5 takeaways from the first primaries of the 2026 midtermsMarch 4, 20264:23 AM ETHeard on Morning EditionDomenico Montanaro – 2015Domenico Montanaro
A “VOTE” sign is posted near a polling center on Tuesday in Austin, Texas. Texas held their primary elections including two hotly contested races for Democratic and Republican Senate nominations.Brandon Bell/Getty ImagesThe first primaries of the 2026 midterm campaign are in the books.The results in North Carolina and Texas could have big consequences for control of Congress.Not all the results are finalized as yet, but here are some takeaways from what is known:1. Texas Republicans head for a runoff in the Senate primary. Will Trump get involved?The three-way race between incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, state Attorney General Ken Paxton and Rep. Wesley Hunt meant that no one was able to get above 50% of the vote.That means 12 more weeks of the Texas Senate GOP primary — until May 26. This has already been the most expensive Senate primary in history, and another $100 million could be spent on top of the nearly $100 million that was already spent on just the Republican side, mostly to buoy Cornyn.
