Key takeaways from the Texas primary
Texas Sen. John Cornyn lost the Republican primary for U.S. Senate to the state’s attorney general, Ken Paxton, who supported Trump.
June is full of elections across the United States.
Primaries will be held in more than a dozen states to determine candidates for the state, House, and gubernatorial races, who will then run in the general election this November. Each state also has a number of local elections for voters to consider. A busy election cycle comes as President Donald Trump hopes to maintain Republican control of Congress to ensure a successful second term in Washington.
“June is a really busy month,” says John McGlennon, a government professor at the College of William and Mary. “With more than a quarter of all seats in the House of Commons (at least potentially) at stake, we’ve come a long way towards setting the November agenda.”
Here’s what you need to know about the June election and what it means for November’s midterm elections.
Featured states: California (June 2)
McGlennon said all eyes will definitely be on California, where elections are held in all 52 congressional districts. The race comes after the U.S. Supreme Court allowed California to use a Democratic-friendly congressional map in this year’s midterm elections. California’s redistricting efforts are a spillover from Texas’ move to change its respective congressional maps to favor Republicans, a move Republicans hope will help them maintain their majority in the U.S. House of Representatives.
“California will give us a good idea of whether the Democratic response to gerrymandering in Texas is likely to be successful,” he says. “While the top two races will be determined in the fall by elections across the state, this poll will tell us whether Democrats can actually hold an advantage in five or more districts than they currently have.”
governor of california
California’s bipartisan gubernatorial primary will be the centerpiece of this month’s closely watched gubernatorial race. The top two vote-getters, regardless of party affiliation, will advance to the general election in November.
Two polls released on May 27 and May 29 showed former U.S. Health Secretary Xavier Becerra in the lead, followed by Republican front-runner Steve Hilton.
Maine primary (June 9) sets the stage for Platner vs. Collins
The focus of attention in the Senate race is Graham Platner’s candidacy for the Democratic nomination in Maine.
Mr. Platner, an oyster farmer who is almost certain to win his race against Republican Sen. Susan Collins in November, attracted the support of fellow Northeast Democratic senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders before his archrival, Maine Gov. Janet Mills, suspended her Senate campaign on April 30. The move came as a surprise after some political watchers had previously suggested that the Plattner-Mills race could signal the direction of the Democratic Party.
The June primary is expected to bring another high-profile race between Mr. Platner and Mr. Collins this November. A new general election poll released by the University of New Hampshire on May 27 shows Mr. Platner leading Mr. Collins by 9 points.
interesting house race
McGlennon points out that there is an internal competition for attention on featured campaigns that are not purely red or blue. The spotlight will be on Representative Kevin Kiley, who left the House Republican caucus in March and is now an independent representing California’s 3rd District. But he is running this month in the state’s redrawn 6th District, which represents Sacramento County and is currently held by Democrat Ami Bera.
“This is a risky plan because Democrats still associate him with President Trump and Republicans may not know if he’s still the nominee,” he said of Kiley’s candidacy.
Or, he said, citing Maine’s 2nd Congressional District, which voted for Trump but will have Democrats elected to Congress in 2024. Former Maine Governor Paul LePage is currently trying to flip his seat to red.
This election, among many other House races scheduled for this summer, highlights the fierce battle between Republicans and Democrats for seats on Capitol Hill this fall, a battle that could either thwart or cement President Trump’s policy success in his second term.
“Overall, House races shape the face that each party presents to voters,” he says. “Generational, ideological, pro-Trump and anti-Trump conflicts will be on display in races like this across the country.”
June 2026 Primary Election Calendar
Introducing the June primary election schedule, including notable races in each state.
June 2nd
- California: House of Representatives, Governor
- Iowa: Senate, House of Representatives, Governor
- Montana: Senate, House of Representatives
- New Jersey: Senate, House of Representatives
- New Mexico: Senate, House of Representatives, Governor
- South Dakota: Senate, House of Representatives, Governor
June 9th
- Maine: Senate, House of Representatives, Governor
- Nevada: House of Representatives, Governor
- North Dakota: house
- South Carolina: Senate, House of Representatives, Governor
June 16th
- Alabama: Senate, House of Representatives
- California: Special House primary to replace Eric Swalwell
- washington, DC: district primary
- Georgia: State primaries for Senate, House of Representatives, and Governor’s races
- Oklahoma: Senate, House of Representatives, Governor
June 23rd
- Maryland: House of Representatives, Governor
- new york: House of Representatives, Governor
- Utah: house
June 27th
June 30th
- Colorado: Senate, House of Representatives, Governor
