Delaware voters are set to cast their ballots on Tuesday for the final primary of the 2026 election season, concluding a period marked by significant victories for progressive and socialist candidates over more established Democratic rivals. This trend has also seen former President Donald Trump maintaining substantial influence in Republican primaries despite some setbacks. Key races in Delaware include those for Senator Chris Coons and Attorney General Kathy Jennings facing primary challenges, while Representative Sarah McBride faces no opposition. The article highlights how the left-wing surge continues to reshape the Democratic Party, with victories by DSA-backed candidates against long-standing incumbents across various states like Colorado, New York, Michigan, Minnesota, and Florida.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-15,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
On September 19, Delaware held its U.S. Senate primary as part of the last round of primaries before the midterm elections. Democratic Senator Chris Coons, who has held office since 2010, is expected to win easily against three nominal challengers; he leads fundraising with over $6.8 million compared to his closest competitor's $150,000. Republican voters will choose between two candidates for the Senate race in November, although Delaware is traditionally a solidly blue state and it’s unlikely Coons faces any serious challenge.
Also on the ballot was Democratic Representative Sarah McBride, who became the first openly transgender member of Congress when she won her seat in 2020. McBride faced no opposition in her primary for re-election as Delaware's sole representative. Additionally, voters chose nominees for various state legislative and treasurer positions, though many candidates ran unopposed.
The Delaware primaries mark the end of a contentious primary season nationally where progressive Democrats often triumphed over establishment rivals. Despite this trend, Coons and State Attorney General Kathy Jennings, also facing a primary, are expected to secure their party's nominations ahead of the November general election, maintaining Democratic control over statewide offices in traditionally blue Delaware.
Written for “Delaware Primary Elections” on 2026-09-17,
grounded in this article and the 2 other(s) covering the same event.
Delaware voters head to the polls Tuesday for the final primary of the 2026 election cycle, capping a season marked by high-profile victories for progressives and socialists over Democratic establishment rivals and President Donald Trump’s continued immense influence in Republican contests, despite some notable setbacks.
asserted
voters → head → setbacks
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.
asserted
Republicans → face → offices
Delaware's nominating contests close out a primary season that upended the Democratic Party, with left-wing and Democratic Socialists of America (DSA)-backed contenders winning and, in some cases, ousting longtime incumbents.
asserted
contenders → close → incumbents
A year after socialist New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani rocked the political world with a Democratic primary victory en route to winning the general election in the nation's most populist city, the far-left struck again in June.
asserted
left → rock → June
A slew of incumbents and establishment candidates were defeated by left-wing rivals, including DSA members Melat Kiros topping 15-term incumbent Democratic Rep. Diana DeGette of Colorado and Darializa Avila Chevalier of New York ousting five-term Democratic Rep. Adriano Espaillat of New York.
asserted
Chevalier → defeat → York
Those wins were followed on an even larger scale in August, with triumphs in crucial statewide Senate primaries by Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan in Minnesota and state Rep. Angie Nixon in Florida.
asserted
wins → follow → Florida
While there were notable setbacks for the left, including frontrunner Francesca Hong's August defeat in battleground Wisconsin's Democratic gubernatorial primary, the left vastly increased its clout in the political fight for the party's ideological future.
asserted
left → be → future
And many of the winning candidates ran on platforms calling for abolishing ICE, cutting military aid to Israel and pushing for a single-payer "Medicare for All" health system.
asserted
many → win → system
"It is undeniable that progressives have built a coalition and have a message that can serve to buoy a candidate when they are an acceptable alternative to the status quo," longtime Democratic strategist Joe Caiazzo, a veteran of progressive champion Sen. Bernie Sanders' 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns, told Fox News Digital.
asserted
Caiazzo → build → Digital
Caiazzo added, "What's incumbent upon progressives if they want to continue to be successful is to put forward candidates who are serious, credible and are accessible to the public."
In Republican nominating battles, Trump took to social media late last month to tout, "My Endorsements are stronger than ever....
asserted
Endorsements → add → media
The numbers back up the president's assertion that despite some setbacks, he remains the ultimate kingmaker in GOP nomination showdowns.
asserted
he → back → showdowns
According to a Fox News Trump Primary Endorsement Tracker, the president batted a thousand in Senate GOP primaries this cycle and enjoyed a near-perfect record in House Republican nomination showdowns.
uncertain
president → accord → showdowns
Trump has dramatically reshaped the GOP since his first White House victory a decade ago, with the populist MAGA and America First wings gaining prominence over more traditional fiscal and social conservatives.
asserted
wings → reshape → conservatives
And the president's grip over party politics remains extremely firm.
asserted
grip → remain → politics
But he has had some setbacks, with five of his gubernatorial picks in Republican primaries this year going down to defeat.
asserted
five → have → defeat
That list includes Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, Rep. Randy Feenstra of Iowa, Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder and Minnesota businessman and "My Pillow" founder and former CEO Mike Lindell.
asserted
list → include → Lindell
"The Republican Party is Trump’s party, and there’s no question that an endorsement from the president provides a tremendous boost in a Republican primary.
asserted
endorsement → ’ → primary
But it doesn’t necessarily mean the candidate’s going to win," veteran GOP strategist and communicator Ryan Williams told Fox News Digital.
asserted
Williams → mean → Digital
Williams said that "the president still has a firm grip on the party, even in places where a candidate he backed loses a nomination."
asserted
he → say → nomination
But he noted that "if there are underlying issues with a candidacy, those can pose problems that even an endorsement can’t overcome."
asserted
endorsement → note → that
After a primary season that kicked off on March 3 in Texas, North Carolina, Arkansas and Delaware bring the calendar to a close.
asserted
Carolina → kick → close
Coons, who is running for a third full term in the Senate, is facing longshot primary challenges from University of Delaware history professor Jeff Appelhans, naval architect Mary Louve and former business executive Eric Hansen, a Republican turned Democrat.
asserted
who → run → Appelhans
Former state Sen. Michael Katz and U.S. Army Reserves Col. John Shulli are competing for the Republican nomination.
asserted
Katz → compete → nomination
Rep. Sarah McBride is unopposed in the Democratic primary, as she seeks a second term as Delaware's statewide House member.
asserted
she → seek → member
Republicans Joseph Arminio, Earl Cooper and John Whalen are battling for the GOP nomination.
asserted
Arminio → battle → nomination
State Attorney General Kathy Jennings faces challenges for the Democratic nomination from attorney Dwayne Bensing and domestic violence victims advocate Patty Rickman.
asserted
Jennings → face → Bensing
The Associated Press contributed to this report
asserted
Press → contribute → report
The Aporia
