Six States Begin Primaries in Major Test for Trump
Tuesday’s results will show whether Trump’s endorsement remains decisive, or whether well-funded challengers can still limit his control over Republican nominations.
Voters in six states head to the polls Tuesday in a major test of President Donald Trump’s influence over the Republican Party ahead of the 2026 midterms.
Primaries in Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Oregon and Pennsylvania will decide nominees for Senate, governor, House seats and down-ballot races. But the central political question is whether Trump can continue converting his endorsements and public attacks into primary victories across the GOP.
The contests come after a strong stretch for Trump-backed candidates. Earlier this month, five Indiana Republican state senators who opposed Trump’s redistricting push lost their primaries. On Saturday, Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, one of the few Republican senators who voted to convict Trump in his second impeachment trial, lost his bid for renomination after Trump backed Rep. Julia Letlow.
Trump’s latest test comes in Kentucky, where he is trying to unseat Rep. Thomas Massie in the Republican primary for the state’s 4th Congressional District. Trump is backing farmer and former Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein, who campaigned Monday with War Secretary Pete Hegseth.
The race has become the most expensive House primary in history, with more than $32 million spent on advertising, according to AdImpact. Much of the spending has come from Trump allies and pro-Israel groups.
Trump has repeatedly attacked Massie in the closing days of the race, calling him “the worst congressman in the history of our country” and urging Kentucky voters to put him “out of business.”
Massie, who has represented the district for 14 years, has often broken with Trump on foreign policy, including Iran, Israel and foreign aid. He also pushed for the release of government files related to Jeffrey Epstein.
Massie said Monday that Trump’s involvement could backfire.
“It shows he’s losing sleep, his reputation is on the line,” Massie said.
Trump’s endorsement is also on the line in Kentucky’s Senate primary to replace retiring Sen. Mitch McConnell. Rep. Andy Barr, who recently received Trump’s backing, is running against a field that includes former state attorney general Daniel Cameron.
Georgia offers another major test. Trump is backing Lt. Gov. Burt Jones in the Republican primary for governor, where Jones faces billionaire healthcare executive Rick Jackson, Attorney General Chris Carr and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. The race could head to a June runoff if no candidate wins outright.
In Alabama, Trump is backing Sen. Tommy Tuberville for governor and Rep. Barry Moore for the Republican Senate nomination.
Tuesday’s results will show whether Trump’s endorsement remains decisive across different states and races, or whether well-funded challengers and local dynamics can still limit his control over Republican nominations.