Governor
Sen. Tommy Tuberville, a member of the “Sharia Free America Caucus,” won the Republican primary for governor of Alabama, making him the clear favorite to win the general election in the ruby-red state. The former football coach is now poised to leave the Senate after winning a term in 2020. He will replace outgoing Republican Gov. Kay Ivey, who is term-limited.
Meanwhile, Tuberville is on a collision course with former Democratic Sen. Doug Jones, whom he defeated in the 2020 Senate race, who won the Democratic primary for governor.
U.S. Senate
With Tuberville vacating his Senate seat, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, Rep. Barry Moore, who won 39% of the vote, and former Navy SEAL Jared Hudson, who won 26% of the vote, will head to a June 16 runoff because no candidate cleared 50%.
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.
(Update: June 18)
Governor's race confirmed
Xavier Becerra and Steve Hilton are advancing to the November general election for California governor. With nearly all absentee and mail-in votes now counted, Becerra leads with 28% and Hilton follows with 25%. Tom Steyer has not yet conceded, but the race has been called by multiple outlets. Katie Porter, Matt Mahan, and Antonio Villaraigosa have all conceded.
CA-14 update: Wahab's lead holds, second place still tight
State Sen. Aisha Wahab continues to sit comfortably in first place in the CA-14 regular primary, tallying 36.7% of the vote for an easy first-place finish. Melissa Hernandez has strengthened her hold on second place, now nearly 1,800 votes ahead of Republican Wendy Huang, up from just 94 votes on election night. If Hernandez holds, November's general election in CA-14 will be an all-Democrat contest between Wahab and Hernandez. The second place race is still not officially called.
Note: a separate CA-14 special election to fill the remainder of Swalwell's current term takes place on June 16, with a possible August 18 runoff. Wahab is also a candidate in that race.
Please note: Under California's top-two system, the two candidates with the most votes advance regardless of party. California's vote counting typically takes weeks, so the final lineup may not be confirmed for some time. Any vote percentages cited below may change in the weeks ahead.
Governor
Although millions of ballots have yet to be counted, California voters appear to be setting up a November showdown between Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton. This race had a whopping 61 candidates running, including billionaire Tom Steyer and former Congresswoman Katie Porter.
U.S. House: District 12
Early numbers show that incumbent and Emgage Action endorsed Lateefah Simon (at ~80%) and Jamie Joyce (at ~19%), also a Democrat, will advance to the November general election. Simon, a popular incumbent, is likely to win.
U.S. House: District 14
Member of the California State Senate, Aisha Wahab won the primary for the open seat in Congressional District 14 to move on to Washington, DC. Running in Eric Swalwell’s former congressional seat, Wahab was at 36% of the vote at last count, and her closest opponents, Democrat Melissa Hernandez and Republican Wendy Huang, were at 16% and 15%, respectively.
U.S. House: District 17
Incumbent and Emgage Action endorsed Ro Khanna, who faced intense opposition from both the GOP and AIPAC, will advance to the November general election. He will face Ritesh Tandon, who got about 17% of the vote, compared to Khanna’s 57%. Khanna, who has railed against what he calls the “Epstein class,” is likely to win the seat in November.
U.S. House: District 28
Incumbent and Emgage Action endorsed Judy Chu (at 58%) advances to the November general election and will again face Republican April Verlato, who earned 35% of the vote yesterday. Chu is likely to keep her seat in November.
Los Angeles Mayor
Karen Bass advances to the November general election. Reality TV star and Republican Spencer Pratt is in the lead to be her opponent. Candidly, we can’t believe we just wrote that sentence.
Why It Matters
Historic wins for American Muslims.
On the other side of the country, CA State Senator Aisha Wahab is also poised to win a Congressional seat. These two districts are the kind where the primary election is critical for Muslims to vote in, because the turnout is lower and the general election is normally not as tough a fight.
Democrats flipped two Republican-held legislative seats in Florida last night, delivering a stunning one-two punch in a state where they have often struggled to compete:
State House District 87: Palm Beach County (which includes Mar-a-Lago, President Trump's home)
Democrat Emily Gregory defeated Trump-endorsed Republican Jon Maples, 51%-49%, in a district that Trump won by 11 points in the 2024 presidential election. The previous Republican incumbent, Rep. Mike Caruso, had won the seat by 19 points just last year.
Gregory, a first-time candidate, business owner, and military spouse, ran on kitchen-table issues like housing costs, insurance rates, and affordability and flipped the seat representing Trump's own home turf.
Mar-a-Lago will now be represented by a Democrat in the Florida State House, joining Democratic representation in the State Senate and U.S. House for that district. Democrats have now flipped 10 GOP-held state legislative seats nationally since Trump returned to the White House. Republicans have flipped zero Democratic seats in that same period.
