The US midterm primaries have set the stage for a high-stakes general election, with Democrats aiming to flip key seats and capitalize on the current political climate. The races are a mix of progressive insurgents and moderates, each appealing to different voter bases. The outcomes highlight the forces shaping the 2026 midterms, including the Democrats' desire for change, the enduring grip of President Trump on the Republican Party, and the sour view of the US economy.
One of the most closely watched races is in New Jersey, where Democrat Rebecca Bennett, a former healthcare executive and US Navy veteran, is set to challenge Republican congressman Tom Kean Jr. in a suburban swing district. The race has taken on renewed importance due to Kean Jr.'s mysterious three-month absence from Congress. In Iowa, Democrats are spending big on rematches in districts that produced some of the closest House races in the country two years ago. A more moderate challenger running on a 'prairie populism' message has given Democrats hope of winning the US Senate seat that is open after incumbent Joni Ernst decided not to run.
The California governor's race is also up in the air, with early results showing a tight contest between Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton. In Los Angeles, Democratic mayor Karen Bass claimed one of two spots to advance to the November general election, while her opponents remained locked in a tight battle. The results underscore the Democrats' desire for change in the wake of their devastating losses to Donald Trump in 2024, and the enduring grip of the president on Republican voters despite his falling approval ratings.
The primaries also tested the impact of new maps in California, which were created in response to the GOP's efforts in Texas. The internal fights animating the Democratic Party, on ideology, economic populism, and how to take on Trump, featured into several races. In New Mexico, Republican Greg Cunningham faced no formal opposition in the primary race to take on Congressman Gabe Vasquez, a Democrat. The seat is one of only 13 congressional districts that voted for Trump in 2024 while sending a Democrat to the House.
The primaries also saw some Republican inroads, such as Kurt Alme rising to the top of the Republican field in the race for Montana's open Senate seat. However, the Democrats sense an opportunity in Montana, propelled by Trump's cratering popularity. In South Dakota, state attorney general Marty Jackley won the Republican primary in the race to replace Dusty Johnson, who is running for governor. With Trump's endorsement, Jackley overcame his Republican opponent James Bialota for the nomination, leaving him well-positioned to become the reliably Republican state's lone representative in Congress.
The primaries were a night with greater implications for the direction of both parties, and one that might point to some of the issues voters are grappling with since 2024. In New Jersey's 12th congressional district, Adam Hamawy, a plastic surgeon and army veteran who traveled on a medical mission in Gaza in 2024, rose from political obscurity to clinch the nomination in the race to succeed retiring congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman. Hamawy's victory over nearly a dozen Democratic challengers in the safely blue seat means he is likely to win the general election in November, becoming the first Muslim lawmaker to represent the state nationally.
