Delaware’s voters will cast ballots Tuesday in the state’s last primary before the November midterm elections. The ballot includes races for U.S. Senate, the U.S. House, attorney general, state treasurer and a large share of the state legislature.
Key contests
U.S. Senate: Incumbent Democrat Chris Coons seeks a third full term. He faces three primary challengers – University of Delaware history professor Jeff Appelhans, naval architect Mary Louve, and former Republican Senate nominee Eric Hansen, who is now running as a Democrat under the name “E. No‑Trump Hansen.” Coons has reported raising about $6.9 million, dwarfing Appelhans’ roughly $1,500. Neither Hansen nor Louve has filed a fundraising report for this cycle.
Republican Senate nomination: Former state Senator Michael Katz and Army Reserve Colonel John Shulli are competing for the GOP slot. Katz has raised about $159,000, while Shulli has collected roughly $118,000.
U.S. House: Democratic Rep. Sarah McBride runs unopposed for a second term as Delaware’s sole House member. Republican challengers Joseph Arminio, Earl Cooper and John Whalen will vie for the party’s nomination.
Attorney General: Democrat Kathy Jennings faces primary opponents attorney Dwayne Bensing and domestic‑violence advocate Patty Rickman. Republican David Graham is unopposed for his party’s nomination.
State Treasurer: Incumbent Democrat Colleen Davis is not seeking re‑election, leaving the seat open. Democratic hopefuls include investment manager Ted Lauzen, business owner Mike Miller and economist Michael Smith. Former state Rep. Michael Ramone runs unopposed for the Republican nomination.
Legislative stakes
About half of Delaware’s 21 state Senate seats and all 41 state House seats are up for election in 2026. Democrats currently hold roughly a two‑to‑one majority in both chambers, a margin that is expected to persist given the state’s strong Democratic trend since the 1990s.
Voter participation and logistics
Only voters registered with a political party may vote in that party’s primary; independents cannot participate in either contest. As of Sept. 1, Delaware had roughly 808,000 registered voters – about 331,000 Democrats and 199,000 Republicans.
In the 2024 primaries, about 86,000 Democratic votes and 37,000 Republican votes were cast. Early‑in‑person and mail voting accounted for roughly 26 % of Democratic primary voters and 23 % of Republican primary voters.
Polls close at 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday. Early and absentee ballots are released by the three counties shortly after the polls close, with the AP typically reporting the first results within 20‑30 minutes. Full vote counts are usually completed by around 11:30 p.m. ET.
What to watch
The AP Decision Team will monitor turnout, early‑vote trends and any unexpected shifts in fundraising or endorsements. Automatic recounts are triggered in statewide primaries if the margin falls under 1,000 votes; lower‑office races use a 0.5 % margin threshold.
Delaware’s primary outcomes will set the stage for the November midterms, where Republicans will aim to break the Democratic lock on statewide offices. While national dynamics often penalize the president’s party in midterm years, Delaware’s entrenched Democratic lean – no gubernatorial win since 1988, no Senate win since 1994 and no House win since 2008 – suggests the state will remain firmly in the Democratic column.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