Florida State Senate District 14 — Hillsborough County (Tampa)
Democrat Brian Nathan, a Navy veteran, union organizer, and first-time candidate, defeated Republican state Rep. Josie Tomkow by just 408 votes (50.25% to 49.75%) in a Tampa-area district that the previous Republican incumbent had won by 10 points in 2022. Tomkow had a massive fundraising advantage and was considered a heavy favorite heading into Election Day.
Governor
In the Democratic primary for governor, former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms won the Democratic nomination for governor, avoiding a runoff. Bottoms, who served in the Biden administration as Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement, was endorsed by former President Joe Biden, who offered his first endorsement of the 2026 midterm cycle. If elected, Bottoms would aim to become the first Black woman governor in U.S. history.
On the Republican side, Trump-endorsed Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and billionaire businessman Rick Jackson will head to a June 16 runoff. The Republican primary for Georgia governor was defined by more than $100 million in spending and fierce attack ads between the two front-runners, making it the third-most expensive gubernatorial primary on record.
U.S. Senate
Incumbent Democrat Jon Ossoff had an uncontested primary election, while Derek Dooley and Trump-endorsed Mike Collins will head to a runoff on June 16, highlighting a rift in the party.
Lieutenant Governor
Former state Sen. Nabilah Parkes, the first Muslim woman elected to the Georgia State Senate entered the lieutenant governor race after a Republican colleague, state Sen. Greg Dolezal, released an AI-generated campaign ad depicting Muslims terrorizing white Georgia residents with the message "Keep Georgia sharia free."
Parkes and state Sen. Josh McLaurin are headed to a June 16 runoff in the Democratic race for lieutenant governor. If Parkes wins the runoff and then the general, she would be Georgia's first Muslim lieutenant governor. Dolezal, the author of the anti-Muslim ad, also heads to a runoff on the Republican side, meaning that the June 16 runoff will determine what the race in November will look like.
State Senate District 7
Ruwa Romman, a Muslim legislator in the Georgia state House who briefly ran for GA governor, heads to a runoff in a vacant state Senate seat that was held by former state Sen. Nabilah Parkes, who is now running for lieutenant governor.
Her opponent, civil rights lawyer Rahul Garabadu, with 33% of the vote, will face off against Romman, who won 38% of the vote, on June 16.
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.
Why engagement matters: Our partners on the ground in Georgia are already mobilizing. We are ready to help those efforts and support the Atlanta metro community as we April 7 approaches.
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.
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.
U.S. House, 7th Congressional District
Incumbent Congressman André Carson won the Democratic primary with more than 63% of the vote, defeating Destiny Wells (with roughly 23%), George Hornedo, and Denise Paul Hatch. Carson is one of just four Muslims in Congress, and is Indiana's only Black legislator at the federal level.
Carson, who has deep-rooted relationships with many communities, carried the race through his strong organizing efforts. While Wells had publicly criticized Carson over PAC money connections during the race, there are rumors that AIPAC/UDP funded one of his challengers, although this has not yet been confirmed.
U.S. House, 1st Congressional District
Democratic incumbent Rep. Frank Mrvan also won renomination, defeating former Gary councilwoman LaVetta Sparks-Wade. Both of Indiana's Democratic House seats were targets of a Republican-backed redistricting attempt that would have split both districts and diluted the voting power of the state's largest concentration of Black voters. This was a plan the Indiana Senate rejected, the first time Republican lawmakers rebuffed one of Trump's redistricting pushes. (More on those consequences below!)
Indiana State Senate: Trump's Revenge Tour?
Trump-backed challengers defeated at least five Republican incumbent state senators who had voted down his redistricting plan. The defeated incumbents include Travis Holdman, Jim Buck, Linda Rogers, Dan Dernulc, and Greg Walker, all of whom lost to their challengers by 60% or more. The results came after an estimated $9 million in spending to back primary challengers. Only one Trump-targeted incumbent, Sen. Greg Goode of Terre Haute, survived.
Why it matters
André Carson easily won his primary, but were challengers funded by outside sources? We will let you know if FEC post-election filings clarify whether AIPAC-linked groups spent in this race as they did in Illinois.
Also, Trump's redistricting revenge matters for many districts. The ouster of five Indiana Senate Republicans who blocked gerrymandering really shows Trump's continued grip on the GOP base. A newly compliant Indiana Senate could revisit redistricting in a special session, threatening both Carson's and Mrvan's districts heading into November.
U.S. Senate
Democratic state Rep. Josh Turek won his party's Senate nomination, defeating state Sen. Zach Wahls. He will face Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson, who cruised to the GOP nomination with Trump's endorsement, in November for the seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Joni Ernst. There is some optimism that Trump's unpopularity and Turek's background will help flip the seat.
