Delaware Holds 2026 Midterm Primaries with Key Senate and House Races

Delaware residents are heading to the polls on Tuesday to determine party nominees for the U.S. Senate, U.S. House, and various local positions, marking the conclusion of the 2026 midterm election primary season.

Under Delaware state law, general election year primaries are scheduled for the second Tuesday following the first Monday in September, placing this year’s contest in the third week of the month.

In the Democratic U.S. Senate race, incumbent Senator Chris Coons is poised to advance to the general election. Coons, who originally won the seat in 2010 upon Joe Biden’s transition to the vice presidency, has raised more than $6.8 million for his campaign. He faces three primary opponents, including former business executive Eric Hansen, who will appear on the ballot under the name “E. No-Trump Hansen.” Neither Hansen nor the other two challengers have reported significant fundraising.

The Republican Party will select two candidates to challenge Coons in November. Despite the contest, Coons is expected to retain the seat comfortably, as Delaware remains a strongly Democratic state. No Republican has held a Delaware Senate seat since J. Caleb Boggs left office in 1972; Boggs was defeated six years after his election by a 29-year-old Biden, making him one of the youngest senators ever elected.

Delaware’s sole seat in the U.S. House is being contested by incumbent Representative Sarah McBride, who faces no primary opposition. McBride, the first transgender member of Congress, has held the seat since 2010. The Republican nominee in the general election is likely to emerge from a field that includes Earl Cooper, who switched parties after losing to McBride in the 2024 Democratic primary, and John Whalen III, her opponent from the 2024 general election.

McBride has drawn significant attention during her first term, particularly regarding restroom access rules. In November 2024, House Speaker Mike Johnson mandated that all House members use restrooms corresponding to their biological sex. GOP Rep. Nancy Mace, who sponsored the rule, stated it was directed at McBride. McBride criticized the move as a distraction from critical national issues but confirmed her intent to comply. In a 2025 interview, she noted that some colleagues were attempting to bait her into conflicts for political gain, which she refused to participate in.