Delaware Voters Head to Polls in Final 2026 Primaries Amid Notable Senate and House Contests

Delaware residents cast their ballots on Tuesday in the concluding primary elections of the 2026 midterm cycle. The contest determines nominees for the U.S. Senate, the state’s sole U.S. House seat, and various local offices.

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

In the Senate race, incumbent Democratic Senator Chris Coons is widely anticipated to secure his next term. First elected in 2010 to fill the vacancy created when Joe Biden assumed the vice presidency, Coons has dominated the financial landscape of the race. His campaign has raised over $6.8 million, while his nearest rival, former business executive Eric Hansen, reported $150,000. The other two primary challengers have not disclosed any fundraising figures. Hansen is appearing on the ballot under the name “E. No-Trump Hansen,” signaling a protest candidacy.

On the Republican side, two candidates are competing to challenge Coons in the general election, though the contest is viewed as unwinnable in the heavily Democratic state. No Republican has held Delaware’s Class II Senate seat since 1966, when J. Caleb Boggs won re-election before losing to a 29-year-old Biden six years later. Biden later became one of the oldest individuals to assume the presidency, nearly half a century after his Senate victory.

In the House race, Democratic Representative Sarah McBride faces no opposition in her bid for re-election. McBride, the first transgender member of Congress, has represented the state since 2010. Her tenure has drawn significant attention from Republican leadership, particularly regarding restroom policies. In November 2024, House Speaker Mike Johnson mandated that all members use facilities corresponding to their biological sex, a rule introduced by GOP Representative Nancy Mace that many viewed as targeting McBride.

McBride previously stated that the policy was designed to divert attention from substantive national issues but affirmed she would comply with the regulations. Speaking to The New York Times the following year, she noted that some colleagues were attempting to provoke conflicts for visibility, stating she refused to be used as a political pawn.

Three Republicans are vying to challenge McBride in November. The field includes Earl Cooper, who previously ran in her 2024 Democratic primary before switching parties, and John Whalen III, who faced McBride in the 2024 general election.