Delaware closed its 2026 primary election cycle on Tuesday, as incumbent Democratic Senator Chris Coons and Republican challenger Mike Katz secured their party nominations to face off in the general election across the solidly blue state.
Delaware voters headed to the polls on Tuesday to choose their nominees for U.S. Senate, House and a number of local races — the final primary contests of the 2026 midterm election cycle. Delaware state law dictates that state and local primaries be held the second Tuesday after the first Monday in September in general election years, pushing the primary back into the third week of September this year. While overall turnout was steady but slow in locations ranging from Central Delaware’s Dover, voters cited change at the ballot box as a motivation.
Senate Races Set Up November General Election Matchup
Democratic incumbent Senator Chris Coons, who was first elected to the seat in 2010 to fill an opening when Joe Biden became vice president, sailed to victory on Tuesday, defeating three primary challengers, The Associated Press projected. His challengers included former business executive Eric Hansen, who appeared on the ballot as E. No-Trump Hansen.
Coons had raised more than $6.8 million for his reelection bid, compared to $150,000 for his closest primary challenger. The other two, including Hansen, have not reported any fundraising.
On the Republican side, former state lawmaker Mike Katz won the Republican primary to take on Coons, the AP projected.
Historical Context and Statewide Political Landscape
Delaware is a solidly blue state, and Coons is expected to win easily in November. A Republican has not won a Delaware Senate seat since 1966, when the state elected J. Caleb Boggs to the upper chamber. Boggs was defeated six years later by a 29-year-old Biden, making him one of the youngest people ever elected to the Senate — nearly a half-century before Biden became one of the oldest people to serve as president.
Reflecting on the historical duration since the last Republican Senate victory in the state, Katz could be the first Republican elected to the seat since 1966.
House Contest and National Political Backdrop
Delaware’s lone U.S. House member, incumbent Rep. Sarah McBride, is running for reelection and does not face any primary challengers, as Democratic Sen. Chris Coons and state Attorney General Kathy Jennings each face primary opponents, and Democratic Rep. Sarah McBride is unopposed in her primary, as they tune up for the general election, when Republicans will try to break the Democrats’ lock on Delaware’s statewide offices.
Voter Concerns and Turnout Dynamics
As voters from around the First State turned out to vote in person in the state’s primary elections, turnout was slow but steady in many places Tuesday morning. In Central Delaware, that included the Elks Lodge in Dover. One of the voters there was Sanford Grimes. He says he makes sure to vote in every election. It's important to vote, period, for my category, but my wife and I come out to vote in every primary,
Grimes says.
Judy Pierannunzio also voted at the Elks Lodge Tuesday morning. She says this year, she’s looking for change at the ballot box. Sometimes you sit back and complain and people don't come out and v