Voters in Alabama, Florida and Wyoming are deciding Tuesday which candidates to advance to the general election in key races for governor, U.S. Senate and U.S. House, as California holds a special election to decide who will serve out the rest of U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell's term.
Swalwell resigned from Congress amid sexual assault allegations earlier this year. Regardless of who is chosen to replace him, the 14th Congressional District seat is guaranteed to remain under Democratic control.
In an open contest to replace term-limited Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Rep. Byron Donalds won the nomination on the Republican side and former Rep. David Jolly won the Democratic nomination. Sen. Ashley Moody won the Republican nomination to finish the remainder of Secretary of State Marco Rubio's term in the U.S. Senate.
Alaska voters will narrow down a wide field of candidates for a competitive U.S. Senate seat that's expected to play a pivotal role in determining which political party will hold a majority in the Senate next year. Among the 16 candidates running in the all-party primary, the most notable are Republican U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan and Democratic former U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola. The top four vote-getters will advance to the general election regardless of party affiliation and the winner in November will be determined by ranked choice voting.
An unusually high number of open-seat races are on the ballot in Wyoming's primary after two prominent Republican officials announced their retirements. The upcoming departures of Gov. Mark Gordon and U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis, along with U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman's decision to run to replace Lummis, mark the first time in 32 years that Wyoming has had open seats for governor, U.S. Senate and U.S. House at the same time.
Here's the latest:
Winner of 9-way Wyoming GOP US House race calls for party unity
Chuck Gray, the winner of the GOP primary for Wyoming’s lone seat in the U.S. House, says President Donald Trump needs a Republican Congress that will stand for “America First values.”
Gray is a former state legislator who has been Wyoming’s secretary of state since 2023. He said in a statement the primary was a “spirited race” but that it’s time for Republicans to unite.
“What unites us is far greater than anything that divided us during this campaign,” Gray said.
Among others, Gray beat Steve Friess, son of the late financier and Republican donor Foster Friess, and Kevin Christensen, a former U.S. Bureau of Land Management district manager.
Gray will face Democrat Lisa Kinney in the general election.
Republican U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman isn’t seeking reelection and won the GOP nomination for Wyoming’s open U.S. Senate seat. Republican Sen. Cynthia Lummis is retiring after one term.
Independent Hill sees momentum in advancing in Alaska House primary
Independent Bill Hill says he’s excited about the momentum building around his campaign for Alaska’s only U.S. House seat.
Hill and Republican Rep. Nick Begich advanced from Alaska’s open primary to the ranked vote general election in November.
Hill, a fisherman and former educator from a small Alaska village, has made affordability a key issue in his campaign. He says Alaskans are sick of paying high costs for healthcare, gas and groceries.
Begich is seeking a second term.
Independent Bill Hill advances from primary for Alaska’s lone US House seat
Hill, a commercial fisherman and retired educator, was one of the top finishers in Tuesday’s election. The four candidates with the most votes, regardless of party affiliation, advance to the general election, which is a ranked choice contest.
Hill, who lives in the tiny fishing village of Naknek in southwest Alaska and is Dena’ina Athabascan, has raised concerns about affordability, an issue that has hit especially hard in rural parts of the state where goods often arrive by plane or barge. He cited his own experiences with fragile supply systems that can delay fuel shipments and high costs for groceries and other staples.
The incumbent in the race is Republican U.S. Rep. Nick Begich, who is seeking a second term.
The highest-profile Democrat on the ballot, Matt Schultz, suspended his campaign in mid-July and urged voters to back Hill.
Republican US Rep. Nick Begich advances from primary for Alaska’s lone US House seat
Begich, who is seeking a second term, was one of the top finishers in Tuesday’s election. The four candidates with the most votes, regardless of party affiliation, advance to the general election, which will be a ranked choice contest.
Begich, an ally of President Donald Trump, has had a large cash advantage and is the only Republican with widespread name recognition in the race.
His campaign emphasized his support for expanded oil and gas development in Alaska and success in getting legislation passed as a new lawmaker.
Begich comes from a family of prominent Democrats including his uncle Tom Begich, who is running for governor. His late grandfather, also named Nick Begich, once held the House seat.
Democratic former US Rep. Mary Peltola advances from Alaska primary for US Senate
Peltola was one of the top finishers in Tuesday’s election. The four candidates with the most votes, regardless of party affiliation, advance to the general election, which is a ranked choice contest.