Governor
In a notable rebuke of Trump's influence, Iowa Republicans narrowly chose businessman Zach Lahn over Trump-endorsed Rep. Randy Feenstra in the GOP gubernatorial primary. Feenstra, a three-term congressman, had won a last-minute Trump endorsement but conceded to Lahn. Lahn told supporters he was outspent and opposed by "the establishment," saying "Iowa doesn't belong to the political class." He will face Democratic State Auditor Rob Sand, who ran unopposed, in November.
Why It Matters
Iowa's governor's race delivered one of the only Trump endorsement losses of the 2026 cycle.
Feenstra's defeat by Lahn shows that while Trump's grip on the GOP is powerful, it is not always absolute, especially in states where economic anxiety has created an appetite for true outsiders over establishment figures.
The battleground races are going to be expensive.
The Iowa Senate race is now a genuine toss-up, as is NJ-7. Both could help determine control of the House and Senate in November.
U.S. House, 4th Congressional District
Rep. Thomas Massie lost his Republican House primary, becoming the latest Republican lawmaker to anger President Donald Trump and then fall to a primary challenger backed by the president.
The race was the most expensive U.S. House primary in history. Pro-Israel interest groups poured millions into the race, as Massie was staunchly “America First,” and was seen as a threat to Trump’s agenda in Iran. Trump handpicked and endorsed Ed Gallrein, a Navy veteran, whose victory demonstrated the president's influence over GOP voters.
U.S. Senate
Senator Mitch McConnell isn’t running for office again, and the race is on to replace him. Trump-endorsed Rep. Andy Barr won the Republican Senate primary by beating Daniel Cameron, a former state attorney general.
Charles Booker, winner of the Democratic primary and unapologetically anti-AIPAC and anti-ICE, still has an uphill battle to flip this seat. Booker, as you may recall, was the Democratic nominee in 2022, when he lost to Republican Sen. Rand Paul. The last time Kentucky sent a Democrat to the Senate was in 1999, so this race will be one to watch!
(Update: June 18)
U.S. Senate
Graham Platner won the Maine Democratic primary for U.S. Senate on Tuesday, channeling voter frustration over the high cost of living and overcoming revelations about his past to set up a high-stakes race against Republican Sen. Susan Collins.
Born in Maine, Platner returned and became an oyster farmer after serving three tours of duty in Iraq, and another tour in Afghanistan. Platner's expected win came after days of questions about his past personal conduct that threatened to undermine enthusiasm on the left. Platner apologized for old online comments (Life tip: nothing ever dies on the internet, kids!) and said he was struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder and depression when he wrote them. Married to a Jewish woman, he has nonetheless faced questions about a skull-and-crossbones tattoo recognized as a Nazi symbol.
Collins, who ran unopposed in the Republican primary, is the only GOP senator representing a state carried in 2024 by then-Vice President Kamala Harris, making her perhaps Democrats' top target in the 2026 midterms. The race is expected to be among the most watched of the midterm elections as Democrats look to flip the Senate.
Governor
Both Democratic and Republican gubernatorial primaries are headed for a ranked-choice count that could take days to resolve. Fun!
A crowded field of Democrats vied for the nomination, including former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, former state representative Hannah Pingree, energy executive Angus King III, and former CDC official Nirav Shah.
Bellows, Jackson, and Pingree vowed to rank one another above King and Shah in a formal ranked-choice alliance. Platner endorsed Jackson as his first choice for governor. Sen. Bernie Sanders and Portland Mayor Mark Dion also endorsed Jackson, while outgoing Gov. Janet Mills and famous Maine resident and author Stephen King threw their support behind Pingree.
Former Navy intelligence officer Bobby Charles led the Republican pack, with former Planet Fitness executive Ben Midgley, Jonathan Bush (nephew of former President George H.W. Bush), and former Maine Senate Majority Leader Garrett Mason also in the running. It could be a week or more until a winner is determined.
Why it matters
Maine is now set as a defining Senate battleground. Platner's primary win, despite significant controversy, reflects the same appetite for insurgent populism that has defined this cycle. Collins is a formidable incumbent in a blue-trending state, but the environment is as favorable for Democrats as it has been in years.
Michigan Senate Special Election
Democrat Chedrick Greene, a firefighter from Saginaw Bay, a district northwest of Detroit, won the special election with nearly 60% of the vote. The seat was vacant because the Democrat who was in it before, Kristin McDonald Rivet, was elected to the U.S. House. Because this was a special election, the seat will be up again in November.
Why it matters
Greene's win in Michigan means Democrat control of the State Senate for the rest of the year, even though Republicans control the State House. November midterms will likely bring a rematch, though.
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.
Why engagement matters: Muslim and allied voters in the Jackson metro and university communities should engage early in this race and make their voices heard heading into November.
