US EditionThe most exciting primaries to watch in 2026
Primaries in about 10 states include costly battles and key retirements as parties compete to flip or defend the Senate majority, with health care and economy as major issues.
- Next year, the fight for the Senate majority unfolds across 10 key races, centering on Maine, North Carolina, Michigan and Georgia, with some GOP primaries extending past March 3.
- Retirements such as Sen. Gary Peters and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen have opened competitive open-seat contests, while both parties recruit notable candidates to replace retiring GOP Sen. Thom Tillis and former Sen. Sherrod Brown.
- Heavy ad spending has already reshaped early dynamics, with millions backing Cornyn allies and last year’s Senate ads topping more than $480 million, while Graham Platner draws controversy with Sen. Bernie Sanders' support.
- If primaries produce no majority winner, the top two advance to a May runoff, while Republicans remain confident they can hold the Senate as Democrats need a net four seats to win control.
- Divisive primaries could reshape the Senate landscape, and the fight may spread beyond the core four states as both parties tout candidates who could bend results in additional battleground states next year.
10 Articles
10 Articles
The most exciting primaries to watch in 2026
A handful of states are teeing up some of the most highly anticipated primaries of next year, offering clues about the direction for both parties as all eyes turn toward the midterms. Democrats are bracing for competitive Senate primaries in Texas, Michigan and Maine, some of which have become proxy battles between the party’s centrist and progressive factions. In Texas and Georgia, two separate three-way [...]
Top 8 Senate Races to Watch in 2026
As 2025 draws to a close, the country is already turning its attention to next year’s midterm elections. Republicans are facing favorable odds in the Senate, where they currently hold a 53–47 advantage. In the 2026 midterms, 33 Senate seats are up for election—20 currently held by Republicans and 13 held by Democrats. Prediction site Polymarket gives Republicans a 66 percent chance at holding the upper chamber. To do so, they’ll need to fend off…
The Top 10 Senate Races Next Year
NBC News reviews the top 10 Senate races to watch next year. The top four are in Maine, North Carolina, Michigan and Georgia. After that, there’s Texas, Iowa, Alaska and Minnesota, the competitiveness of which could hinge on their primary outcomes.
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