Voters in Texas, North Carolina, and Arkansas cast first ballots of the midterm cycle amid high-stakes Senate races and new congressional maps.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
The 2026 midterm elections officially begin Tuesday as voters in Texas, North Carolina, and Arkansas head to the polls in primary contests that will shape November’s battle for control of Congress during President Donald Trump’s final two years in office.
The early contests will determine party nominees for congressional races and other statewide offices ahead of a general election in which all 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and 33 of the Senate’s 100 seats will be decided.
The primaries come days after U.S. military strikes on Iran, an escalation that has drawn attention in Washington as Republicans and Democrats assess potential political ramifications. While foreign policy developments have dominated headlines, polling has indicated that voters remain focused on domestic concerns such as affordability and immigration.
Control of the House is expected to be closely contested in November. Democrats would need to flip three Republican-held seats to secure a majority. The Senate map presents a more challenging landscape for Democrats, though several competitive races are emerging.
In Texas, a Republican Senate primary between incumbent Sen. John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton has become an early test of internal party divisions. Cornyn, a longtime senator aligned with Republican leadership, faces a strong challenge from Paxton, who has built support among Trump-aligned voters despite past legal controversies.
Cornyn has warned that nominating Paxton could make the seat more competitive in November and risk the GOP’s narrow Senate majority. Paxton has countered that Cornyn is disconnected from conservative voters in the state. Both candidates have emphasized their support for Trump and backed recent military actions against Iran. The president has not issued a formal endorsement in the race.
Senate Republican leadership has supported Cornyn, and allies backing the incumbent have significantly outspent Paxton’s campaign on advertising, according to tracking data cited by party officials. With Rep. Wesley Hunt also in the race, the contest is widely expected to advance to a runoff between the top two finishers.
On the Democratic side in Texas, state Rep. James Talarico and U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett are competing for their party’s nomination. Talarico has centered his campaign on faith-based messaging and outreach to crossover voters, while Crockett has gained national attention for her outspoken criticism of Trump. Democrats have not won a statewide race in Texas since 1994, though party leaders argue that Paxton’s past legal battles could make the general election competitive.
Political analysts say the state’s Republican-leaning electorate still favors the GOP nominee. “Ken Paxton is still a Republican in a very Republican state that’s got a turnout machine that understands how to win elections,” said Brandon Rottinghaus, a political science professor at the University of Houston.
In North Carolina, voters will choose nominees in another closely watched Senate race following the retirement of Republican Sen. Thom Tillis. Former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, who has won statewide office multiple times, faces limited primary opposition and is viewed by Democrats as a strong general election contender. On the Republican side, Michael Whatley, a former Republican National Committee chairman who has received Trump’s endorsement, has led in public polling against several primary opponents.
Tuesday’s primaries will also mark the first elections under newly redrawn congressional maps in Texas and North Carolina. Republican lawmakers in both states revised district boundaries last year, prompting a broader national debate over redistricting and its impact on the balance of power in the House.
Several House races in Texas could see incumbent challenges influenced by the new lines. Rep. Tony Gonzales faces a primary challenge from a conservative online commentator and has resisted bipartisan calls to resign over allegations of a past relationship with a staffer who later died by suicide. Gonzales has denied wrongdoing.
In the Houston area, two Democratic incumbents, Reps. Al Green and Christian Menefee, are competing against each other after the redistricting process dismantled Green’s previous district.
With months remaining before the November general election, the primaries offer an early snapshot of party dynamics, voter turnout patterns, and the political environment heading into what is expected to be a closely contested midterm cycle.
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