Midterm primaries 2026 live: results and reaction after six states including California and Iowa cast ballots | US midterm elections 2026
Lucy Campbell
Millions of voters across the country head to the polls today for critical primaries in a number of key gubernatorial, Senate and House races.
Here’s a quick summary of what we watched:
California
Voters are voting on who should lead the nation’s most populous state (and the world’s fourth-largest economy), with no clear leader among the candidates vying to replace the term-limited Democratic governor. Gavin Newsom. Race Los Angeles The mayor is also on the ballot and a number of high-stakes U.S. House contests in the state’s redrawn congressional districts are also on the ballot; These constituencies will play a huge and potentially decisive role in the struggle for power in Washington in November’s midterm elections. colleague Lauren Gambino There are more:
Iowa
per colleague Chris SteinGiven Trump’s deep-seated approval ratings, high gas prices and historical political trends favoring the party’s fall from power, Democrats are considering a comeback in Iowa this year, making the state the centerpiece of their campaign to regain control of both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. Effort for a “once-in-a-generation” breakthrough in GOP-dominated state is led by pro-hunting Democrats Rob Sandcandidate for governor. Chris wrote about it below. Democrats also believe they have a shot at winning the state’s three U.S. House seats and a competitive shot at securing the U.S. Senate seat, where the GOP’s leading candidate recently called Trump’s war on Iran “political responsibility”.
New Jersey
One of this year’s most closely watched House midterms will take place in the battleground district currently represented by infamous Republicans. Tom Kean Jr.He came under public scrutiny and concern after missing more than 100 House votes due to an undisclosed illness. Voters are deciding which Democrat will run against him in November, and winning the seat is essential for the party. Pioneer, veteran Army trauma surgeon and political newbie Adam HamaviHe received support from names such as Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar. colleague Joseph Gideon There are more:
new mexico
The state’s contests include primaries for congressional seats, a U.S. Senate seat and a long list of statewide offices, but the main event is the governor’s race. Deb Haalandwho was it Joe BidenSecretary of the Interior is running for the Democratic nomination, which could put him on a historic path for Native American leaders.
Montana
In Montana, Democrats’ five-way fight for the retiring Republican senator’s seat continues. Independent Seth BodnarThe former president of the University of Montana is now outshining them all, but they refuse to step aside, Politico reported this morning.
south dakota
The race is on for the Republican primary for state governor, mayor of Sioux Falls, U.S. Senate and House seats, and local legislators. Incumbent GOP governor Larry Rhoden He faces three significant opponents in his first run of the full term. The former governor rose to the post from lieutenant governor when Kristi Noem, who has since been ousted, left to lead the Department of Homeland Security.
Associated Press contributed reporting
important events
Knocking on strangers’ doors on a hot May afternoon in Trenton, New Jersey, Adam Hamawy seemed unimpressed when several went unanswered.
This is his first time running for office, but this is an area in which he has experience. After returning from a medical mission in Gaza in 2024, Hamawy traveled to Washington to tell lawmakers about the crisis he saw as a US-funded genocide, but was met with “a lot of closed doors that didn’t even want to listen.”
“I could only describe it as genocide, because I saw the bodies of the people who went in,” the veteran Army trauma surgeon and political newcomer mused as he walked between houses. “And it wasn’t an accident. You can’t have an accident every day for three years.”
Iowa’s best-known Democrat, Rob Sand, is running to lead a state where Republicans dominated under Donald Trump, and Democrats believe his run for governor could be the breakthrough needed to win key Iowa offices in the November midterm elections.
Given Trump’s deep-seated approval ratings, high gas prices and historical political trends favoring the party’s fall from power, Democrats are considering a comeback in Iowa this year, making the state the centerpiece of their campaign to regain control of both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. On Tuesday, voters will cast ballots in primaries that set the stage for months of heated campaigning by candidates from both parties.
