Rep. Jim Himes warns of foreign influence ahead of 2026 midterms

Representative Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, has stated that the U.S. intelligence community assesses that no adversary has interfered with or attempted to interfere with election infrastructure or vote counting ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.

Himes emphasized the distinction between interference, which involves tampering with voting systems, and influence, which includes propaganda or misinformation campaigns. He noted that while voting systems remain secure, foreign governments may still attempt to influence voters or economic conditions.

Himes expressed concern that Donald Trump might claim election results are illegitimate or that foreign powers like Iran, Russia, or China have manipulated voting machinery. Additionally, Himes warned that Iran could potentially impact the election by targeting energy shipping in the Strait of Hormuz to influence fuel prices and voter attitudes.