Primaries Begin for the 2026 Midterm Elections
Primary elections for the 2026 midterms are beginning across the United States. These early races will help shape the candidates and issues heading into November.
NOTE: If you are short on time, watch the video and complete this See, Think, Wonder activity: What did you notice? What did the story make you think? What would you want to learn more about?
The midterm elections kicked off in earnest with primary contests in Texas, North Carolina and Arkansas. There was some confusion at the polls, and the results led to sharp words, a few upsets and more questions about the elections still to come. Geoff Bennett reports.
View the transcript of the story.
Key Term
Primary elections — Elections held by political parties to select their candidates. Primary elections are used to select candidates for local, state and national elections.
Warm-Up Questions
- Where were the primaries held that were described in this segment?
- Who were some of the winners mentioned?
- What were some of the concerns about elections in Texas?
- How did Republican politicians describe their relationships with President Trump?
- When will additional primaries be held?
Essential Questions
- What issues do you think will be most important for politicians running in the 2026 midterms?
- Do you think the issues that decide elections on the local level (statewide) and national level (Congress) will be similar or different?
- Media literacy: Why do you think the producers included the following graphic at the end of the segment?
What Students Can Do
- What races are taking place in your own community? When do primaries take place, and what other issues, such as ballot measures, might voters take up in 2026? To find out, visit Ballotpedia and search for your county or town. Then discuss —
- Do you know anything about the candidates in the races mentioned? How could you find out more?
- Are there any other critical votes in your area this year?
- For more on the early primaries, read the article, "Takeaways from the first elections of 2026 midterms" and watch the first video in our Monitoring the Midterms lesson series, What the Texas primaries could reveal about the midterms.
2026 Election Lesson Plans and Resources
Explore our election resources to engage your students in learning about the election process and its significance at every level. Discover lessons on election fundamentals, laws, security, current events, youth involvement, and historic U.S. elections.
Republished with permission from PBS News Hour Classroom.
PBS News Hour Classroom helps teachers and students identify the who, what, where and why-it-matters of the major national and international news stories. The site combines the best of News Hour's reliable, trustworthy news program with lesson plans developed specifically for... See More
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