Even as health care issues rise in the 2026 campaign debate, new data show that far more House Republicans than Democrats represent districts where the most residents face major medical challenges — and lack health insurance.
An exclusive CNN analysis of data collected by the Congressional District Health Dashboard project finds that significantly more House Republicans than Democrats hold seats where an elevated proportion of residents are experiencing such significant health problems as diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, and deaths from cardiovascular problems or breast cancer. Likewise, many more House Republicans than Democrats now represent districts where the share of residents who are uninsured exceeds the national average.
In a powerful measure that crystallizes all these disparities, results from the dashboard show that nearly 70% of House Democrats represent districts where life expectancy now exceeds the national average — while life expectancy lags below the national average in over 70% of Republican seats.
These stark disparities provide a dramatic backdrop for the escalating campaign confrontations over health care. In their 2026 messaging, Democrats and their allied groups are aggressively condemning the Republican moves last year to cut Medicaid in the “One Big Beautiful Bill” and to allow the expiration of enhanced subsidies under the Affordable Care Act.
