2026 U.S. midterm primary elections
One page that accretes the verified record as the story develops. Every fact keeps its date and its sources.
California prepares for Trump's midterm election scrutiny
California passed a law in 2021 to automatically mail a ballot to every registered voter.
California has 52 members in the US House of Representatives, which is more than any other state.
An August poll from the University of California, Berkeley found that 84 percent of Republicans ranked voter fraud as a major concern.
Pennsylvania Republican incumbent faces allegations over embellished résumé
Mackenzie won his first term in 2024 by 1% of the vote.
Mackenzie received a real estate license in Pennsylvania in 2006 and did not renew it when it expired in 2008.
Mackenzie is running for his seat against Democrat Bob Brooks, former president of the Pennsylvania Professional Fire Fighters Association.
Trump keeps winning Republican primaries; losses may be more revealing
Trump endorsed Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette for the South Carolina GOP gubernatorial nomination, but she lost the runoff to Attorney General Alan Wilson.
Trump has endorsed 218 candidates in House primaries, of which 214 won.
Mike Mazzei won the GOP gubernatorial nomination in Oklahoma by approximately 2,000 votes over Gentner Drummond.
Republicans dismissing affordability concerns ahead of November
The annual inflation rate was 3.7% according to personal consumption expenditures price index data released Wednesday.
The Republican National Committee sent out a fundraising text attributed to Vice President JD Vance that said groceries "cost what they cost."
Sen. Darline Graham prevailed over Rep. Ralph Norman for the Republican nomination for a full six-year Senate term, replacing her late brother Lindsey Graham on the ballot.
Trump-endorsed candidate clears hurdle in gubernatorial race
Mike Mazzei will face Democratic nominee Cyndi Munson in the general election.
The Club for Growth contributed $9 million in support of Mazzei.
The general election is set for Nov. 3.
Trump-backed Mike Mazzei wins GOP nomination in Oklahoma governor's race
Mazzei raised $816,000 between the mid-June primary and the runoff.
Mazzei defeated state Attorney General Gentner Drummond by about 2,000 votes in the GOP primary runoff.
Trump first endorsed Mazzei in May in the race to succeed term-limited GOP Gov. Kevin Stitt.
“I think Oklahoma and I are supportive of President Trump and many of his policies. I do think the majority of Oklahomans would agree that the tariffs are too far, that importing cheap beef only injures Oklahoma’s cattlemen, ranchers and farmers,”
Daughter of late House Democrat loses runoff bid
Blair lost to Democratic Georgia state representative Jasmine Clark in the primary for a full-term earlier in 2026.
At the time of his death, David Scott was seeking a 13th term and facing a competitive Democratic primary challenge from Jasmine Clark and others.
Blair earned graduate degrees from Stanford and Harvard.
Democratic newcomer scores runoff upset in Oklahoma
Thomas scored the highest percentage of votes in the June primary contest that featured five total candidates.
Thomas has raised just shy of $60,000.
Thomas defeated Jim Priest in the Democratic Senate nomination runoff in Oklahoma.
Trump urges midterm voters to treat his name as on the ballot
Before August, only three Trump-backed candidates had lost their bids in those contests in 2026.
Trump made the pitch at a rally in South Carolina in support of Sen. Darline Graham ahead of a Tuesday Senate GOP runoff.
Trump's endorsement of Graham did not secure her a majority of the vote in the initial primary.
“So what I really want you to do is pretend, please, that I’m on the ballot. Just come and vote. It’s so important,”
JD Vance Campaigns at Midterm Rally in Ohio
Republican Senator Jon Husted joined Vance on stage at the Middletown rally.
JD Vance delivered a midterm election rally speech in his hometown of Middletown, Ohio, at the steel plant where his late grandfather worked.
At the rally, Vance highlighted a $1 billion investment by Cleveland-Cliffs backed by $500 million in government awards.
“[Brown] was a man who claimed to represent this state but never once raised his voice against Joe Biden’s border crisis or against the inflation that was brought on by Joe Biden underinvesting and trying to destroy American industry,”
Analysis examines how one NYC suburb could decide House control
“Mike Lawler will do anything to avoid delivering for his constituents, like last week, when he went on CNN to defend domestic abuser Max Miller. While he continues to act like a spoiled brat begging for more national air time to lie about his record, Cait is focused on hearing directly from voters, who are sick of being represented by a career political hack and ready for someone who puts country over party,”
Top Democratic group reveals new congressional targets to flip House
“American families are struggling under the broken promises and higher costs caused by House Republicans, and they’re eager for leaders who will always put the well-being of their communities first, not rubber-stamp Trump’s failed agenda,”
Trump urged to stop targeting fellow Republicans as GOP fights to keep majority
“Everybody has their own ideas about how best to communicate our message, but I think our message between now and November ought to be why the Democrats are completely out of step with the American people and why we need to elect more Republicans so we can do things like the SAVE America Act,”
Primary election results in three key states: democratic socialist win and Trump ally losses
Losses piling up for Trump-backed candidates
Trump double endorsed in the June primary runoff for South Carolina governor after it became clear his candidate, Lt. Gov. Pam Evette, would lose.
Trump's endorsed candidates have lost in 42% of gubernatorial primaries where he was not backing the incumbent, which is 5 out of 12.
If Graham were to lose, she would be the fourth Trump-backed Senate candidate to lose a primary, after Luther Strange in 2017, Evan Jenkins in 2018, and Trent Staggs in 2024.
“is not that informed on national security.”
Primary election roundup: scandals, socialists, and Trump roil primaries
Democratic Rep. Christian Menefee defeated Rep. Al Green in a race for a Texas House seat.
Ryan Elijah targeted Mills over a House Ethics Committee investigation and a restraining order placed against Mills by a judge.
Republican Sen. John Cornyn was defeated in the Texas GOP Senate runoff by state Attorney General Ken Paxton.
“the years that the number was higher are years that end in the number two, which are full national redistricting years. This was a partial redistricting year, but it’s a very high number historically.”
Amish Shah wins Democratic congressional primary in Arizona
In Maine, Matt Dunlap defeated a more moderate rival backed by the party.
Amish Shah won the Democratic primary in Arizona's 1st Congressional District.
Amish Shah is an emergency physician.
Andy Biggs wins GOP primary for Arizona governor
Hobbs' campaign has attacked Biggs as too extreme for Arizona.
Andy Biggs was endorsed by Donald Trump.
Andy Biggs is a former chair of the House Freedom Caucus.
WaPo poll shows tight Congressional race despite Trump's unpopularity
The poll found that Democrats are 10% more likely to certainly vote this year than Republicans.
Republicans currently have a 53-47 seat majority in the Senate.
Democrats had a 10-point lead in support for Congress ahead of Trump's first presidential midterm election in 2018.
Trump moves to tighten federal control of elections ahead of midterms
Chuck Schumer said Trump's firing of remaining members of the Election Assistance Commission is a brazen attempt to seize control of elections before a single vote is cast.
On March 31, Trump issued an executive order seeking to create a federal list of U.S. citizens eligible to vote in each state.
The DOJ sent a memo and cover letter to election officials in all 50 states and the District of Columbia warning that it is a crime to knowingly allow non-citizens to vote.