Voters in five states are heading to the polls today for primary elections that will test the growing clout of the Democratic Party’s progressive wing, the influence of pro-Israel lobbying, and the power of Trump endorsements across a slate of competitive Senate and House races. Primaries in Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Virginia, and Washington will determine which candidates advance to November’s general election as voters make choices that could ultimately decide control of Congress next year.
The most closely watched race is Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary, where epidemiologist Abdul El-Sayed, a progressive candidate backed by Senator Bernie Sanders, is challenging four-term Representative Haley Stevens, who has support from Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer. The seat is open because incumbent Democratic Senator Gary Peters is not seeking a third term, making it a must-win for Democrats hoping to retake the chamber in the fall.
El-Sayed has centered his campaign on Medicare for All and cutting corporate money from politics, constantly criticizing the millions being spent against him by the pro-Israel lobbying group AIPAC. Stevens, who flipped a suburban House seat in 2018 and served on the team President Obama tasked with rescuing the auto industry during the Great Recession, has focused on her support for Michigan manufacturing and her fight against Trump. According to recent polling, El-Sayed holds a double-digit lead, yet Stevens has outspent him on the airwaves by at least eight times, including through groups aligned with AIPAC.
The Michigan race has become a test of how candidates farther left on the political spectrum will fare outside liberal cities, as Democrats debate whether to go with tested centrist candidates with cross-aisle appeal or take a chance on insurgent campaigns with the potential to tap into voter anger. The contest reflects broader party tensions over the direction of the Democratic Party after nearly two years out of power, with fights about foreign policy, corporate influence, and economic messaging colliding in the primary.
Michigan’s Democratic primary for governor is also competitive, with Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, the frontrunner, facing Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson. On the Republican side, Representative John James, who has Trump’s endorsement, faces businessman Perry Johnson. The state’s governor’s race is significant because Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer is term-limited, leaving the seat open in a state President Trump carried in 2024.
Beyond Michigan, the primaries test similar dynamics across the country. In Missouri’s 1st Congressional District, current Representative Wesley Bell faces a fiery rematch against former Representative Cori Bush, with military aid to Israel a major point of contention. Bell, backed by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, has voted against cutting military aid, while Bush, supported by the Democratic Socialists of America, has said she would vote to cut off military aid to Israel. Whoever wins will likely go on to serve in Congress, as the district is solidly Democratic.
In Michigan’s 13th House District, which covers most of Detroit, multimillionaire businessman Representative Shri Thanedar is running against state Representative Donavan McKinney, a progressive Detroit native who has the endorsement of Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Rashida Tlaib. McKinney has made Thanedar’s wealth and corporate ties the center of his more left-leaning campaign, with the winner heavily favored in November according to the Cook Political Report.
In Washington’s 4th Congressional District, three Republican candidates representing different arms of the party are competing. Amanda McKinney, the Yakima County commissioner, has an endorsement from President Trump, while businessman Jerrod Sessler has campaigned as the anti-establishment outsider and Republican state Senator Matt Boehnke is more moderate. The top two candidates will proceed to the general election in the state’s top-two primary system.
Virginia’s primary, pushed from June to August this cycle after a redistricting effort, will determine nominees for the U.S. Senate and House in several competitive swing districts that could help decide control of the narrowly divided chamber in November. Democratic incumbent Mark Warner is running uncontested in the Senate primary.
Kansas voters are choosing nominees for a Senate seat, where the winner will challenge Republican incumbent Roger Marshall in November. Kansas’ gubernatorial and House races also feature contests between establishment candidates and outside challengers, matching the national trend in both Republican and Democratic primaries. Democratic Governor Laura Kelly is term-limited, leaving both parties with contested gubernatorial primaries.
According to AP News, between the five states, 48 congressional seats are on the ballot—45 U.S. House seats and three U.S. Senate seats. A number of Democratic primaries are pitting congressional incumbents against progressive challengers, while candidates endorsed by President Donald Trump are running up and down the Republican ballot. Redistricting efforts will also influence the races, with Missouri Republicans redrawing their map to squeeze Democrats, while Virginia moved its primary date after a redistricting push that courts ultimately threw out.
Tuesday’s margins and turnout will offer the first signals about Democratic and Republican enthusiasm heading into November, as voters decide between moderates and progressives, test the influence of outside money and endorsements, and shape the battlefield for the fall midterm elections.
Sources
- AP News — August 4, 2026 primary election results and key races across five states; polls closing times and ballot measures.
- NPR — Coverage of Michigan Senate primary between El-Sayed and Stevens, House races, gubernatorial contests, and analysis of progressive vs. establishment dynamics; details on Missouri 1st District race between Bell and Bush; Washington 4th District Republican primary; Kansas and Virginia races.
- Ballotpedia — Michigan Senate candidates (El-Sayed, Stevens, McMorrow) and election results tracking.