U.S. Senate
Here’s the tea: the open Senate seat in Montana came about after incumbent Sen. Steve Daines announced his retirement just minutes before the filing deadline and endorsed former U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme to succeed him, effectively boxing out other candidates. Alme filed his own paperwork eight minutes before the deadline and quickly earned endorsements from Daines and President Trump.
The AP called the Republican primary for Alme less than 30 minutes after polls closed, with Alme receiving around 77% of the early vote. On the Democratic side, Air Force veteran Alani Bankhead won her party's nomination. Independent Seth Bodnar, the former president of the University of Montana and a former Green Beret, will also appear on the general election ballot, making this a competitive three-way race to watch.
U.S. Senate
On the Republican side, incumbent Pete Ricketts defeated a slate of primary challengers, backed by President Trump and the Nebraska Farm Bureau.
On the Democratic side, Cindy Burbank won the Democratic nomination, though the state Democratic Party has endorsed independent Dan Osborn, who is running in November without a party label. Why is this a big deal? Well, Burbank has said she would withdraw if she wins the primary, clearing the way for a one-on-one race between Osborn and Ricketts, which will be WILD.
The general election matchup between Ricketts and Osborn will be one to watch, because Osborn came within less than 7 points of GOP Sen. Deb Fischer in 2024, in a state Trump won by over 20 points.
U.S. House: 2nd District (The "Blue Dot" Race) RACE NOT YET CALLED
This was the night's marquee contest and it remains unsettled. Political activist Denise Powell clung to a narrow lead over state Sen. John Cavanaugh (right now the numbers are 39% to 37%, a margin of roughly 1,080 votes) with the Associated Press saying the race was "too early to call" shortly after midnight.
The Omaha-based 2nd District, currently held by Republican Don Bacon who is not seeking reelection, is considered one of the most competitive seats in November. Republican nominee Brinker Harding, an Omaha City Council member, ran uncontested in the GOP primary.
A key subplot
If Cavanaugh wins the House seat, Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen can appoint a conservative replacement for his state senate seat, potentially giving Republicans a filibuster-proof supermajority in the legislature. Powell's camp hammered this point; Cavanaugh's camp disputed it.
Why it matters
The Nebraska 2nd is a genuine House flip opportunity. In fact, the Cook Political Report moved the race rating from toss-up to lean Democratic after Bacon's retirement announcement.
Nebraska is one of only two states that award Electoral College votes by congressional district. The 2nd District delivered one electoral vote to Biden in 2020 and Harris in 2024, and its future as a blue-leaning district is part of what made this primary so expensive and contentious.
Last, the Osborn Senate candidacy is a real wildcard. An independent candidate backed by the state Democratic Party running against a well-funded Republican incumbent is an unusual setup, but it’s a sign of how Democrats are approaching a challenging Senate map.
(Update: June 18)
Governor
Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford won the Democratic nomination for governor. Ford, who previously served as Nevada's Senate majority leader, became the first Black attorney general in Nevada history in 2019. He will face incumbent Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo, a Trump-endorsee who won 90% of the primary votes, in November.
Ford, who won 65% of the primary election vote, is seeking to become the state's first Black governor. His campaign has repeatedly argued Lombardo has not done enough to fight back against Trump's impact on the state, while Ford has joined numerous lawsuits challenging Trump's orders as attorney general.
Attorney General
Nevada Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro and Gov. Joe Lombardo-backed Republican Adriana Guzman Fralick will face off in the attorney general race in November after winning their respective primaries. Both candidates won their primaries with about 60% of the vote.
Why It Matters
Nevada is one of the most genuinely competitive governor's races in the country. Lombardo won by only 1.5 points in 2022. Ford is a strong candidate with a track record of winning statewide. We’re watching this race closely in November.
U.S. House: District 12
Adam Hamawy, a Princeton surgeon and Army combat veteran making his first run for elected office, won the Democratic primary in New Jersey's 12th Congressional District. Hamawy would be New Jersey's first Muslim member of Congress if elected in November. He has garnered attention for his military background, which included working on the team that assisted Sen. Tammy Duckworth when her helicopter was shot down in Iraq, and for his outspoken criticism of Israel's conduct in Gaza. He worked in Gaza in 2024 on a medical mission.
He defeated 12 other Democratic candidates and led the field with 27.4% of the vote when the AP called the race. He will face Republican Greg Mele, who ran unopposed in the primary, in November. The district, which Hamawy is expected to win easily in November, has long been solidly Democratic. Hamawy had endorsements from Sens. Bernie Sanders and Tammy Duckworth, and Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar.
U.S. House: District 7
Rebecca Bennett won the Democratic primary in New Jersey's 7th Congressional District and will take on Republican Rep. Tom Kean Jr., who has been mysteriously missing from Congress for nearly three months. The district is rated a toss-up by Cook Political Report, and the race could help determine which party controls the House.
