Thursday, September 17, 2026

Alaska’s nonpartisan Senate primary provides a rare opportunity to gauge the strength of Republican incumbent Dan S. Sullivan and well-funded Democrat Mary Peltola, who will face off months ahead of the November general election.

Voters in Northern California are set to select a successor to former Representative Eric Swalwell, who stepped down in the spring amid sexual misconduct allegations.

Tuesday’s primary across the coast promises a crowded field of contests worth watching.

Alaska’s Senate Contenders: Who Holds the Edge?

Under Alaska’s nonpartisan primary system, the top four finishers will advance to the general election.

This means Mr. Sullivan, 61, and Ms. Peltola, 52, will square off on the Tuesday ballot alongside a field of long-shot contenders.

The contest is among several high-stakes, well-funded races that will likely help determine which party secures Senate majority in the midterms.

Both Mr. Sullivan and Ms. Peltola are expected to advance on Tuesday, with their vote percentages closely watched as an indicator of momentum heading into the general election.

Also at stake: Whether Dan J. Sullivan, a former educator with limited political experience, secures a place on the general election ballot.

Republicans caution that voters may mistakenly back Dan J. Sullivan confusing him with Senator Sullivan, potentially boosting Ms. Peltola’s chances in November.

Florida’s Wasserman Schultz: Can She Hold Her Seat?

Florida Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz, an 11-term congresswoman and former Democratic National Committee chair, faces a crowded primary contest.

Her district was redrawn when Republican state legislators gerrymandered the congressional map this spring, as part of a nationwide partisan redistricting effort.

The 59-year-old Wasserman Schultz now faces four Black Democrats in a historically Black district.

Among the opponents, Elijah Manley, 27, an educator and self-described democratic socialist, has secured backing from Representative Ro Khanna of California and is eyeing an upset.

Jared Moskowitz in the Redistricting Wars?

Second-term Democrat Jared Moskowitz is seeking a new district after his previous one was eliminated in the redistricting cycle.

Like Wasserman Schultz, the moderate Moskowitz, 45, must fend off a younger left-wing challenger, Oliver Larkin, 34, a democratic socialist and union organizer.

The outcomes of these races may indicate whether a left-wing primary surge is building in Florida.

Can an Embattled House Republican Be Unseated?

Representative Cory Mills, who is running for re-election, is under investigation by the House Ethics Committee.Credit…Eric Lee/The New York Times

Representative Cory Mills, seeking re-election in a district northeast of Orlando, faces an ongoing House Ethics Committee investigation.

Last year, Washington, D.C., police investigated a reported assault involving Mills, though no charges were filed. His former girlfriend also obtained a protective order against him.

This month, Florida Republicans Anna Paulina Luna and Mike Haridopolos endorsed Ryan Elijah, 54, a former local Fox TV news anchor, as one of Mills’ rivals.

Despite the endorsements, Mills, 46, who denies any wrongdoing, retains the backing of former President Trump, a dominant force in Republican primaries.

Alexander Vindman’s Path to the Democratic Senate Nomination?

Florida has trended right over the past decade, and analysts give Democrats long odds of winning the Senate race there this fall.

Still, some Democrats hope that Alexander Vindman, 51, a key witness in Donald Trump’s first impeachment trial, could give their party a fighting chance. The former Army lieutenant colonel has demonstrated strong fundraising ability.

To advance to the general election, Vindman must overcome Democratic state representative Angie Nixon, 42 of Jacksonville, who has gathered endorsements from progressive Congress members and children’s entertainer Ms. Rachel.

The Democratic primary victor is expected to face Republican Senator Ashley Moody, appointed to the seat formerly held by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

California’s Special Election to Replace Swalwell

Swalwell resigned from Congress four months ago, relinquishing his Bay Area seat amid denied sexual assault allegations.

Voters in San Francisco’s quiet suburbs will choose Swalwell’s replacement, pitting California State Senator Aisha Wahab, 39, a progressive with California Democratic Party backing, against moderate Melissa Hernandez, 51, supported by AIPAC’s main super PAC.

Wahab previously led Hernandez by 26 percentage points in a June nonpartisan primary, though the race has since been inundated with funding.

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