By Lucretia Hughes Klucken
WASHINGTON — Voters across Michigan, Missouri, Kansas, Virginia and Washington delivered a collection of victories, defeats and political warnings Tuesday as the 2026 midterm elections moved closer to November.
President Donald Trump’s endorsement helped Republican candidates in several closely watched races. Democratic voters remained divided between establishment candidates and the party’s progressive wing, while voters in Missouri and Kansas rejected major ballot proposals supported by Republican lawmakers.
The results did not reveal one uniform national movement. They showed an electorate willing to support conservative candidates in some races while rejecting Republican-backed policies in others.
That is an important reminder for both parties: Voters are not owned by a political organization. They are judging candidates and proposals individually.
Winner: John James
U.S. Rep. John James won the Republican nomination for governor of Michigan, defeating businessman Perry Johnson in a race that tested Trump’s influence within the state GOP.
James, an Army veteran and businessman, entered the contest with Trump’s endorsement and support from prominent Michigan Republicans. He will face Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson in November.
Benson easily defeated Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson in the Democratic primary, demonstrating her strength within her party.
The Michigan governor’s race will become one of the most closely watched contests in the country. Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer cannot seek another term because of term limits, giving Republicans an opportunity to take control of the governor’s office.
James enters the general election with a clear Republican base, but Michigan remains a battleground state. Winning a primary and winning a statewide general election require different coalitions.
His challenge will be expanding beyond loyal Republican voters without abandoning the principles that secured his nomination.
Winner: Wesley Bell
Democratic Rep. Wesley Bell defeated former Rep. Cori Bush in Missouri’s 1st Congressional District, ending the former “Squad” member’s attempt to return to Washington.
Bell first defeated Bush in 2024. Bush spent the next two years blaming outside political spending and preparing for a rematch.
Voters rejected her again—and by a wider margin.
Bell received approximately 59% of the vote, while Bush finished with about 37%, according to unofficial results reported after the election.
The result was a victory for establishment Democrats and a direct defeat for the far-left politics represented by Bush.
However, Republicans should not misunderstand the district. Missouri’s 1st remains heavily Democratic, and Bell will be strongly favored in November.
The larger message is that national celebrity, social-media attention and membership in the Squad do not give any politician permanent ownership of a congressional seat.
Loser: Cori Bush and the Squad’s Political Brand
Bush was not defeated because voters did not know her. She had served in Congress, built a national following and received extensive media attention.
She lost because voters had already seen her record.
Bush became closely associated with the “defund the police” movement, attacks on Israel and a style of politics centered on confrontation. Her supporters argued that she represented bold progressive leadership.
The voters of St. Louis chose another direction.
Her second loss should warn every politician who spends more time building a national profile than serving the people at home. A congressional district is not a personal platform. It belongs to the voters.
Winners: Jocelyn Benson and Michigan’s Democratic Organization
Benson’s decisive Democratic gubernatorial victory demonstrated that Michigan’s party establishment remains influential.
She will enter the general election with high name recognition from her service as secretary of state and strong support from Democratic organizations.
Republicans will focus heavily on Benson’s administration of Michigan elections, while Democrats will portray James as closely aligned with Trump.
The race will test whether Michigan voters want continuity after eight years of Whitmer or a Republican change in direction.
Still Undecided: Michigan’s Democratic Senate Battle
The most closely watched unresolved contest Wednesday morning was Michigan’s Democratic primary for U.S. Senate.
Progressive former health official Abdul El-Sayed and U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens remained locked in a tight race. El-Sayed represents the party’s increasingly vocal progressive wing, while Stevens has the support of many establishment Democrats and outside groups.
The eventual winner is expected to face Republican former Rep. Mike Rogers in November.
Democrats need to gain Senate seats nationally, meaning Michigan leaves little room for error. A bitter primary that divides the party could become an advantage for Rogers.
Until the remaining votes are counted and the race is called, neither side should declare victory.
Accuracy matters more than being first.
Winner: William Lawrence
Progressive activist William Lawrence won the Democratic nomination in Michigan’s competitive 7th Congressional District.
Lawrence, a co-founder of the Sunrise Movement, received support from Sen. Bernie Sanders and other prominent progressive figures. He will challenge Republican Rep. Tom Barrett in November.
His victory was a win for the Democratic Party’s left wing, but it also creates risk.
The district is politically competitive, and Lawrence’s support for policies including Medicare for All, restrictions on military assistance to Israel and a moratorium on new artificial intelligence data centers will receive intense scrutiny.
Republicans will attempt to portray him as too far left for a swing district. Democrats will argue that his outsider message can energize younger and progressive voters.
November will determine which argument is stronger.
Winner: Ty Masterson and Trump’s Kansas Endorsement
Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson won the Republican nomination for governor after defeating a crowded field.