Peltola and two-term Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan are the highest-profile candidates.
The campaign was dominated by news of another Republican named Dan Sullivan who also ran for the seat — and allegations by the senator and his GOP allies that the lesser-known Sullivan coordinated with Democrats to help Peltola. The challenger, Peltola’s campaign and state Democrats denied such claims.
Peltola emphasized affordability concerns, support for Alaska fisheries and fighting what she called a rigged system of politicians catering to billionaires and enriching themselves.
Republican US Sen. Dan Sullivan advances to general election in Alaska
Sullivan, who is seeking a third term, was one of the top finishers in Tuesday’s election. The four candidates with the most votes, regardless of party affiliation, advance to the general election, which is a ranked choice contest.
Sullivan’s chief rival is Democrat Mary Peltola, a former U.S. representative.
The campaign was dominated by news of another Republican candidate named Dan Sullivan who also ran for the seat — and unsuccessful efforts by GOP allies of the incumbent to keep him off the ballot.
Sen. Sullivan emphasized his military service and work supporting investments in the military, including efforts to bring more Coast Guard assets to the Arctic state.
Chuck Gray wins the Republican primary for Wyoming’s seat in the US House, beating 8 challengers
The crowded field of candidates sought the GOP nomination to replace U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman, who is not seeking a third term while she runs for U.S. Senate.
Gray has a significant advantage headed into the general election. Wyoming has not been represented by a Democrat in the U.S. House in almost 50 years, and no Democrat in recent memory has come close to winning Wyoming’s lone U.S. House seat.
Florida Republicans eye the 9th District
As of 12:30 a.m., fewer than 600 votes separated the top two candidates in Florida's 9th District Republican primary.
Seven contenders vie for the chance to unseat five-term Democratic incumbent Rep. Darren Soto in November. Soto is running for a sixth term, but his district saw the biggest partisan shift after the state redrew the congressional map earlier this year.
Under the new lines, Florida Republicans hope to pick up the 9th District, along with the 14th, 22nd and 25th.
Wyoming GOP nominee for governor: ‘Show up, do the work’ wins the race
The Republican nominee for governor of Wyoming says he ran on a simple idea: “Show up, do the work, get the job done.”
“That is how we run our ranch, that is how I have served in the Legislature, and that is how this administration will operate,” state Sen. Eric Barlow said in a statement after winning the nomination Tuesday.
Barlow beat three other Republicans including retired U.S. Marine Col. Brent Bien and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder.
Degenfelder had President Donald Trump’s endorsement. Barlow said he won despite the efforts of “out-of-state money and outside voices.”
Barlow is a northeast Wyoming livestock veterinarian and rancher who was speaker of the Wyoming House before being elected to the state Senate.
In the general election he will face Democrat Ken Casner, a southeast Wyoming store owner who was unopposed for the Democratic nomination.
Wyoming hasn’t elected a Democrat to the governor’s office in almost 20 years.
Eric Barlow wins the Republican nomination for Wyoming governor, beating 3 challengers
Wyoming’s current governor, Republican Mark Gordon, is term-limited and serving his final year in office.
Barlow has a significant advantage with voter registration alone in becoming Wyoming’s third Republican governor in a row.
Registered Republicans outnumber Democrats in Wyoming by a 7-to-1 margin.
No Democrat has come close to being elected Wyoming governor since Democrat Dave Freudenthal left office in 2011.
Harriet Hageman beats 4 opponents to win the Republican nomination for US Senate in Wyoming
Registered Republicans outnumber Democrats in Wyoming by a 7-to-1 margin, giving Hageman a significant advantage in the November election.
The winner will succeed Republican U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis, who is retiring after a single term.
Lummis has announced no future political plans after a more than 40-year career in politics. She served in the U.S. House, the Wyoming Legislature and as Wyoming’s state treasurer.
Wyoming has not had a Democratic U.S. senator since 1977.
State Rep. Angie Nixon becomes latest DSA member to win a Democratic primary
It’s another major victory for the Democratic Socialists of America, of which Nixon is a member, she previously told the radio station WUSF. Nixon, who secured the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in Florida, chalks DSA candidates’ success up to voter frustration with the party establishment.
Other candidates hailing from the faction — who have won party primaries in New York and Denver — have made the same argument.
