Super Tuesday Primaries Underway
Today is Super Tuesday, kicking off the 2026 U.S. midterm election cycle with primaries in Texas, North Carolina, and Arkansas. Texas and North Carolina are debuting new congressional maps following redistricting, which could shift the balance of power in the House. Results will be closely watched for signals on voter sentiment ahead of the November general elections.
The mid-decade redistricting in Texas was initiated after former President Donald Trump urged Republicans to redraw maps to help the party retain its U.S. House majority. The new map, signed into law on August 29, 2025, aims to flip five seats from Democrat to Republican, though some analysts predict the actual gain may only be two seats. This move prompted retaliatory gerrymandering efforts by Democrats in states like California. North Carolina's new congressional map, approved in October 2025 without the governor's input, also heavily favors the GOP. The redrawn districts are expected to shift the state's U.S. House delegation from a 10-4 Republican majority to 11-3. The map specifically targets the district of Democratic Rep. Don Davis, shifting six Republican-leaning counties into his district. In Texas, the marquee race is the Republican primary for U.S. Senate, where incumbent John Cornyn faces a significant challenge from Attorney General Ken Paxton and U.S. Representative Wesley Hunt. This contest is viewed as a battle between the Texas GOP's establishment wing and its more aggressive, hardline conservative faction. North Carolina also has a high-profile open U.S. Senate race due to the retirement of Republican Thom Tillis. The Democratic primary favorite is former two-term Governor Roy Cooper, while the Republican field is led by Michael Whatley, the former RNC chair endorsed by Donald Trump. In Arkansas, incumbent Republican Senator Tom Cotton is facing a primary challenge for the first time in his last two elections, with Micah Ashby and Jeb Little vying to unseat him. The Democratic primary to decide who will face the Republican nominee features farmer Hallie Shoffner and Lewisville Mayor Ethan Dunbar. Beyond the Senate, Arkansas voters will decide on gubernatorial primary candidates who will challenge incumbent Sarah Huckabee Sanders in the general election. A special election is also underway in House District 70 to fill a seat vacated by a resignation in September 2025.
