2026 Midterm Primaries Begin with Texas and North Carolina Setting November Battle Lines

Voters headed to the polls Tuesday in the first primaries of the midterm election season, with key contests in Texas and North Carolina shaping the November battlefield as Democrats seek to regain control of Congress. The results offer the first electoral test of the 2026 cycle, revealing voter sentiment amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.

James Talarico won the Democratic primary for US Senate in Texas, running a left-wing populist platform that puts billionaires at the center as antagonists. Despite Texas not having elected a Democratic candidate statewide since 1994, Democrats are feeling optimistic about their ability to put the race in play this fall as Sen. John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton head to a May runoff for the GOP Senate nomination.

Former Gov. Roy Cooper won the Democratic nomination for US Senate in North Carolina, while former RNC Chairman Michael Whatley was named the Republican nominee. This is an open Senate seat because Republican Sen. Thom Tillis is retiring.

The primaries revealed Trump's continued influence over Republican politics. In Texas, all 11 House candidates Trump supported either won their primaries or advanced to runoffs, while Rep. Dan Crenshaw — the only House Republican not endorsed by Trump — lost to a right-wing challenger by double digits.

Democrats need a net gain of four seats to win Senate control in 2026, requiring the party to defend every seat it currently holds and flip four more on competitive Republican terrain. For the House, Democrats need to flip just three seats to regain the majority from Republicans' narrow control.