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2026 U.S. Senate and State Primary Elections: Overview and Key Results

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2026 Midterm Election Cycle Begins

Democrats need a net gain of four seats to win control of the U.S. Senate.

The 2026 midterm election cycle has kicked off with primary elections in Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Texas, North Carolina, and Arkansas. These contests set the stage for general elections that will determine control of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, as well as several state-level offices.

The current composition of the U.S. Senate is 53 Republicans and 47 Democrats (including two independents who caucus with the Democrats).

U.S. Senate: Key State-by-State Race Overview

The following sections detail the candidates, primary dates, and ratings by the Cook Political Report for 11 key Senate races.

Maine

  • Incumbent: Republican Senator Susan Collins is seeking re-election.
  • Democratic Primary: Scheduled for June 9. Candidates included Governor Janet Mills and Graham Platner (veteran and oyster farm owner). Janet Mills withdrew from the race, making Platner the likely nominee. Recent polls have shown Platner leading Mills.
  • Rating: Toss-up
  • Ad Spending: The Senate Leadership Fund (Republican super PAC) has reserved $42 million for advertising.

Of the 35 Senate seats contested in November, Democrats have only one target in a state won by Kamala Harris in 2024: Maine.

Michigan

  • Status: Open seat (Democratic Senator Gary Peters is not seeking re-election).
  • Democratic Primary: Scheduled for August 4. Candidates include Representative Haley Stevens, state Senator Mallory McMorrow, and former health official Abdul El-Sayed. The U.S. relationship with Israel and the war in Gaza have been central issues.
  • Republican Candidate: Former Representative Mike Rogers (R).
  • Rating: Toss-up
  • Ad Spending: The Senate Leadership Fund has reserved $45 million for advertising.

Ohio

  • Incumbent: Republican Senator John Husted (appointed to fill the vacancy left by Vice President JD Vance).
  • Democratic Candidate: Former Senator Sherrod Brown (D) won the Democratic nomination.
  • Rating: Toss-up (shifted from Leaning Republican in April)
  • Ad Spending: The Senate Leadership Fund has reserved $79 million for advertising.

Alaska

  • Incumbent: Republican Senator Dan Sullivan is seeking re-election.
  • Democratic Candidate: Former Representative Mary Peltola (D).
  • Rating: Leaning Republican
  • Ad Spending: The Senate Leadership Fund has reserved $15 million for advertising.

Georgia

  • Incumbent: Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff is seeking re-election.
  • Republican Primary: Scheduled for May 19. Candidates include Representatives Mike Collins and Buddy Carter, and former coach Derek Dooley.
  • Rating: Leaning Democrat (shifted from Toss-up in April)
  • Ad Spending: The Senate Leadership Fund has reserved $44 million for advertising.

New Hampshire

  • Status: Open seat (Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen is not seeking re-election).
  • Democratic Candidate: Representative Chris Pappas (D), endorsed by Senator Shaheen.
  • Republican Primary: Scheduled for September 8. Candidates include former Senators John Sununu and Scott Brown.
  • Rating: Leaning Democrat
  • Ad Spending: The Senate Leadership Fund has reserved $17 million for advertising and has backed Sununu.

North Carolina

  • Status: Open seat (Republican Senator Thom Tillis is not seeking re-election).
  • Democratic Candidate: Former Governor Roy Cooper (D).
  • Republican Candidate: Former Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley (R).
  • Rating: Leaning Democrat (shifted from Toss-up in April)
  • Ad Spending: The Senate Leadership Fund has reserved $71 million for advertising.

Iowa

  • Status: Open seat (Republican Senator Joni Ernst is not seeking re-election).
  • Republican Candidate: Representative Ashley Hinson (R).
  • Democratic Primary: Scheduled for June 2. Candidates include state Senator Zach Wahls and state Representative Josh Turek.
  • Rating: Likely Republican
  • Ad Spending: The Senate Leadership Fund has reserved $29 million for advertising.

Nebraska

  • Incumbent: Republican Senator Pete Ricketts is seeking re-election.
  • Independent Candidate: Dan Osborn, who ran close in 2024.
  • Rating: Likely Republican (shifted from Solid Republican in April)

Texas

  • Incumbent: Republican Senator John Cornyn is seeking re-election.
  • Republican Primary: Advanced to a runoff on May 26 between Senator Cornyn and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
  • Democratic Candidate: State Representative James Talarico.
  • Rating: Likely Republican

Minnesota

  • Status: Open seat (Democratic Senator Tina Smith is not seeking re-election).
  • Democratic Primary: Scheduled for August 11. Candidates include Representative Angie Craig and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan.
  • Republican Primary: Candidates include former broadcaster Michele Tafoya and former state Senator David Hann.
  • Rating: Likely Democrat

State-Level Primary Results and Key Races

Indiana Primary Results

  • State Senate: President Donald Trump endorsed primary challengers against seven Republican state senators who voted against his 2023 congressional redistricting plan. Five of the seven targeted incumbents lost their primaries. One incumbent won, and one race was too close to call. Allied groups spent over $8.3 million on advertising in these races.
  • U.S. House: In the 4th District, incumbent Representative Jim Baird (R), who had Trump's endorsement, faced a challenge from state Representative Craig Haggard. Outside groups spent a total of $700,000 in this race. In the 7th District, incumbent Representative AndrĂ© Carson (D) faced three challengers.

Ohio Primary Results

  • Governor: Republican Vivek Ramaswamy won the Republican nomination, defeating Casey Putsch. Dr. Amy Acton (D), former state public health director, ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination.
  • U.S. Senate (Special): Former Senator Sherrod Brown (D) won the Democratic nomination. He will face incumbent Republican Senator John Husted, who was unopposed in the primary.
  • U.S. House: Several primaries will shape competitive general election races, notably in the 9th District, where Democratic Representative Marcy Kaptur (the longest-serving woman in House history) faces a crowded Republican field.

Michigan Special Election Result

  • State Senate: Democrat Chedrick Greene won a special election for a state Senate seat in central Michigan. This victory gives Democrats a firm majority in the state Senate. The district was won by Kamala Harris by less than 1% in the 2024 presidential election.

Context and National Trends

  • Electoral Map: Of the 35 Senate seats contested in November, Democrats have only one target in a state won by former Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024 (Maine). They are defending two seats in states won by President Donald Trump (Georgia and Michigan).

More voters said they would prefer to see Democrats control Congress than Republicans, according to a recent CBS poll.

  • Political Environment: A CBS poll released in the month prior indicated that more voters said they would prefer to see Democrats control Congress than Republicans. Political analysis suggests the party controlling the White House historically loses seats in midterm elections.

  • Voter Turnout: Early voting data from the Ohio Secretary of State showed more Democratic primary ballots cast than Republican ones by approximately 11%. In Indiana, over 175,000 ballots had been cast early as of the Friday before the primary.