“I think this is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for us to win in Iowa. I mean, this is a completely rock-bottom state,” said state Rep. Josh Turek, one of two Democrats running to represent Iowa in the U.S. Senate.
Voters in six states are casting their ballots in US midterm elections. Here are some images from the voting centers that appeared on news channels today:
Fabiola Cineas
A group of Democratic doctors, scientists and public health experts across the country are seeking office in the midterm elections in response to the health policies of Donald Trump and Robert F Kennedy Jr.
Among other things, they share a diagnosis of what ails the American administration—disinformation, funding cuts, and research rollbacks—and the belief that their clinical and scientific training equips them to treat it.
They’ve seen the Trump administration’s health policies implemented in exam rooms, labs and the communities they serve, and they want to stop the bleeding.
Explained: What is California’s ‘forest primary’?
Uwa Ede-Osifo
In California, voters can choose any candidate from a long list of gubernatorial candidates, regardless of which party they are registered with.
The system was put in place under the administration of former governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who promoted the open primary, or “jungle primary,” as a way to create more competition in races that Democrats win every year. Schwarzenegger, who left office in 2011, was the last Republican elected to statewide office in California.
In a crowded race like this year’s gubernatorial primary, the system can lead to some unexpected results; For example, when the possibility of two Republicans running in the general election in deep blue California emerged earlier this year.
That seems unlikely right now, but the possibility has prompted some Democrats to overhaul voting in the state.
Lucy Campbell
Millions of voters across the country head to the polls today for critical primaries in a number of key gubernatorial, Senate and House races.
Here’s a quick summary of what we watched:
California
Voters are voting on who should lead the nation’s most populous state (and the world’s fourth-largest economy), with no clear leader among the candidates vying to replace the term-limited Democratic governor. Gavin Newsom. Race Los Angeles The mayor is also on the ballot and a number of high-stakes U.S. House contests in the state’s redrawn congressional districts are also on the ballot; These constituencies will play a huge and potentially decisive role in the struggle for power in Washington in November’s midterm elections. colleague Lauren Gambino There are more:
Iowa
per colleague Chris SteinGiven Trump’s deep-seated approval ratings, high gas prices and historical political trends favoring the party’s fall from power, Democrats are considering a comeback in Iowa this year, making the state the centerpiece of their campaign to regain control of both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. Effort for a “once-in-a-generation” breakthrough in GOP-dominated state is led by pro-hunting Democrats Rob Sandcandidate for governor. Chris wrote about it below. Democrats also believe they have a shot at winning the state’s three U.S. House seats and a competitive shot at securing the U.S. Senate seat, where the GOP’s leading candidate recently called Trump’s war on Iran “political responsibility”.
New Jersey
One of this year’s most closely watched House midterms will take place in the battleground district currently represented by infamous Republicans. Tom Kean Jr.He came under public scrutiny and concern after missing more than 100 House votes due to an undisclosed illness. Voters are deciding which Democrat will run against him in November, and winning the seat is essential for the party. Pioneer, veteran Army trauma surgeon and political newcomer Adam HamaviHe received support from names such as Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar. colleague Joseph Gideon There are more:
new mexico
The state’s contests include primaries for congressional seats, a U.S. Senate seat and a long list of statewide offices, but the main event is the governor’s race. Deb Haalandwho was it Joe BidenSecretary of the Interior is running for the Democratic nomination, which could put him on a historic path for Native American leaders.
Montana
In Montana, Democrats’ five-way fight for the retiring Republican senator’s seat continues. Independent Seth BodnarThe former president of the University of Montana is now outshining them all, but they refuse to step aside, Politico reported this morning.
south dakota
The race is on for the Republican primary for state governor, mayor of Sioux Falls, U.S. Senate and House seats, and local legislators. Incumbent GOP governor Larry Rhoden He faces three significant opponents in his first run of the full term. The former governor rose to the post from lieutenant governor when Kristi Noem, who has since been ousted, left to lead the Department of Homeland Security.
Associated Press contributed reporting
