Primary Elections in Delaware; Competition Between Senator Chris Coons and Representative Sarah McBride

The primary elections in the state of Delaware, the last primary elections in the United States before the midterm elections in November, will be held on Tuesday. Voters in this state can only participate in their party's primary elections; meaning that only Democrats can vote in the Democratic primary and only Republicans can vote in the Republican primary.

Eligibility to Participate in the Primary Elections

The primary election system in Delaware is closed, and elections are only held if multiple candidates from each party have registered for an electoral position. In this election, individuals who are unopposed will automatically advance to the general election on November 3.

Read more: Iran Shoots Down Advanced American Drone Over the Strait of Hormuz

The Democratic Senator from Delaware, the Democratic Representative of the United States, and the Attorney General of the state are all seeking re-election. Voters will also select new candidates for the state legislature and an open seat for the state treasurer.

Competitions in the Primary Elections

In the race for the United States Senate, Democratic Senator Chris Coons is competing against three challengers in an effort to secure this position for the third time. His opponents include Jeff Applehans, a history professor at the University of Delaware, Marie Lowe, a marine architect, and Eric Hansen, a former executive director. Hansen, who was a Republican Senate candidate in 2024, is now running as a Democrat in this election and will appear on the ballot under the name “E. No-Trump Hansen.”

On the Republican side, Michael Katz, a former state senator, and John Shully, a U.S. Army Reserve Colonel, are competing for the Republican nomination.

House of Representatives Elections

In the elections for the United States House of Representatives, Sarah McBride, a Democratic representative and the first transgender member of the U.S. Congress, is running unopposed in her primary and is seeking re-election for a second term as Delaware's representative in the House.

On the Republican side, Joseph Arminio, Earl Cooper, and John Whelan are competing for the nomination against McBride in the general election in November.

As of September 1, there were approximately 808,000 registered voters in Delaware, including about 331,000 Democrats and about 199,000 Republicans. Given the political changes in Delaware, it is expected that control of the state's seats, especially in the midterm elections, will favor the Democrats. Delaware has leaned heavily Democratic since the 1990s, and Republicans have not won a seat in the gubernatorial elections since 1988, in the U.S. Senate since 1994, and in the House of Representatives since 2008.

Read more: Joe Kent: Saudi Arabia Will Not Find Anyone to Save from the Yemen Crisis · Shooting at a Polling Center in the Bangsamoro Region of the Philippines