Trump endorsed Masterson, giving the candidate a significant advantage in a competitive Republican primary.
Masterson will face Democratic state Sen. Cindy Holscher, who defeated two rivals despite Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly supporting another candidate.
Kansas has a strong Republican tradition, but Kelly’s statewide victories showed that Democrats can win when Republicans nominate candidates viewed as too ideological or when the party becomes divided.
Masterson enters the general election as the likely favorite, but he cannot take Kansas voters for granted.
Loser: The Kansas Supreme Court Amendment
Kansas voters rejected a proposed constitutional amendment that would have changed the selection of state Supreme Court justices from the current nominating system to direct partisan elections.
The measure had Republican support, but voters decided against it.
Conservatives may be frustrated by the result, particularly because Kansas courts have played a major role in disputes involving abortion and education funding. But the outcome cannot simply be dismissed.
The same voters who supported conservative candidates were capable of rejecting a conservative-backed constitutional change.
Republicans must explain major structural reforms clearly and earn public trust. Party affiliation alone is not enough.
Loser: Missouri’s Income-Tax Proposal
Missouri voters overwhelmingly rejected Amendment 5, which would have directed lawmakers to phase out the state individual income tax while allowing changes to sales taxes.
Approximately 84% voted against the proposal, according to unofficial results.
The rejection does not necessarily mean Missouri voters oppose tax relief. It may mean they did not trust a plan that eliminated a major source of state revenue without clearly explaining what would replace it.
Individual income taxes provide a substantial portion of Missouri’s general revenue. Opponents warned that eliminating them could lead to increased sales taxes or cuts affecting schools, public safety and other services.
Conservatives should support lower taxes, but fiscal responsibility requires more than promising to eliminate one tax. Leaders must explain what spending will be reduced, how essential services will be funded and whether the burden will simply be transferred somewhere else.
A tax cut that becomes a different tax is not necessarily relief.
Winner: Marie Gluesenkamp Perez
Democratic Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez advanced from Washington’s top-two primary and will face Trump-backed Republican state Sen. John Braun.
Perez represents a district Trump carried in 2024 and has built her political identity around independence from national Democrats. She has broken with her party on immigration, cultural issues and other policies important to working-class voters.
Her advancement was a defeat for progressives who argued she was insufficiently loyal to the Democratic agenda.
Braun’s strong showing sets up another competitive general election with potential consequences for control of the House.
Winner: John Braun
Braun advanced with Trump’s endorsement and now has an opportunity to flip one of the country’s most competitive congressional districts.
But defeating Perez will require more than national Republican messaging. She has survived politically by presenting herself as independent and locally focused.
Braun must make the race about the needs of southwestern Washington—not merely the personalities dominating national politics.
Winner: Bert Mizusawa
Army veteran Bert Mizusawa won Virginia’s Republican Senate primary and will challenge Democratic Sen. Mark Warner.
Warner remains the favorite in a state that has leaned Democratic in recent statewide elections, but Virginia is not politically unreachable for Republicans.
Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin demonstrated that a disciplined campaign centered on education, parental rights, public safety and economic concerns can compete statewide.
Mizusawa now faces the more difficult task of introducing himself to voters, raising the money required for a statewide campaign and convincing independents that Warner should be replaced.
Winners: Elaine Luria and Shannon Taylor
Former Democratic Rep. Elaine Luria won her party’s nomination in Virginia’s competitive 2nd Congressional District, setting up a likely rematch against Republican Rep. Jen Kiggans.
Kiggans defeated Luria in 2022, making the November contest one of the country’s most closely watched House races.
Henrico County Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon Taylor also won a Democratic nomination in a competitive Virginia congressional contest.
Both victories give Democrats experienced candidates in races that could help determine control of the House.
Republicans cannot dismiss either challenge.
The Biggest Winner: Voter Independence
Tuesday’s primaries produced victories for Trump-backed Republicans, establishment Democrats and progressive insurgents. They also produced decisive defeats for Republican-backed ballot amendments.
That combination tells us something important.
Americans are not voting as one predictable political machine.
They may support Trump and reject a Republican tax proposal. They may vote for a Democrat but reject the Squad. They may choose a progressive candidate in one district and a centrist in another.
That is not inconsistency. That is self-government.
The biggest losers are political leaders who believe voters owe them loyalty.
The biggest winners are candidates who understand that endorsements, party organizations and campaign money can help—but none of them replaces the responsibility to earn each vote.
November’s battlefield is now taking shape. Michigan, Virginia and Washington will contain some of the country’s most important races for governor, Senate and House.
Primary victories provide momentum, but they do not guarantee general-election success.
The candidates who won Tuesday now face a larger and less predictable electorate. The celebrations will end quickly. The real campaign begins now.
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