Democrats Select Candidates in 2026 Midterm Primaries
Primary elections to choose Democratic nominees for the November 2026 midterms began in March and continue through September. Thirty-five Senate seats and all 435 House seats are contested.
The Sydney Morning HeraldAdditional primaries are scheduled for June 2 in California, New Jersey, New Mexico, South Dakota, Montana and Iowa, with the final contests set for Delaware on September 15. The midterms will fill 35 Senate seats and all 435 House seats. Republicans currently hold 53 Senate seats to Democrats' 47 and 218 House seats to Democrats' 212, with five House vacancies.
Platner, a 41-year-old Marine Corps veteran and oyster farmer, is the Democratic nominee for Senate in Maine after Governor Janet Mills withdrew from the race. Platner is running against Republican Senator Susan Collins, who has held the seat for nearly 30 years.
Bruce Wolpe of the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney said Platner has drawn support despite limited political experience. Platner has apologized for a military tattoo that resembled a Nazi symbol and has since covered it.
Retired firefighter and union leader Bob Brooks won the Democratic nomination for a House seat in Pennsylvania. Jack Schlossberg, 33, grandson of former President John F. Kennedy and son of former U.S. ambassador Caroline Kennedy, is seeking a House seat in New York. Schlossberg has described his campaign as focused on public service rather than celebrity.
Key Facts
Story Timeline
5 events- March 3, 2026
Midterm primaries began in Texas, Arkansas and North Carolina.
1 sourceThe Sydney Morning Herald - June 2, 2026
Primaries scheduled in California, New Jersey, New Mexico, South Dakota, Montana and Iowa.
1 sourceThe Sydney Morning Herald - June 9, 2026
Maine Democratic primary expected to confirm Graham Platner as Senate nominee.
1 sourceThe Sydney Morning Herald - September 15, 2026
Final midterm primaries held in Delaware.
1 sourceThe Sydney Morning Herald - November 3, 2026
General election day for all 435 House seats and 35 Senate seats.
1 sourceThe Sydney Morning Herald
Potential Impact
- 01
Voter turnout in 2026 will affect which party holds majorities in Congress.
- 02
Democratic performance in November may influence candidate selection for the 2028 presidential election.
Transparency Panel
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