Midterm primaries expose division between Republicans and spark political dispute in the US
The first midterm primary elections of 2026 in the United States began this week with fierce disputes, millionaire campaigns e unexpected results in states like Texas and Arkansas.
The votes, held on Tuesday (3), define the candidates who will contest the November legislative electionswhen Americans choose the entire House of Representatives and a third of the Senate.
The highlight was Texas, where the Senate race turned into one of the most expensive primary in recent state history.
Texas: billion-dollar dispute and second round in the Senate
In Texas, Republican Senator John Cornyn, who has held the position since 2002, failed to win the primary first time and will have to compete in a second round against the state’s attorney general, Ken Paxton.
No candidate reached 50% of the voteswhich took the election to a runoff scheduled for May 26.
The dispute has become an internal battle within the Republican Party and has already consumed tens of millions of campaign dollars. According to electoral analysis, Senator Cornyn and his allies alone spent around US$70 million in an attempt to secure the party’s nomination.
The confrontation is expected to continue for the next three months with political attacks and more millionaire spending.
Democrats already have a candidate in Texas
While Republicans remain divided, Democrats have already decided on their name for the November election.
The state deputy James Talarico won the Democratic primary by defeating Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett.
Talarico is now awaiting the results of the Republican runoff to find out who he will face in the general election.
The race is considered strategic because a Democrat has not won a statewide election in Texas in more than three decades.
Chaos in other Texas races
In addition to the Senate race, other important primaries also ended without a winner.
In the Republican race for Texas attorney general, for example, no candidate achieved a majority and the election will also go to a second round in May.
Analysts say the state’s primaries were marked by:
- Extremely expensive campaigns;
- Divisions within the Republican Party;
- Ideological disputes between traditional conservatives and allies of the Trumpist movement.
Surprising result in Arkansas
In Arkansas, a local election drew national attention.
Farmer Aaron Spencer, who is awaiting trial for murder, won the Republican primary for Lonoke County sheriff.
Spencer received more than 53% of the votesdefeating incumbent sheriff John Staley. He is accused of killing Michael Foslera 67-year-old man who responded to multiple accusations of sexual abuse involving Spencer’s teenage daughter. The defense claims he acted to protect his daughter.
The candidate will now face Democrat Brian Mitchell Sr. in the November election. If convicted in the criminal trial, Spencer will not be able to take office.
State court also had an election
Still in Arkansas, voters also chose a new member of the state Supreme Court.
Judge Nicholas Bronni, previously appointed by Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, won the race with 54.8% of the vote, maintaining the court’s conservative majority.
What these elections indicate
This week’s polls are the first of the 2026 midterm election cycle, considered a political thermometer before national elections of November.
Analysts point to three important signs in the initial results:
- Division among Republicans in key statesespecially not Texas;
- Democrats’ Attempt to Compete in Conservative Territories;
- Increasingly expensive and polarized campaigns.
The general election will take place on November 3, 2026, when voters will choose:
- 435 federal deputies;
- 34 senators;
- Governors and state legislatures.
*This text does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Jovem Pan.
