2026 midterm primaries begin with key races in Texas and North Carolina
Welcome to the start of the 2026 US midterms. Primary elections kick off in three states – Texas, North Carolina and Arkansas – and many seats are at stake, including candidacies for the US House and US Senate.
Tuesday’s results will determine who is on the ballot in November in these states. Voters are heading to the polls to select who they want to represent their registered party. There are dozens of elections, but Guardian is specifically watching a handful of races closely:
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In Texaslongtime Republican senator John Cornyn is fighting to retain his seat against two challengers: state attorney general Ken Paxton and US representative Wesley Hunt. Paxton, a conservative firebrand who has surged in recent polls, could reveal to the Republican party just how potent the Maga brand is.
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The Texas Democratic primary for US Senate is between US representative Jasmine Crockett and state representative James Talaricoa race that is seen as a strategic divide – their campaign styles could not be more different.
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North Carolina’s primaries could prove crucial to Democrats come November, as Republican senator Thom Tillis is retiring and they believe this is a major chance to flip a seat in the chamber. On the Democrats’ side, former two-term governor Roy Cooper is ahead in recent polling. Michael Whatleythe former Republican National Committee chair, leads the Republican field.
And while president Donald Trump is not on the ballot tonight or in November, these elections will be used as a bellwether for his policies and how voters have viewd the first year of his second term.
Right now, Republicans hold the House, the Senate and the presidency. Will US voters look to retain the status quo or change course? Stick with us as we take you through election night.
Key events
What to know about the Texas Republican Senate primary
Let’s start with perhaps the biggest race of the night: the Texas Republican primary.
The Texas Senate primary has become the most expensive ad campaign on record, according to analysis firm AdImpactwith the GOP establishment candidate’s campaign spending at least $69m of the $122m (this includes both parties). President Donald Trump has, notably, not endorsed a candidate in this race.
US senator John Cornyn is seeking his fifth term for a seat he has held since 2002. Cornyn serves on several Senate committees and was formerly the party’s whip in Washington until 2019. He has been defending himself throughout this campaign as being aligned with the president, but he may be viewed as less-aligned than at least one of his challengers.
Ken Paxton, the Texas state attorney general, is running a fierce campaign against the incumbent senator despite a history of scandals, both political and personal. Paxton has made a name for himself for spearheading conservatives’ legal battles, including trying to overturn the 2020 election results, expanding religion in schools, and partnering with the Trump administration to facilitate deportations. Polling has recently shown Paxton with a narrow lead.
And then there’s House Republican Wesley Hunta two-term congressman who may act as more of a divider-of-votes than having an actual chance to win the race. There is a chance he is a second-place finisher.
That said, if no candidate wins a majority, or more than 50%, the top two candidates advance to a primary runoff on 26 May.
2026 midterm primaries begin with key races in Texas and North Carolina
Welcome to the start of the 2026 US midterms. Primary elections kick off in three states – Texas, North Carolina and Arkansas – and many seats are at stake, including candidacies for the US House and US Senate.
Tuesday’s results will determine who is on the ballot in November in these states. Voters are heading to the polls to select who they want to represent their registered party. There are dozens of elections, but Guardian is specifically watching a handful of races closely:
-
In Texaslongtime Republican senator John Cornyn is fighting to retain his seat against two challengers: state attorney general Ken Paxton and US representative Wesley Hunt. Paxton, a conservative firebrand who has surged in recent polls, could reveal to the Republican party just how potent the Maga brand is.
-
The Texas Democratic primary for US Senate is between US representative Jasmine Crockett and state representative James Talaricoa race that is seen as a strategic divide – their campaign styles could not be more different.
-
North Carolina’s primaries could prove crucial to Democrats come November, as Republican senator Thom Tillis is retiring and they believe this is a major chance to flip a seat in the chamber. On the Democrats’ side, former two-term governor Roy Cooper is ahead in recent polling. Michael Whatleythe former Republican National Committee chair, leads the Republican field.
And while president Donald Trump is not on the ballot tonight or in November, these elections will be used as a bellwether for his policies and how voters have viewd the first year of his second term.
Right now, Republicans hold the House, the Senate and the presidency. Will US voters look to retain the status quo or change course? Stick with us as we take you through election night.
