Voters in six states will take the polls in primary elections Tuesday. And the results in those states, Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Oregon and Pennsylvania, will continue to reveal the extent of President Donald Trump’s power to sway Republicans’ votes and the outlook for Democrats vying to regain control of the House and Senate.
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Here’s what to watch in each state as the elections unfold.
Alabama
Alabama is seeing an unusual primary election season this year after a recent Supreme Court decision prompted Republicans to redraw the congressional maps in the state, and postponed primaries in four districts while the lines are restored to a previous set of Republican-drawn maps. Three of the state’s seven districts will hold primaries Tuesday along with a primary for the Senate seat and a host of state and local races.
Alabama Republicans will vote in a primary for the Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Tommy Tuberville as he runs for governor. Rep. Barry Moore is Trump’s pick for the seat. Moore faces six other candidates including state Attorney General Steve Marshall and former Navy SEAL Jared Hudson. While Trump’s endorsement will likely carry weight with voters, unless Moore can secure a majority, he will face a June 16 runoff to determine who will represent the party in the race.
In the race for governor, Tuberville – also backed by Trump – will face insurance agency owner Ken McFeeters and small business owner Will Santivasci, while the crowded Democratic primary includes Sen. Doug Jones and pastor/engineer Will Boyd, among others.
Georgia
The successful Republican candidate in Georgia’s Senate primary will face incumbent Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff, who is running unopposed in the primary, in November. Republican Rep. Mike Collins leads in the polls against Rep. Buddy Carter, former football coach Derek Dooley and others but no candidate is expected to get a majority so a runoff is likely next month.
Trump has not weighed in on Georgia’s Senate race, but he has endorsed Lt. Gov. Burt Jones over billionaire Rick Jackson in the state’s gubernatorial race. There are a total of eight candidates on the Republican ballot including the two frontrunners and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. The race is also expected to go to a runoff.
Georgians will also vote in three state Supreme Court elections on Tuesday. Two of those seats are held by Republican-appointed justices and Democrats hope that candidates endorsed by former President Barack Obama and other leading Democrats will win. If successful, it would be the first time in more than a century that an incumbent justice loses in Georgia.
Idaho
All of Idaho’s 105 legislative seats – state representatives and senators – are on the ballot this year.
In one Republican primary, state Sen. Jim Woodward and former state Sen. Scott Herndon will face off to run for the District 1 Senate seat. This is the third time in four years the two have run against each other. Their 2024 showdown was the most expensive legislative race in the state, setting the bar high for 2026.
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Kentucky
One of the most-watched elections is happening in Kentucky, where Republican Rep. Thomas Massie – a Trump critic and subject of the president’s scorn – faces Ed Gallrein – a Trump-endorsed candidate running to take Massie’s House seat.
The showdown between Massie and Gallrein has been the most expensive House primary since 2018 in terms of ad spending, according to AdImpact. Totaling at nearly $33 million, the majority of ad funding came from Trump-aligned groups and pro-Israel organizations unhappy with Massie’s opposition to the Iran war.
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Artificial intelligence has played a role in the campaign with the surfacing of deepfake ads, such as a pro-Gallrein ad with the text “Thomas Massie caught in a throuple!” and AI-generated video of Massie holding hands with Democratic Reps. Ilhan Omar and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Another big race in Kentucky is the Republican primary to replace the retiring Sen. Mitch McConnell. Rep. Andy Barr has Trump’s endorsement and is a top pick to win. Barr only faces former Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron since Elon Musk-backed Nate Morris dropped out of the race.
Among the Democrats vying to flip McConnell’s seat are former Marine fighter pilot Amy McGrath and former state Rep. Charles Booker.
Oregon
Contests to watch in Oregon include the Republican gubernatorial primary and a statewide vote on raising gas and transportation taxes.
Democratic Governor Tina Kotek faces nine challengers in the primary election – among whom are children’s book author Steve Laible and Rabbi Forest (Fora) Alexander. On the Republican side, 14 candidates – including state Rep. Ed Diehl and financial planner/former NBA player Chris Dudley – are running for the opportunity to replace Kotek in November.
Pennsylvania
All eyes are on Pennsylvania’s 3rd congressional district, which includes most of the city of Philadelphia and is known as the “bluest seat in America.” State Rep. Chris Rabb, a democratic socialist, has gained attention – and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s endorsement – in the race to replace the retiring Democratic Rep. Dwight Evans.
Democrats Shaun Griffith, Dr. Ala Stanford and Sharif Street are also on the ballot for Pennsylvania’s 3rd district. Street has New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker’s support.
The 7th congressional district race is also one to watch, as Democrats try to take back Republican Rep. Ryan Mackenzie’s seat after he won by a single percentage point in 2024. Firefighters’ Union Chief Bob Brooks faces former federal prosecutor Ryan Crosswell for the nomination.
Brooks has endorsements from Sen. Bernie Sanders and Gov. Josh Shapiro, but it could still be a tight race.
