Delaware voters headed to the polls on Tuesday to cast ballots in the state’s primary elections, the final contests of the 2026 midterm cycle. The races included nominations for U.S. Senate, the state’s lone U.S. House seat, and local offices, with results expected to set the stage for the November general election.
Sen. Chris Coons advances toward re-election bid after primary challenge
Democratic Sen. Chris Coons is expected to win his party’s nomination for U.S. Senate after facing three primary challengers. Coons, first elected in 2010 to fill the seat vacated by then-Vice President Joe Biden, has raised $6.8 million for his reelection campaign, far outpacing his closest primary opponent, who reported $150,000 in fundraising. The other two challengers, including former business executive Eric Hansen—listed on the ballot as "E. No-Trump Hansen"—did not report any fundraising. Two Republican candidates are also vying for the nomination, though Delaware has not elected a Republican to the Senate since 1966, when J. Caleb Boggs won the seat before losing it six years later to a 29-year-old Joe Biden.
Rep. Sarah McBride runs unopposed in primary for House seat
Democratic Rep. Sarah McBride, the first openly transgender member of Congress, ran unopposed in her primary for Delaware’s at-large U.S. House seat. Democrats have held the seat since 2010. McBride has drawn significant attention from Republicans during her first term, including a 2024 House rule requiring members to use restrooms corresponding to their biological sex, a policy introduced by House Speaker Mike Johnson. Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina, who sponsored the ban, framed it as a measure to uphold biological distinctions.
Primary season concludes with focus on November general election
Delaware’s primaries marked the end of a primary season that saw progressive and socialist-backed candidates secure victories in several high-profile Democratic contests nationwide. While Delaware’s races did not feature the same ideological battles, the state’s solidly Democratic lean ensures Coons and McBride will be favored in November. Republicans, who have not won a Senate seat in Delaware since 1966, will attempt to narrow the party’s dominance in the state’s statewide offices.
The primary results will determine the nominees for the November 2026 general election, where Delaware’s electoral history suggests Democrats will maintain their stronghold on federal offices.