That progressive undercurrent on the left has disturbed the party’s leadership, who fear that such candidates will fare worse against Republicans come November. Nixon’s Republican opponent also sees it as a weakness, unfurling a diatribe against socialism in her victory speech Tuesday.
Donalds downplays possibly being Florida’s first Black governor
“Florida is a great meritocracy in America,” Donalds said when asked what it means to him and to the state to be Republicans’ first Black gubernatorial nominee and potentially its first Black governor.
Donalds did mention “my journey through life” and said many Florida voters are familiar with his story but also with his “voting record in Congress” and his conservative credentials.
Donalds has not emphasized the historic nature of his candidacy.
Black voters nationally and in Florida vote overwhelmingly Democratic, though Trump made notable gains with Black men in 2024, and Donalds promised to court all parts of the diverse electorate.
Donalds says Trump’s endorsement matters but isn’t enough
The Republican nominee’s intro video included a clip of the president praising the congressman. But in his lengthy victory speech, Donalds did not mention President Donald Trump or the endorsement.
Afterward, he told reporters he’s grateful for the support but won’t lean on it in a general election campaign.
“Obviously, he has the strongest following of anybody in our party,” Donalds said. “You start with that.” But, he added, “You can’t just sit back and think the president’s endorsement is going to carry you.”
He said he’s talked with Trump about that and “the president knows this.”
Florida’s Lt. Gov. Jay Collins loses bid to be Republican’s nominee for governor
After U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds won the GOP primary and spoke to his supporters, Collins took to the social platform X to thank his staff, adding that it was an “honor of a lifetime” to meet Floridians on the campaign trail.
“I congratulate Byron Donalds on his victory,” wrote Collins, who was previously elected as Gov. Ron DeSantis’ running mate, “and vow to continue fighting like hell to ensure we remain the free state of Florida in November.”
Nixon’s win means a Black Democrat is on the statewide ticket
State Rep. Angie Nixon’s win in Florida’s Democratic Senate primary means that both parties will have a Black nominee in the top statewide races.
Republicans made Byron Donalds the party’s first Black nominee for governor.
Some south Florida Democrats had expressed concerns that Black turnout in heavily Democratic Broward County could be down in November if Democrats had an all-white ticket.
Donalds’ Democratic opponent, Jolly, and his running mate, Gwen Graham, are both white and could benefit if Nixon’s candidacy helps drive turnout among Black voters who might have stayed home or even be drawn to Donalds’ candidacy.
There is still the complicating factor of Nixon’s progressive leanings. That could hamper her ability to reach Hispanic voters in south Florida, where many voters or their family members’ fled socialist regimes in Latin America.
Byron Donalds promises to continue DOGE in Florida during victory speech
“We are going to DOGE all local governments and all state agencies,” Donalds said. “There will be no sacred cows.”
One month after President Donald Trump and Elon Musk created the United States Department of Government Efficiency in early 2025, Gov. Ron DeSantis established Florida’s state-level DOGE, which his administration said would ensure accountability in local government, reduce waste and save taxpayer money.
Florida’s DOGE examines Florida county and state agencies. Previously, it subpoenaed Orlando county workers over failing to cooperate with officers, claiming workers were hiding records associated with diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
Donalds promised to post all state spending online for Florida residents to see.
“Taxpayers deserve to know their hard-earned dollars are being spent with transparency and hard-earned integrity,” Donalds said.
Voters in Alaska’s capital cite concerns with direction of the state and country
Jeri Kissner, who said she votes for the person versus for a party, said she thinks Congress must do more to push back against President Donald Trump.
She said she favored Democrat Mary Peltola in the Senate race.
Giap Nguyen, an independent who leans Democratic, said he wants elected leaders who challenge the status quo. He said he felt he had a lot of choices in the field of 16 Senate candidates but wasn’t sure on the quality of some of the choices.
He declined to say who he voted for for Senate.
Donalds takes aim at ‘liberal David Jolly’
Florida Democrats nominated a former Republican for governor, but Republican nominee Byron Donalds wasted no time in labeling him as “Liberal David Jolly.”
Donalds said the former congressman backs socialist policies. He noted that Jolly has been a commentator on MSNOW, a liberal-leaning cable TV network, and has defended Dr. Anthony Fauci’s leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic, while supporting Kamala Harris for president in 2024.
“Liberal David Jolly is the change that Florida cannot afford,” Donalds said.