Bennett, a former Navy helicopter pilot, led in both polls and fundraising. In the race's final weeks, she faced an influx of negative ads from a mysterious super PAC with ties to Republicans, in what appeared to be a GOP effort to prevent her from reaching the general election.
U.S. Senate
Justin Murphy, an attorney from Burlington County, won the Republican Senate primary and will face incumbent Sen. Cory Booker in November. Booker ran unopposed in the Democratic primary. No Republican has won a U.S. Senate seat from New Jersey since 1972.
Newark Mayor
Incumbent Ras Baraka won reelection Tuesday, securing a fourth term as leader of New Jersey's largest city. The AP called the race shortly after polls closed. Baraka easily topped 50% of the vote against seven challengers, avoiding a potential June runoff.
The win caps a big year for Baraka. Almost a year ago, he was arrested at a protest outside a federal immigration detention center on trespassing charges, which were later dropped. He subsequently sued the federal prosecutor, alleging false arrest and malicious prosecution. He then ran for governor, placing second behind then-Rep. Mikie Sherrill in the Democratic primary. Baraka, who has been mayor since 2014, campaigned on continuing development, public safety improvements, and investment in Newark neighborhoods.
Why it matters
Historic wins for American Muslims.
Dr. Adam Hamawy will almost certainly be the first Muslim member of Congress from New Jersey when he takes office in January 2027, in a district with strong representation from South Asian and Muslim communities. His campaign centered on Gaza, Palestinian rights, and opposing AIPAC's influence, and he won without establishment backing in a crowded 13-person field.
The battleground races are going to be expensive.
The Iowa Senate race is now a genuine toss-up, as is NJ-7. Both could help determine control of the House and Senate in November.
In New Jersey, Baraka's landslide win shows that a combative, unapologetically progressive posture toward the Trump administration can be a political asset, not a liability. With NJ-11 already flipped by a progressive in April and the state's June 2 congressional primaries still ahead, New Jersey is shaping up as a key testing ground for how progressive candidates can go and still win in a suburban state.
Governor
Former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland won the Democratic primary for governor, beating Albuquerque-area prosecutor Sam Bregman. If elected this fall, she would become the first Native American woman to serve as governor in U.S. history. Haaland enters the general election as the front-runner in a state where no Republicans currently hold statewide office.
Haaland won with roughly 72% of the vote. She has pledged to oppose Trump's Medicaid cuts, boost affordability, create a public option healthcare plan, and overhaul the state's troubled child welfare agency. On the Republican side, former Rio Rancho Mayor Gregg Hull won the GOP nomination.
Why It Matters
History could also be made in New Mexico.
Deb Haaland, a Laguna Pueblo member, is favored to win in November and would become the first Native American woman governor in U.S. history.
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.
U.S. Senate
Former Sen. Sherrod Brown secured the Democratic nomination and will face appointed incumbent Republican Sen. Jon Husted, who ran unopposed, in what is expected to be one of the most expensive Senate races of the cycle. Brown lost his seat to Republican Bernie Moreno in 2024 and officially launched his comeback campaign in August 2025.
Governor
Vivek Ramaswamy secured the Republican nomination for governor, even though “America First” Republicans attacked Ramaswamy’s campaign. Despite being born and raised in Cincinnati, members of his own party lobbed online slurs and called for him to be deported "back to India."
Dr. Amy Acton ran unopposed to win the Democratic nomination. Acton called out economic struggles facing Ohioans in her victory remarks, labeling Ramaswamy a "self-funding billionaire" and promising to end statehouse corruption.
Why it matters
Ohio is the Senate battleground. The Brown vs. Husted matchup could be decisive for Senate control. Brown's working-class appeal and name recognition make him competitive in a state that has trended red, and national Democratic spending is expected to follow.
Governor
State Sen. Christine Drazan has won the Republican nomination for governor of Oregon, setting up a rematch this fall against Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek. Drazan, who won a 14-candidate GOP primary field, will be the underdog in the traditionally blue state. She lost to Kotek by less than 4 points in 2022. Oregon voters have not elected a Republican as governor since 1982.
Governor
Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro ran unopposed in his primary, as did Republican Stacy Garrity, the state treasurer. Now they’ll face off in November.
U.S. House, 3rd Congressional District
Folks, this race was a doozy. The district held by Rep. Dwight Evans, who retired after 10 years in Congress, had four candidates: state Rep. Chris Rabb, state Sen. Sharif Street, Dr. Ala Stanford, and Shaun Griffith.
Rabb, a Democratic Socialist who is critical of Israel and AIPAC, had prominent endorsements from the progressive wing of Congress: AOC, Ilhan Omar, Ro Khanna, Summer Lee, and others. Street, on the other hand, had endorsements from over 40 unions, 10 council members, and Mayor Cherelle Parker.
