Democrats Break With Biden Over Border Policy in 2026 Races

Democratic Senate candidates in Texas and Kansas are criticizing former President Joe Biden's border enforcement record one week before the 2026 midterm elections, a break designed to defuse an issue Republicans have used against the party in recent cycles, according to NBC News.

The criticism is landing in races that will help decide Senate control. Texas Democratic nominee James Talarico is airing a closing-stretch ad against Republican Ken Paxton that states, "I called out Joe Biden for failing us on the border," NBC News reported Oct. 31. Talarico made a similar point in July when he rolled out his own border security plan, saying Biden "failed us on our southern border," according to the outlet.

What Are Democrats Saying About Biden's Border Record?

In Kansas, Democratic Senate candidate Adam Hamilton used a recent debate against Republican Sen. Roger Marshall to draw a sharper line. "I want to be crystal clear, first of all: Immigration at the border under Biden was a disaster. That is how we ended up where we are today," Hamilton said, according to NBC News. "Second, what we did in response to that has been a disaster for people across the state of Kansas."

Hamilton's second sentence points to the current administration's enforcement approach, which NBC News reported he and other Democrats in Trump-won areas are criticizing alongside Biden's record — a two-front message aimed at voters frustrated with both parties' handling of the border.

Which Races Are Driving This Shift?

The pattern is showing up from Senate contests to House races in red and purple districts, NBC News reported, as candidates look to reposition the party ahead of a midterm cycle where control of the Senate and competitive House seats is at stake.

Race Snapshot

• Texas Senate: James Talarico (D) vs. Ken Paxton (R) — a race NBC News describes as neck-and-neck heading into the final stretch.
• Kansas Senate: Adam Hamilton (D) vs. Sen. Roger Marshall (R) — a seat in a state NBC News calls a longtime Republican stronghold.
• Reporting date: Oct. 31, 2026, one week before Election Day.

Why Are Candidates Criticizing Both Administrations?

The dual critique — faulting Biden's border enforcement while also questioning the current administration's response — lets candidates like Hamilton and Talarico avoid being tied exclusively to either party's record on an issue that has dogged Democrats in competitive districts. NBC News reported that Democrats in areas Trump won in 2024 are pairing Biden criticism with pushback on current border policy, a message built for voters in states where the border remains a top concern.

The approach mirrors broader generational and strategic churn inside both parties heading into the midterms. Younger Republicans have separately pushed for a bigger voice in the House ahead of 2026, according to HTT News, underscoring how both parties are recalibrating their coalitions and messaging in the run-up to the vote.

What Does This Signal for the Party's 2026 Strategy?

NBC News framed the candidates' statements as an effort to "redefine the party" on an issue that has been a recurring liability in battleground contests. By criticizing Biden directly rather than defending his administration's record, candidates in Texas and Kansas are betting that distance from the former president's border policies will matter more to swing voters than party loyalty.

Whether that bet pays off will be measured at the ballot box. Talarico's race against Paxton and Hamilton's challenge to Marshall are both being watched as indicators of whether the strategy holds up in states with very different partisan baselines — one a traditional battleground, the other a state Republicans have carried comfortably for years, per NBC News.

Key Terms

Battleground race: A contest considered competitive enough that either party could plausibly win, often decided by narrow margins.

Border enforcement policy: Federal rules and practices governing migration control, asylum processing and security at the U.S.-Mexico border, a frequent flashpoint in campaign messaging.

Midterm election: The federal election held partway through a presidential term, in 2026 determining control of the House and a portion of Senate seats.

The NBC News report did not include polling figures for either race, and neither campaign's full border security proposal was detailed beyond the excerpts cited above.

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