2026 Ballot Breakdown

Illinois

Illinois held its primary on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, with primaries for U.S. Senate, Governor, and multiple U.S. House seats. The night was headlined by an expensive, high-profile Senate race and several Chicago-area congressional contests that drew national attention with an unprecedented flood of outside money.

U.S. Senate: Democratic Primary

Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton won the Democratic primary to succeed retiring Sen. Dick Durbin, defeating Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Robin Kelly with the backing of Gov. JB Pritzker, who contributed $5 million to a super PAC supporting her. If elected in heavily favored November, Stratton would become just the sixth Black woman senator in U.S. history. On the Republican side, former state Sen. Don Tracy self-funded his way to the nomination but faces a steep climb in a state Harris won by 11 points in 2024.

The race was also a major test of outside money: crypto PAC Fairshake spent nearly $10 million against Stratton, while Pritzker's super PAC poured in over $11 million to boost her, and a test of Pritzker's own influence as he eyes a potential 2028 presidential run.

Governor

Illinois voters set up a rematch of the 2022 race: Gov. JB Pritzker, running unopposed on the Democratic side, will face Republican Darren Bailey in November. Bailey, a former state lawmaker, won the GOP primary for the second time. Pritzker beat Bailey by about 13 points in 2022.

U.S. House: Key Races

Five long-serving Chicago-area House Democrats retired, opening fiercely contested primaries in deeply blue districts, making these contests tantamount to general elections. Outside spending across the four races reached $62 million, driven by AIPAC-linked groups, crypto PACs, and AI-interest groups.

2nd Congressional District

Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller won the Democratic primary to succeed Rep. Robin Kelly, defeating former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.'s comeback bid and progressive state Sen. Robert Peters. Miller was backed by roughly $4.5 million from AIPAC-affiliated group Affordable Chicago Now.

7th Congressional District

State Rep. La Shawn Ford, Rep. Danny Davis's handpicked successor, won the Democratic primary despite nearly $5 million in AIPAC-connected spending backing City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin and $2.5 million in crypto PAC spending against him. Davis's endorsement proved decisive.

8th Congressional District

Former Rep. Melissa Bean, who represented the district from 2005 to 2011, defeated progressive Muslim candidate Junaid Ahmed, endorsed by Emgage Action, who centered his campaign on peace in Gaza and Palestinian self-determination. AIPAC-linked groups spent approximately $3.3 million supporting Bean, while crypto and AI PACs added further support. Ahmed faced millions in attack ads.

9th Congressional District

Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss won the Democratic primary to succeed retiring Rep. Jan Schakowsky. Biss, who backed legislation to limit military aid to Israel, defeated Palestinian-American progressive and digital creator Kat Abughazaleh and state Sen. Laura Fine. The race drew intense national attention: AIPAC initially spent heavily against Biss and in support of Fine, and then when Fine failed to gain traction, pivoted to attacking Abughazaleh while simultaneously boosting a progressive candidate, Muslim-American activist Bushra Amiwala, in an apparent attempt to split the progressive vote.

The strategy did not succeed. Abughazaleh had made AIPAC's $7 million interference a centerpiece of her campaign, mocking the group's ads to her large social media following. Biss will be heavily favored in the general election in this safely blue North Side Chicago and suburban district.

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Why it matters

Illinois was the most important primary night of 2026 so far, and the results carry big implications for our community:

The AIPAC spending story

Over $21 million in disclosed spending tied to AIPAC flowed into Chicago-area races, but the group went 2-for-4. AIPAC-backed candidates won in the 2nd and 8th Districts but lost in the 7th and 9th. Notably, several candidates, including the winner in the 9th District, ran explicitly against AIPAC's involvement and won. The group's use of PACs with innocuous names like 'Elect Chicago Women' and 'Affordable Chicago Now' drew scrutiny from multiple news outlets, which traced the spending to AIPAC's donors and vendors.

Muslim and Palestinian-American voices: Junaid Ahmed

Junaid Ahmed (IL-08) and Kat Abughazaleh (IL-09) both ran strong, nationally-watched campaigns focused on Gaza, Palestinian rights, and opposing AIPAC's influence in Democratic primaries, to the tune of $11 million. Both faced millions in attack ads. While neither won, Abughazaleh's campaign in particular demonstrated the power of grassroots organizing and social media in the face of overwhelming outside spending. Bushra Amiwala, a Muslim-American candidate in IL-09, received AIPAC-linked support, widely seen as an attempt to split the progressive vote, and finished sixth.

The Senate race and Gaza

The Democratic Senate primary was marked by debate over Gaza and U.S. military aid to Israel. Rep. Robin Kelly shocked viewers at a debate by calling Israel's actions in Gaza a genocide and challenging her opponents to do the same. Stratton and Krishnamoorthi both faced pressure on the issue. Stratton's win, backed by Pritzker, who has spoken out against AIPAC, suggests the party's progressive and establishment wings can find common ground.

What crypto and AI money couldn't buy

Fairshake, a crypto PAC that did not lose a single primary in 2024, lost two races in Illinois (the 7th District and the Senate). The La Shawn Ford win in the 7th is particularly notable as he survived $2.5 million in crypto spending against him.

All of the winning Democratic nominees in these Chicago-area House districts will be heavily favored in the November general election, making these primaries tantamount to general elections. Our community's engagement in these races will continue to matter as these newly elected members shape policy on Gaza, immigration, and economic justice.

Mississippi

Here’s what happened in Mississippi and why it matters:

U.S. Senate

Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith claimed victory in Mississippi’s Republican primary and will head into the general election seeking a second full term. She’ll face Democratic challenger Scott Colom, a district attorney, who also won his primary outright.