AP called the race before 11 PM for Rabb. This district is +40 in favor for Democrats, so he’s basically guaranteed to win in November. His victory, considered an upset to the Democratic establishment, may provide a glimpse into the direction of the party.
U.S. House, 7th Congressional District
Bob Brooks, a union leader and retired firefighter, won a crowded Democratic primary where his opponents were funded by Republican PACs, a strategy meant to propel candidates that the Republican nominee has a better chance of beating in November. Brooks will face incumbent Republican Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, a freshman elected in 2024 who faced no challenger in the primary.
(Update: June 18)
U.S. Senate
Both major party nominees are now set for a showdown in November. Incumbent Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham won his party's primary (56% to 28%) and will face Democrat Annie Andrews in November. Graham is running for his fifth term.
Andrews, a pediatrician, won the Democratic primary with 61% of the vote. She previously ran against Rep. Nancy Mace in 2022, losing by 14 points. Andrews founded a political organization focused on children's issues including climate change, gun violence, and childhood poverty after stepping away from her practice at the Medical University of South Carolina. South Carolina is a deeply red state, but Andrews has been one of the most prominent Democratic challengers in the country and has worked to amass a significant war chest.
Governor
Trump-backed Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and state Attorney General Alan Wilson will advance to a runoff in the Republican gubernatorial primary. One of the candidates they triumphed over is Rep. Nancy Mace, who touted her strong support for Trump while also defending her decision to vote for the release of files related to Jeffrey Epstein. Mace, a rabid member of the gimmicky Sharia Free America caucus, wound up finishing a distant fifth.
Both Evette and Wilson are MAGA devotees, but Trump only endorsed Evette. The two will face off in a June 23 runoff. On the Democratic side, state House Rep. Jermaine Johnson won his party's primary and will face the Republican runoff winner in November.
Why It Matters
South Carolina's governor's race is a preview of the Trump litmus test. Nancy Mace, who spent years courting Trump's favor, and stoking anti-Muslim bigotry, was crushed for an Epstein files vote he disapproved of. While both Evette and Wilson are running as loyal MAGA candidates, only one has Trump's blessing heading into the June 23 runoff.
U.S. House: District 1
South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley won the Republican nomination for the state's lone congressional district, the seat vacated by Rep. Dusty Johnson who opted to run for governor instead. The district is among the most Republican-friendly in the nation, providing Jackley with a clear path to Capitol Hill in November.
Here’s what happened in Texas and why it matters:
U.S. Senate: Republican runoff
Attorney General Ken Paxton defeated longtime incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in the Republican primary runoff for U.S. Senate, ending over three decades of Cornyn's electoral dominance in what amounts to a watershed moment for GOP politics in Texas. Paxton garnered about 64% of the vote to roughly 35% for Cornyn.
Both Paxton and Cornyn used extensive anti-Muslim rhetoric to garner support for their campaigns and disappointingly, it hit a fever pitch in the days before the election. There are nearly half a million Muslims in the state, making this a choice to stoke resentment and ultimately, hatred.
The other story here? This marquee race was not enough to move voters to the polls. Over one out of three Republican voters who showed up in March stayed home in this runoff, and Paxton won with fewer runoff votes than Cornyn had received in the March primary.
Paxton's win, coming on the heels of an eleventh-hour endorsement from President Trump, is already reverberating nationally. The result is a triumph for Paxton and his wing of the GOP, which prioritizes politicians' zeal for ideological combat over traditional statesmanship and dealmaking.
Paxton will now face Democratic nominee James Talarico, an Austin-area state representative, in the November general election. Democrats have made no secret of their preference for Paxton as their opponent, believing he can be beaten due to his history of political and personal scandals.
Attorney General
State Sen. Mayes Middleton defeated U.S. Rep. Chip Roy for the Republican attorney general nomination.
This primary race also offered a disgusting buffet of anti-Muslim advertising. Chip Roy, as you may recall, is a founding member of the “Sharia Free America Caucus,” a group of anti-Muslim bigots in Congress that was created in December 2025 to use baseless fear to rally Republican voters in the face of a blue wave. Middleton matched him, with both candidates vying to top each as Texans’ protectors against “Islamic Radicalism” and Sharia law. Middleton’s ads included calls for the mass deportation of Muslims, an area where the state Attorney General traditionally does not operate.
Sen. Middleton’s ascension is in some ways a remarkable story. The heir to an oil and gas company, Middleton (who gave himself the nickname “MAGA Mayes” during the campaign) has spent millions helping push the Texas Republican Party and state legislature to the hard right over the last fifteen years. He spent many more millions on his own race, coming in first in the primaries despite criticism that he lacks robust litigation and legal experience.
On the Democratic side, state Sen. Nathan Johnson of Dallas won the nomination, beating former Galveston Mayor Joe Jaworski.