The once-Republican David Jolly speaks after winning Democratic nomination for Florida governor
Jolly did not shy away from his partisan history as he addressed supporters.
“To my Democratic friends, thank you for welcoming me into the party,” he said, which got a “Woo!” from the crowd.
Jolly’s speech detailed a platform that balances between both political parties: an embrace of capitalism and a lean government, but one that “needs to do its part to fill the gaps.” Then he turned to social issues, where the current governor has championed the conservative cause.
“As an old-school Republican, I talk about ending the culture wars not to celebrate some progressive platform,” he said, “but because I still believe in the old-school Republican, libertarian policy that government should simply stay out of your life.”
Florida voters end the comeback bids of 4 former members of Congress plotting a return to Washington
Former Democratic U.S. Reps. Alan Grayson and Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick lost their races in the 7th and 20th Congressional Districts, respectively. Two Republican former members who previously represented districts in other states, Madison Cawthorn of North Carolina and Chris Collins of New York, lost the GOP nomination to replace U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds in the 19th Congressional District.
At the top of the ballot, two former members had better luck seeking higher office. Former Republican U.S. Rep. David Jolly and his running mate, former Democratic U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham, won the Democratic nomination for governor and lieutenant governor.
Donalds promises a unified GOP in Florida governor’s race
The congressman told his supporters at a Universal Studios resort hotel that he’d heard from GOP rivals who pledged their help in winning the general election.
“The primary is over,” he said. “Tonight we put aside our differences. Tonight we are one united Republican Party.”
Donalds talked of his economic struggles with his wife Erica when they were a newly married couple. He ran with Trump’s endorsement, but he has emphasized Floridians’ economic hardships without blaming the president for what voters “face every single day.”
He said he wants a state where people “can give your kids a better shot than you have.”
A Republican crowd lines up to replace Hageman as Wyoming’s lone US representative
Nine Republicans seek to succeed Harriet Hageman, Wyoming’s lone U.S. representative who is now seeking the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate.
The GOP candidates include Chuck Gray, Wyoming’s secretary of state since 2022. The others include Senate President Bo Biteman, a certified landman who has also served in the Wyoming House.
Candidate Kevin Christensen is a former U.S. Bureau of Land Management district manager who was a U.S. Army colonel and attack helicopter pilot.
Also seeking the Republican nomination are former Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow and Steve Friess, son of the late financier Foster Friess.
The winner in November will face one of two Democrats seeking their party’s nomination. Wyoming has not been represented by a Democrat in the U.S. House since 1978.
Hageman has served two terms since she defeated incumbent Liz Cheney in the 2024 Republican primary.
Ryan Elijah, a former television reporter, defeats Rep. Cory Mills for Republican nomination
Mills faced a series of scandals including allegations of domestic violence involving a former girlfriend, which he denies.
Florida Republicans including DeSantis abandoned Mills ahead of the primary. President Donald Trump initially backed Mills in February but did not include him in a list of endorsements on Monday.
State Rep. Angie Nixon wins Democratic nomination for US Senate in Florida
Nixon would be Florida’s first Black U.S. senator if elected in November. She is running to fill the last two years of a term Republican Marco Rubio won in 2022 before becoming Trump’s secretary of state in January 2025.
It’s the latest victory for progressive candidates who have found success in primary contests against establishment-backed Democrats this year.
Sen. Ashley Moody wins Republican nomination to finish Marco Rubio’s term
Moody, 51, was appointed to fill Rubio’s seat after he became Trump’s secretary of state. Now she’s running to finish the last two years of his term.
A former state attorney general, Moody has Trump’s backing. Florida has not elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate since 2012, when then-Sen. Bill Nelson won reelection.
David Jolly wins Democratic nomination for Florida governor
For the second time in a row, Florida Democrats have chosen a former Republican as their candidate for the state’s highest office.
Jolly, 53, served as a Republican U.S. representative but became a fierce critic of Trump. He became an independent and then joined the Democratic Party last year.
Four years ago, Democrats backed former Republican Gov. Charlie Crist. He was easily defeated by Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is finishing his second term and is barred from seeking a third consecutive term.
Rep. Byron Donalds wins Republican nomination for Florida governor
Donalds, 47, was backed by President Donald Trump. If he wins in November, he would be the state’s first Black governor.
He defeated several opponents on Tuesday, including Lt. Gov. Jay Collins and political newcomer James Fishback.
Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis is barred from seeking a third consecutive term.
“Byron Donalds will be a truly Great and Powerful Governor for Florida, and has my Complete and Total Endorsement,” Trump wrote on social media.
Debbie Wasserman Schultz wins Democratic nomination in new Florida district
The victory positions Wasserman Schultz to serve a 12th term in Congress. She switched districts after Republicans redrew the state’s congressional map to boost their chances in November.
Wasserman Schultz, who is white, faced criticism for running in a district that has elected Black Democrats to Congress since 1992.
She defeated several opponents in the primary, including Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, who wanted her seat back after resigning earlier this year while facing an ethics investigation.
Candidate with same name as incumbent Alaska senator seeks to advance
Dan J. Sullivan, a retired teacher, hopes to advance in Alaska’s U.S. Senate race, where the incumbent is Sen. Dan S. Sullivan.
The challenger successfully sued to appear on the ballot after the incumbent and GOP allies accused him of being a sham candidate intent on sowing voter confusion. Dan J. Sullivan has said his frustration with the incumbent was an impetus for his candidacy.
He appears on the ballot as Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., with no party affiliation, while the senator appears as Dan S. Sullivan, Republican and incumbent. The decision to list them that way was made by the Division of Elections. Dan J. Sullivan appears as a Republican elsewhere, including on the division’s official candidate list online.
In Florida, Rep. Byron Donalds touts Trump endorsement but has a careful message on the president’s economy
The southwest Florida representative has had the president’s backing for the duration of his campaign to succeed term-limited Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.
But Donalds has offered a broader message, promising to tackle an economy that’s tough on many Floridians — while not blaming Trump.
“Affordability is a problem for all Floridians. It doesn’t matter what your politics are. It doesn’t matter what the color of your skin is,” Donalds said, promising to address taxes, property insurance premiums and health insurance access.
His message is notable not just because he so carefully frames economic realities under Trump but also because Donalds explicitly mentions race. Donalds would be the first Black governor of Florida, but he typically does not emphasize that historic possibility.
California election will determine Eric Swalwell’s temporary successor
Tuesday is voters' last chance to decide whether a progressive state lawmaker or a moderate San Francisco Bay Area transit leader will fulfill the remainder of Swalwell's term ending in January. Swalwell, a Democrat, dropped his bid for California governor and resigned from Congress in April after he was accused of sexual assault. He denies the allegations.
Aisha Wahab, a state senator, is running against Melissa Hernandez, a Bay Area Rapid Transit director and former Dublin mayor. The two Democrats, who advanced after a crowded primary in June, are vying to represent California's 14th Congressional District, which includes cities east of San Francisco such as Hayward, Livermore and Union City.
Wahab and Hernandez will also face off in a separate general election in November to determine who will serve the next full two-year term.
Aisha Wahab, a state senator, is running against Melissa Hernandez, a Bay Area Rapid Transit director and former Dublin mayor. The two Democrats, who advanced after a crowded primary in June, are vying to represent California's 14th Congressional District, which includes cities east of San Francisco such as Hayward, Livermore and Union City.
Wahab and Hernandez will also face off in a separate general election in November to determine who will serve the next full two-year term.
Incumbent Sullivan and former Rep. Peltola headline Alaska’s US Senate race
Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan and Democratic former Rep. Mary Peltola are the highest-profile candidates in a race that will be among the few in November to determine control of the U.S. Senate.
Sullivan and Peltola have vastly outraised any of the other candidates in the overall field of 16. The candidates and groups that support them have dominated the airwaves and filled mailboxes with flyers ahead of Tuesday’s primary.
Alaska’s primary features all candidates on one ballot, with the top four advancing to November’s ranked vote general election.
Sullivan has leaned into his background as a Marine and supporter of the military, while Peltola has repurposed the “fish, family, freedom” slogan that propelled her to the U.S. House in 2022. She lost reelection in 2024.
Race to replace Swalwell reflects Democratic divide
The special general election pits California state Sen. Aisha Wahab, a progressive who's championed housing issues, against San Francisco Bay Area transit leader Melissa Hernandez, a moderate who's made cracking down on crime central to her campaign.
Hernandez, who is raising more money, has accused her rival of being too soft on crime, which Wahab denies. Wahab, who won the June primary decisively, says she’s better positioned to fight against the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/7QOJU3BNCJERBNKJC5LWTBYFLU.png)
