shot for anybody willing to work hard, and a dignified retirement. I am proud to have WelcomePAC’s endorsement, and I look forward to working together to get things done for the people we serve.”
Rep. Tom Suozzi said, “WelcomePAC knows the key to electoral success for Democrats is not only to 'win the middle,’ but to broaden the tent to celebrate battleground Democrats who get things done and understand the people they serve. I think they are great, and I appreciate their support."
Janelle Stelson said, “I am proud to be endorsed by WelcomePAC. I’m committed to giving Central Pennsylvania and the country a strong, common sense voice in Congress. We will focus on problem solving, working with Democrats and Republicans to do the people’s business, and representing the real interests of Central Pennsylvania. Together, we will beat Scott Perry and deliver change and results that matter.”
In the 2024 election cycle, Welcome invested more than $12 million supporting a slate of 9 centrist Democrats running in districts Trump won in 2020. This slate, coined the “Win the Middle slate,” included over-performers like Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, Rep. Mary Peltola, Rep. Jared Golden, Rebecca Cooke, Janelle Stelson, Whitney Fox, Will Rollins, and Adam Frisch.
ABOUT WELCOMEPAC:
WelcomePAC launched in November 2021 to build a “Justice Democrats for the Center" by recruiting and backing brand-differentiated Democratic challengers with the capacity to defeat extremist Republican incumbents and compete where Democrats are "Conceding Democracy" by not supporting credibly-funded challengers.
In the 2022 and 2024 election cycles combined, Welcome invested more than $14 million supporting a dozen of the Democratic Party’s most over-performing U.S. House challengers and incumbents. Informed by our perspective on the inefficiency of the Democratic marketplace and the ballooning value of each Congressional seat, Welcome has consistently identified districts with viability that rating agencies have written off as unwinnable for Democrats. In 2024, Welcome supported a slate of nine centrist Democrats, including the Blue Dog caucus co-chairs. All of Welcome’s slate over-performed Kamala Harris in Trump-won districts by an average of 6 points.
Welcome was coined “a centrist insurgency” in The New York Times and has been featured in publications like PBS, Slate, Semafor, Politico, The Wall Street Journal, The Boston Globe, Slow Boring, and The Bulwark.
Welcome cultivates a centrist community and elevates Democratic Party leaders who improve the brand through its annual public gathering, WelcomeFest, and its Substack, WelcomeStack.