Texas Railroad Commissioner: Republican runoff
The inaptly-named Railroad Commissioner position actually concerns oil and gas regulation. You may be forgiven for concluding, however, that surveillance and exclusion of religious and ethnic minorities is actually part of the job based on the anti-Muslim, anti-Chinese, anti-immigration campaign the Republican winner Bo French waged. In an upset, French scraped through with a 50.6% win against incumbent Railroad Commissioner Jim Wright, who attempted to focus the race on, you know, oil and gas issues and energy production.
French may be familiar to some as the former Tarrant County GOP chairman whose racist remarks drew calls for his resignation. He is favored to win his race against State Rep. Jon Rosenthal, the Democratic nominee, in November.
Lieutenant Governor: Democratic runoff
State Rep. Vikki Goodwin won the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor, a powerful office that oversees the state Senate and shapes the Legislature's agenda. She will face incumbent Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who has held the office for more than a decade, in November.
With her win, the top of the statewide Democratic ticket is exclusively state legislators: State Rep. James Talarico is the Senate nominee, State Rep. Gina Hinojosa is the gubernatorial nominee, and State Sen. Nathan Johnson is the nominee for AG.
U.S. House: Texas 35th District (redrawn district)
Bexar County Sheriff's Deputy Johnny Garcia defeated housing activist Maureen Galindo in the Democratic primary runoff for Texas' 35th Congressional District, after Galindo's antisemitic comments and the origins of her advertising money prompted national outrage.
This appears to be yet another case of shady Republican PACs using shell companies to promote Democratic candidates that are easier for Republicans to beat. Similar instances happened in Illinois, and perhaps in Pennsylvania.
Garcia will face Republican runoff winner Carlos De La Cruz in November in a recently redrawn red-leaning district.
U.S. House: Texas 33rd District (redrawn district)
In the Dallas metro area, former U.S. Representative Colin Allred won the nomination against current U.S. Representative Julie Johnson. Neither was the incumbent; current District 33 Rep. Marc Veasey chose not to run after Texas’ 2025 redistricting. The primary was heated, with Allred facing criticism for his previous support of Republican-led immigration bills and narratives, and Johnson facing questions for her investments in the surveillance technology company Palantir.
This race was a complicated one for the Muslim community. During his last term, Allred has been best known for his unwillingness to support ending military aid to Israel, and his support of the “nonprofit killer bill,” which would have facilitated the harassment and termination of nonprofits by the Trump administration. On the Republican side, Patrick David Gillespie secured the nomination against John Sims. The 33rd district was drawn as a Democratic district, and Allred is the favorite to win in November.
U.S. House: Texas 9th District (redrawn district)
In a district redrawn specifically to oust the iconic Congressman Al Green (more on that below), Army combat veteran Alexandra del Moral-Mealer easily defeated oddly-mustachioed State Rep. Briscoe Cain with over 68% of the vote. The race turned into a test of dueling endorsements, with Mealer backed by Donald Trump and Cain, one of the most conservative state legislators, endorsed by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.
The redistricted 9th District, a +19 Trump district, was drawn to heavily favor Republicans. Barring a major upset, Mealer is expected to win the seat against Democratic nominee Leticia Gutierrez.
U.S. House: Texas 18th District (redrawn district)
Incumbent Christian Menefee won this primary race against Emgage Action-endorsed incumbent U.S. Rep Al Green.
Wondering how two incumbents could be running against each other? Well, it’s because Green’s original district, the 9th (see above), was controversially redrawn by the Texas legislature to become majority-Republican. Green opted to run in the 18th District to save his seat.
For non-Texans, Rep. Green is instantly recognizable as the congressman who has consistently been a thorn in Donald Trump’s side. He was the first to file articles of impeachment against the president in 2017 and is ready to do so again. In 2025, he focused public attention on Medicaid cuts by calling out the president’s Big Beautiful Bill at the State of the Union. This year, he called out the president’s racism. Both times, he was forcibly removed. No other member of congress has so effectively used the State of the Union to highlight the president’s unpopular policies and racist rhetoric.
For Texans, especially the Muslim community, Rep. Green is the fighter who has never been afraid to support policies less courageous politicians avoid. He was one of the first members of Congress to call the genocide what it is, and is one of the most pro-Palestinian lawmakers in D.C. He was one of the first to oppose sending U.S. taxpayer money to fund Israel’s war crimes and genocide. Throughout his career, he has highlighted humanitarian issues around the world and has been a reliable voice for human rights and civil rights. He also has a well-earned reputation in the Houston community for standing up for all communities, even those not in his district. If he had been re-elected, he would have been poised to serve in a senior leadership role in any future Democratic-majority House.
