Primary season for Senate and House elections kicks off on March 3, with contests in Arkansas, North Carolina and Texas. It concludes, 196 days later, in Delaware. In between, millions of dollars will be spent as candidates hustle for votes. Hanging in the balance is control of both the House and Senate, as well as governors’ offices and other key state-level roles. But first, there’s some unfinished electoral business from 2025 to resolve: Texas, New Jersey and Georgia will hold special elections to fill House vacancies. The death of California Republican Doug LaMalfa will also result in a special election this year, but Gov. Gavin Newsom has yet to set a date. As we look ahead to key primary contests of 2026, it’s important to remember that most fields have not yet been set and there’s time for more candidates to jump in. Also, several states require primary winners to secure a majority of the vote, so those contests may be decided by runoffs. One of the most consequential and costly primaries will occur on March 3, when Texas Republicans select their Senate nominee. The battle pits longtime Sen. John Cornyn against two challengers, state Attorney General Ken Paxton and Rep. Wesley Hunt. Texas Democrats have their own competitive primary, featuring Rep. Jasmine Crockett and state Rep. James Talarico. Texas is also home to dozens of contested House primaries under a new map state Republicans approved last year. Under state law, if no one crosses 50 percent of the primary vote, the top two finishers will compete in a May 26 runoff. March will also see a big Democratic primary in Illinois, where Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Robin Kelly and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton are vying to succeed retiring Sen. Richard J. Durbin. The state is hosting several competitive House primaries for open seats in the Chicago area too. May will bring another round of high-profile primaries. Ohio votes on May 5, when voters in the 9th District — redrawn further in Republicans’ favor — will choose a Republican opponent for vulnerable Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur. Another battleground race will be set on May 12, when Nebraska voters pick their nominees for the 2nd District, where GOP incumbent Don Bacon is retiring. The six states voting on May 19 include Pennsylvania, home to a handful of battleground House primaries, and Kentucky, where Republicans have a hard-fought contest between Rep. Andy Barr, former state Attorney General Daniel Cameron and businessman Nate Morris for the seat of former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. That same day, in Georgia, Reps. Mike Collins and Earl L. “Buddy” Carter and former University of Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley will compete for the Republican nomination to take on Sen. Jon Ossoff, the chamber’s most vulnerable Democrat. June is poised to be the busiest month of the congressional primary calendar. On June 2, the marquee contests will be in California, where Democrat-led redistricting has reshaped the congressional map. Other notable primaries to be decided that day include New Jersey, which hosts a crowded Democratic primary to choose a nominee against Rep. Thomas H. Kean Jr. in the battleground 7th District, and Iowa, where Democrats in a Des Moines-centered swing district will pick their nominee against Rep. Zach Nunn. On June 9, voters in Maine will decide which Democrat will take on Sen. Susan Collins, the chamber’s most vulnerable Republican. Maine’s filing deadline isn’t until March 15, and Collins has yet to formally announce her reelection plans. Virginia’s primaries will be held the following week, potentially under a new congressional map. The Democrats who control the legislature have begun a process to draw new lines in response to similar GOP-led efforts in other states. New York’s primary elections will be held on June 23. Contested Democratic races include crowded primaries to succeed retiring longtime stalwarts. New York is also among several states holding blue-on-blue contests that pit incumbents against mostly younger and — in some cases — more progressive challengers. And Democrats will choose their nominee to run against Republican Rep. Mike Lawler in a Hudson Valley swing district. The month’s final primaries will be held in Colorado, home to the swingy 8th District, where Democrats will select an opponent for GOP freshman Gabe Evans. July largely brings a reprieve, but the primary schedule swings back into high gear in August. On Aug. 4, voters in Michigan will select their nominees for the state’s open Senate seat and several battleground House districts. That same day, Arizona voters will set the general election matchups in a handful of swing districts. Another key state going to the polls in August is Minnesota, where voters will pick their Senate nominees on Aug. 11. The primary calendar wraps up in September. On Sept. 1, Massachusetts Democrats will determine whether longtime Sen. Edward J. Markey or his challenger, Rep. Seth Moulton, serves as the party’s nominee. The following week brings the New Hampshire primary, where Republicans will make their pick for the state’s open Senate seat.
