SouthernWorldwide.com – Six states across the nation are holding primary elections on Tuesday, marking one of the busiest and potentially most significant days in the 2026 midterm election calendar.
Voters in Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Oregon, and Pennsylvania will cast their ballots in both Democratic and Republican primaries for various offices, including the U.S. House of Representatives, Senate, and governor, as well as other lower-level races. These nominating contests will set the stage for the general elections this autumn, where Republicans are aiming to defend their narrow majorities in the Senate and the House.
Several of the most closely watched primary contests on Tuesday will serve as crucial tests of President Donald Trump’s considerable influence within the Republican Party and the effectiveness of his endorsements in GOP nomination battles.
This comes just two weeks after Trump successfully supported the ousting of five state senators in Indiana who had opposed his efforts for congressional redistricting. Additionally, three days prior, he played a role in unseating Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, who had voted to convict Trump in his second impeachment trial. Now, Trump has set his sights on a new target: Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky.
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Representative Massie, who has represented Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District in the northeastern part of the state for 14 years, has consistently been one of Trump’s most vocal Republican critics in Congress. The congressman, known for his libertarian leanings, has frequently challenged the president on foreign policy matters, including the Iran war and the provision of unconditional U.S. military aid to Israel. He has also been a persistent critic of Trump by successfully advocating for the release of government documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
In the final days leading up to the primary, Trump repeatedly targeted Massie in social media posts. He also publicly endorsed Kentucky farmer and former Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein, describing him as “a great guy” and “a great patriot.”
Gallrein received crucial last-minute backing and additional campaign momentum on the eve of the primary, appearing alongside Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth at an event.
President Trump released a video on Truth Social on Monday, expressing his hope that Kentucky voters would “put Massie out of business” and stating that “we’re in a fight against the worst congressman in the history of our country.”
Massie responded to the president’s involvement, saying, “It shows he’s losing sleep, his reputation is on the line. He really shouldn’t have got involved in this race.”
This particular House race has become the most expensive in its history in terms of advertising expenditures, with over $32 million spent, according to AdImpact, a well-known national ad tracking firm.
A significant portion of this spending has been financed by Trump’s allies and pro-Israel organizations.
Defending his position on aid to Israel, Massie stated, “Here’s the thing, I’ve got nothing against Israel. I just have never voted for foreign aid. When I said America First, I meant it. I don’t vote for foreign aid to Egypt, to Syria, to Ukraine. I’ve got a flawless record on this, and I’m not going to ruin it by sending foreign aid to one country.”
The contest has garnered an unusually high level of national attention.
Massie emphasized the race’s significance, stating, “It’s basically a national race at this point, the most expensive race primary in congressional history, and that’s because, you know, I’m up there, I’m getting things done. I got the Epstein files released, I’m getting legislation in the farm bill, I’m getting legislation passed on the floor, and they want to shut me down.”
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The candidate who wins the primary is expected to be the strong favorite in the general election in a district that Trump won by 36 points in his 2024 presidential victory.
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Trump’s endorsement is also a factor in Kentucky’s Republican Senate primary, a race to succeed Senator Mitch McConnell, the long-serving former Republican leader in the chamber, who is retiring.
Among the 11 Republican candidates are Representative Andy Barr, who recently received Trump’s endorsement, and former state Attorney General Daniel Cameron, a former McConnell aide who was the Republican nominee for governor in 2023. On the Democratic side, seven candidates are competing for the nomination, including Amy McGrath, the party’s Senate nominee in 2020.
Here is an overview of other significant races to watch on Tuesday.
Georgia
President Trump’s influence will also be tested in the Republican gubernatorial primary in Georgia, a key battleground state in the Southeast.
The president is supporting Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones in the race to succeed the popular conservative Governor Brian Kemp, who is term-limited.
Jones is considered one of the two leading contenders, alongside health care executive and billionaire businessman Rick Jackson. Jackson launched his campaign in February and has personally invested over $80 million in his bid.
Other candidates in the race include State Attorney General Chris Carr and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.
For the Democratic nomination, candidates include former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, former Republican Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan, former state Senator Jason Esteves, state Representative Derrick Jackson, and former state labor commissioner and former DeKalb County CEO Mike Thurmond.
Trump has maintained neutrality in the competitive and contentious Republican Senate primary.
The leading candidates in a crowded field are Representatives Mike Collins and Buddy Carter, and former University of Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley. Dooley, the son of legendary University of Georgia head football coach Vince Dooley, has strong backing from Governor Kemp.
The winner of the Republican nomination will face Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff. Republicans are heavily targeting Ossoff, a first-term senator, viewing him as the most vulnerable Democrat seeking re-election this year. However, Ossoff has amassed a substantial campaign war chest.
Alabama
The president is backing Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama. Additionally, two other Republicans are vying for their party’s gubernatorial nomination to succeed the term-limited Republican Governor Kay Ivey. Among the candidates seeking the Democratic nomination is former U.S. Senator Doug Jones.
Meanwhile, only three of Alabama’s seven congressional districts will hold primaries on Tuesday. Elections in the remaining four districts have been postponed until later this summer, following a significant Supreme Court ruling that prompted Republicans in several Southern states to redraw their congressional district boundaries.
