Full Breakdown
Primary Election Outcomes Shape the 2026 Midterm Landscape
8/13/2026, 8:01:13 PM
Core Results Across Key States
Recent primaries in six states produced decisive winners and highlighted intra-party battles that will influence the November 2026 midterms.
- Minnesota U.S. Senate – Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan (DFL) defeated Rep. Angie Craig 59 % to 39 % (97 % counted).
- Minnesota Governor – House Speaker Lisa Demuth (R) beat MyPillow founder Mike Lindell 43.6 % to 32.3 % (95 % counted).
- South Carolina Senate – Appointed Sen. Darline Graham (R) led the special primary with roughly one-third of the vote and will face Rep. Ralph Norman in a runoff on August 25.
- Wisconsin Governor – Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley (D) defeated state-lawyer Francesca Hong 59 % to 39.4 % (96 % counted).
- Wisconsin U.S. House 7th District – Michael Alfonso (R) won 48.8 % of the primary; Fred Clark (D) prevailed 37.3 % to 31.8 %.
- Connecticut 1st Congressional District – Former mayor Luke Bronin (D) unseated Rep. John Larson 54.4 % to 32.7 %.
These contests set up high-profile general-election match-ups in a Senate map that remains tightly balanced.
Background & Context
The primaries exposed ideological fault lines. Progressive candidates such as Flanagan and Hong outperformed centrist rivals, while Republican races tested the durability of Trump’s endorsement. Lindell’s loss in Minnesota suggested limits to that sway, yet candidates like Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-WI) and Ralph Norman (R-SC) won with or without Trump’s backing.
Data & Statistics
- Flanagan’s margin: 59 % vs 39 %.
- Demuth’s margin: 43.6 % vs 32.3 %.
- Crowley’s margin: 59.0 % vs 39.4 %.
- Graham’s first-place share: ~33 %; Norman’s share: 24.6 % (99 % counted).
- Bronin’s win: 54.4 % to 32.7 %.
Figures are from official returns reported by the Associated Press and state election boards.
Official Statements & Responses
Policy analysts note that the Democratic Senate outlook remains “an even toss-up,” with the party needing multiple pickups to regain control. A Brookings scholar projected that the House will likely return to Democratic control next year, while emphasizing that President Trump’s influence will act as “guardrails” for the GOP.
Flanagan’s campaign framed Craig’s prior support for the 2025 Laken Riley Act as a “real lack of judgment” and urged accountability on immigration enforcement.
Demuth positioned herself as the Republican with the strongest statewide electability, citing her experience leading a narrowly divided Minnesota House.
Criticism & Opposition
Rep. Angie Craig argued that “state fraud is the No 1 issue as Minnesota voters go to the polls in November,” contrasting with Flanagan’s focus on immigration and progressive policies.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Analysts differ on the extent of Trump’s endorsement power. Some sources report Trump-backed wins in South Carolina and Wisconsin, while others note that two-thirds of Republican primary voters in South Carolina supported non-endorsed candidates. The lack of consensus leaves the overall impact ambiguous.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I think the House will be back in Democratic control next year, and I think the Senate is pretty much an even toss-up right now. I can make an argument both ways, but I clearly think Trump is going to have some more guardrails,” — Wendell Primus
- “In a statement on Tuesday, Bronin said: “Tonight, voters sent a message that if we are going to fix this mess we’re in, we need to build a Democratic Party that’s bringing a whole new energy to this fight.” — Luke Bronin