Colom centered his campaign on raising the minimum wage, improving health care access, and exempting law enforcement officers and teachers from the income tax. He now faces an uphill battle trying to become the first Democrat since the 1980s elected to the U.S. Senate from Mississippi, though national Democratic leaders have signaled a willingness to invest heavily to flip the state.

U.S. House — 2nd Congressional District

Rep. Bennie Thompson secured the Democratic nomination in Mississippi’s 2nd Congressional District in a landslide, beating back a primary challenge from younger contender Evan Turnage. With 30% of votes counted, Thompson led with roughly 86% of the vote to Turnage’s 13%.

Turnage was part of a wave of young Democrats hoping to oust older incumbents. He staked his candidacy on economic populism and cast himself as a leader capable of understanding and regulating Big Tech and artificial intelligence. But Thompson’s 17 terms in Congress have made him an institution in a state where voters tend to reelect incumbents.

Why it matters

Mississippi is solidly Republican at the statewide level, but the Senate race is one to watch. The most relevant race for our community is the general election matchup between Hyde-Smith and Colom. Colom raised more money than Hyde-Smith in the last quarter, though the Republican incumbent still holds significantly more cash on hand.

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Georgia

Georgia — Special Election (GA-14)

Here’s what happened in Georgia and why it matters:

Democrat Shawn Harris and Republican Clay Fuller advanced to a runoff for Marjorie Taylor Greene’s former U.S. House seat after no candidate won a majority in Tuesday’s special election.

President Trump endorsed Fuller, a district attorney who prosecutes crimes in four counties, in February. Trump’s endorsement propelled Fuller to the runoff, but didn’t deliver a majority in a crowded 14-candidate field.

Harris is a retired U.S. Army brigadier general and cattle farmer who has positioned himself as a pragmatic, bipartisan-focused contender. He previously challenged Rep. Greene in 2024, taking home just over 35% of the vote. Harris has spoken publicly about the conflict in the Middle East and emphasizes that he goes to Washington to represent people, not a party.

Why it matters

A Republican win in the northwest Georgia district would bolster the party’s slim majority in the House, where Republicans currently control 218 seats to Democrats’ 214.

The runoff between Fuller and Harris will be held on April 7, 2026. This is a deeply conservative district, as Trump carried it by 37 points in 2024, but a strong Democratic showing would send a powerful signal nationally.

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Texas

Here’s what happened in Texas and why it matters:

U.S. Senate

On the Republican side, Senator Jon Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton head to a runoff after a primary that included increased anti-Muslim messaging. That tone is unlikely to disappear.

On the Democratic side, James Talarico won outright with 53% of the vote. He focused on everyday issues while also addressing a key concern for many Muslim Americans: the genocide in Gaza. Talarico pledged to oppose funding for “offensive” weapons and to support efforts to address the humanitarian crisis. His win creates an opening for Muslim voters to engage early and help shape the conversation before November, especially in DFW and Houston, where our communities are concentrated.

Governor & Lt. Governor

Governor Greg Abbott and Lt. Governor Dan Patrick both won decisively and will be back on the ballot. On the Democratic side, Gina Hinojosa secured her nomination for governor, while the lieutenant governor race heads to a runoff.

Attorney General

The Republican primary featured some of the most explicit anti-Muslim campaigning this cycle. Former State Senator Mayes Middleton and Representative Chip Roy advance to a runoff. The Democratic race remains unsettled but unofficially, Nathan Johnson and Joe Jaworski will likely face each other in a runoff.

Other Key Wins

In TX-30, Pastor Frederick Haynes won the Democratic primary, reinforcing the strength of coalition-based leadership in diverse urban districts.

In the Comptroller’s race, Don Huffines defeated the incumbent acting comptroller after controversy over excluding Islamic schools from the voucher rollout.

The Bottom Line

Muslim Texans are a growing voting bloc, particularly in Harris County, Fort Bend, and DFW. Runoffs are low-turnout elections, which means organized communities can have an outsized impact.

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North Carolina

Here’s what happened in North Carolina and why it matters:

This week, North Carolina held its 2026 primary elections and the most closely watched Democratic race came down to just over 1,200 votes.

U.S. House of Representatives

In NC’s 4th Congressional District, Emgage Action-endorsed Nida Allam narrowly lost to two-term incumbent Rep. Valerie Foushee, 48.22% to 49.18%. Allam conceded Wednesday, forgoing a potential recount.

Running on a platform of ending U.S. arms transfers to Israel, abolishing ICE, and reducing corporate influence, Allam drew support from Sen. Bernie Sanders and over $2 million in outside backing. Foushee held on with establishment support but by a far smaller margin than her 9-point win in 2022.

Why it matters

Allam’s loss is a disappointing outcome for the Muslim and South Asian communities she represented and the values Emgage champions. Still, her near-victory signals a growing progressive coalition and previews the spending battles and intra-party divisions that will define November.

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Arkansas

Here’s what happened in Arkansas and why it matters:

Arkansas held its primaries on March 3rd. The top-of-ticket races were uneventful: Gov. Sanders and Sen. Cotton both secured uncontested or easy Republican nominations. The most eyebrow-raising result came from Lonoke County, where Aaron Spencer, currently awaiting trial on a second-degree murder charge, won the Republican nomination for Sheriff.

Why it matters

Arkansas is solidly red, so November’s statewide outcomes are largely a foregone conclusion. The Lonoke County race is the one to watch. If convicted, Spencer would be legally barred from serving in the office he just won.