Tuesday marks an important primary day in Nebraska, a state with strong Republican leanings, where competitive races in both the House and Senate could set the stage for the upcoming general election.
In West Virginia, where Republicans dominate, established Senator Shelley Moore Capito is facing five challengers in her primary, though she has the backing of former President Donald Trump.
Meanwhile, in New Jersey, Newark’s Democratic Mayor Ras Baraka, who gained national attention last year after being arrested during an anti-immigration protest, is vying for a fourth term against seven challengers in the state’s largest city.
With less than six months to go before the midterm elections in 2026, Republicans are aiming to hold on to their slim House and Senate majorities, while Democrats are hoping for a resurgence.
Now, let’s dive into the details of Tuesday’s elections.
Nebraska
Republican Senator Pete Ricketts, who was appointed to replace Ben Sasse in 2023, is running for a full six-year term after winning a special election in 2024. He faces four challengers but is expected to secure his party’s nomination.
Ricketts is already focusing on the general election, where he will contend with independent candidate Dan Osborne, a military veteran and industrial mechanic who previously posed a significant challenge to Republican Senator Deb Fischer.
The Nebraska Democratic Party is endorsing Osborne in the general election, but two candidates—Cindy Burbank, a community college instructor, and pastor Bill Forbes—are competing for the Democratic primary nomination. These candidates entered the race late, and some party leaders suggest Forbes’s candidacy could be an attempt to draw votes away from Osborne to benefit Ricketts. Forbes has denied this assertion.
Burbank mentioned her motivation for joining the race was to thwart Forbes’s chances in November.
In the gubernatorial race, incumbent Republican Governor Jim Pillen is facing five primary challengers, while former state Senator Lynn Walz and persistent candidate Larry Marvin are competing for the Democratic nomination.
National attention is also on Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District primary, which follows the retirement of Republican Representative Don Bacon. This race is crucial for Democrats aiming to reclaim control of the House.
Omaha City Councilman Brinker Harding is running unopposed for the Republican nomination, while Democrats state Senators John Kavanaugh and Dennis Powell are vying for their party’s nomination.
Nebraska, like Maine, uniquely divides its electoral votes in presidential elections. Notably, the 2nd Congressional District, often seen as a “Blue Dot,” was carried by Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election.
Powell warns that if Kavanaugh wins both the primary and general elections, resigning from his state Senate seat, it could allow Governor Pillen to appoint a Republican replacement, potentially threatening the state’s electoral vote system.
West Virginia
Although Republican Governor Patrick Morrissey isn’t on the ballot, his political influence is tested as he targets several Republican state legislators running for re-election.
At the same time, five Democratic representatives are pursuing their party’s nomination in the upcoming U.S. Senate election.
In Charleston, the capital of West Virginia, Democratic Mayor Amy Goodwin seeks a third term and faces a formidable challenge, though Republican Brian Hunt is running unopposed for his party’s nomination.
New Jersey
While Baraka is a Democrat, the Newark mayoral race is officially nonpartisan.
If no candidate secures over 50% of the vote, a runoff election will occur between the top two candidates in early June.
Although the charges against Baraka were dropped, he previously contested the gubernatorial race, finishing second to then-Representative Mikie Sherrill, who subsequently won the election.