This primary was one of the most expensive and bitter in Texas. Local politicos and publications also framed the race as a question of age and generational change (Green is 78, Menefee 38) rather than a comparison of policy. To complicate matters, residents of the 18th went for nearly a year without representation due to the sudden deaths of both former Mayor Sylvester Turner and Sheila Jackson Lee in office.
The primary runoff was Menefee’s fourth election in fewer than seven months. He is expected to win the next election in November for his first full term in Congress. With a contentious primary now concluded, we hope that Rep. Menefee will follow the legacy of Rep. Green on supporting Palestine and Gaza, one of the few issues where their platforms noticeably diverged.
But the ultimate winners here are Donald Trump, Greg Abbott, and the Republican Party. They rammed through a mid-year redistricting to force out a fierce critic of President Trump and Israel, and cause bitterness among Democratic incumbents and voters. They got what they wanted.
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION, Place 7 (Democratic runoff)
The State Board of Education (SBOE) usually flies under the radar, although the SBOE has been making headlines more frequently as they proceed with a contentious curriculum overhaul. Educator and advocate Tiffany Perkinz won her race for SBOE District 7, an 11-county district covering parts of Greater Houston and the Gulf Coast. In a hand-wringer, Emgage Action-endorsed Perkinz defeated former Port Arthur ISD Trustee Debra Drake Ambroise by 543 votes out of 41,623. Perkinz’s profile has grown in the education community as she has taken on the racially inflammatory and anti-Muslim rhetoric and actions of the current SBOE, including that of her November opponent: District 7 incumbent Julie Pickren.
TEXAS: LOCAL RACES
HARRIS COUNTY
Harris County Judge: Democratic runoff (Houston)
Emgage Action-endorsed candidate Letitia Plummer pulled off a major upset, defeating former Houston Mayor Annise Parker in the Democratic runoff for Harris County Judge. Plummer, a dentist and former Houston City Council member who made history as the first Muslim woman elected to the council, won by roughly 2,500 votes (out of nearly 113,000 cast, making it 51.1% of the vote) despite trailing Parker by 18 points in a recent University of Houston poll. She is now placed to become, if elected in November, the first African American Harris County Judge and the first person of AAPI and Middle Eastern heritage to hold the position. She will also be the first Muslim county executive in Texas and the South.
Plummer will face Republican Orlando Sanchez, a former council member and county treasurer, in November, with the winner succeeding outgoing County Judge Lina Hidalgo. The winner will lead the nation’s third-largest county.
Texas House District 149, Democratic runoff
Emgage Action endorsee and Alief ISD Board President Dr. Darlene Breaux won handily against 21-year incumbent Rep. Hubert Vo, the only Vietnamese American member of the state legislature. Dr. Breaux’s definitive win in a diverse district signals a positive turning point for the district, as Rep. Vo has locally been regarded as a disengaged legislator. Dr. Breaux will face Gov. Abbott endorsee Dave Bennett in this blue-leaning district in November.
FORT BEND COUNTY
After a tumultuous day where a glitch in the voter check-in process caused some Fort Bend voters eligibility confusion and extra hassle, results for Fort Bend County came in. As expected, Emgage Action-endorsed Fort Bend Commissioner Dexter McCoy comfortably won his runoff for Fort Bend County Judge against municipal judge Rachelle Carter with over 74% of the vote.
Emgage Action endorsees featured in two other countywide races. Endorsee Sara Khan lost the runoff for Fort Bend Treasurer to former Missouri City Council Member Jeffrey L. Boney, who earned a definitive 64.5% of the vote. Boney, whose experience includes serving as a banking executive, adjunct professor of business administration, and President and CEO of the Black Chamber of Commerce, will face incumbent Bill Rickert. Former judge Maria T. Jackson also competed in a closely watched runoff for Fort Bend County Clerk, where the victor Sonya Jones faced multiple accusations of switching parties to disrupt a Democratic primary. Jones succeeded by a narrow margin of 576 votes.
County Commissioner Precinct 4 was another closely watched and tight race. April Jones won with a 136-vote margin against former judge and Emgage Action endorsee Brittanye L. Morris. Jones is favored to defeat Republican nominee Ken Mathews in November to become the first-ever female on Fort Bend Commissioners Court.
If nothing else, these close runoff elections prove every vote truly does count!
DALLAS/FORT WORTH
In the Dallas area, Dallas voters re-nominated State Representative Venton Jones in the Democratic runoff for HD 100. His campaign focused on healthcare access, civil rights, and community investment. At the county level, Dallas County voters selected Damarcus Offord in the Democratic runoff for County Clerk, a race that carried significant weight in one of Texas’ largest Democratic strongholds.
U.S. Senate
GOP Sen. Shelley Moore Capito fended off five primary challengers as she runs for her third term. Democrats nominated Rachel Anderson. West Virginia is one of the reddest states in the country and Capito is heavily favored in November.
