Posted on 04/21/2025 1:56:33 AM PDT by RandFan
After a two-year hiatus, Senate GOP primaries are on the way back.
Senate Republicans are bracing for a midterm cycle that could be littered with nasty primary challenges to both incumbents and preferred candidates alike, marking a stark change after party leaders worked hand in glove with President Trump to root them out to help boost their efforts in 2024.
Those efforts paid off handsomely last cycle, with Senate Republicans being able to sidestep a number of potential primary landmines en route to a 53-seat majority that is already paying dividends in Trump’s first 100 days.
But 2026 is shaping up to be very different with Republicans staring down upward of a half-dozen potential primary battles as they look to keep hold of their majority, potentially making this cycle even more perilous than it was already shaping up to be.
“There’s a real opportunity to get to 54, 55 seats [this cycle],” one GOP operative who has worked on Senate races told The Hill. “Putting any red seat in play after a divisive primary where you potentially get a weak challenger that allows Democrats to give some degree of hope is incredibly ill-advised.”
After a rough 2022 midterm cycle, Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) altered the National Republican Senatorial Committee’s (NRSC) tactics so the party would take a more heavy-handed approach. That included identifying preferred candidates — particularly those who could self-fund — who could win both a primary and a general election. That stamped out meddlesome primaries by getting Trump on the same page and supporting those candidates, and by saving money that could be used in November instead of in costly intraparty battles.
This resulted in a single competitive primary in Ohio, a competitive state.
While the committee is hoping to build off that success, primaries have already started to emerge, with a number of incumbent senators serving as prime examples — a group the NRSC has made clear it will protect as they look at the rest of the map on a case-by-case basis.
Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), a longtime GOP leadership member and ally, is staring down a primary from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, one that promises to be bitter throughout given their personal rivalry.
In Louisiana, Sen. Bill Cassidy (R) is facing a primary challenge from former Rep. John Fleming (R). The sitting senator has long been a target of Trump World due to his vote to convict the president in his second impeachment over his actions related to Jan. 6, 2021.
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) could be on the receiving end of one in the coming months given conservative backlash he’s received over the years for some bipartisan work.
There also are set to be a number of open-seat states and Democratic-held seats that could feature Republican primary battles. Former Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron (R) is expected to face off with Rep. Andy Barr (R-Ky.), who is set to officially announce a run next week. The winner will replace Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).
Former Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.) announced a second bid in as many cycles in the Wolverine State last week. But unlike last year, it is less clear that he will be able to skate through a primary. Despite being endorsed by Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and the NRSC, Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-Mich.) did not appear dissuaded from a potential run, though it is unclear whether he will actually launch one of his own.
Finally, the Georgia GOP primary is a major question mark as the field would likely be cleared if Gov. Brian Kemp (R) decides to take the plunge. But if he doesn’t, that race could get crowded fast.
Primaries, OK, but please, keep it positive!!!
We, in AZ, had several very bloody primaries in 2022.
And all resulted in Dems wining in the General elections!
And, we were not an exception.
Last year, we had some crowded primaries too, but no mud slinging. And the results were a lot better!
We have not forgotten the RINOs role in stealing the 2020 election nor are we willing to overlook the fact that these are worse enemies than Democrats. They must be purged.
John Cornyn, Bill Cassidy and Thom Tillis are all slimeballs of the highest (or lowest if you prefer) order.
The Grand Cleegle Wizards of the RINO branch.
They are all stealth democrats who realize they could never win as such in those red states. I despise them so much. /triple spit
Yeah they’re the ones giving us headaches. Truly.
What about Kemp?
We need to do two things.
Secure our fricking elections.
And refuse to allow Deep State to pick our candidates for us.
This is The Hill. They put a damaging spin on every article they write. This is bull.
LOL- so the punk who the rats foolishly elected as their vice chari has promised to spend $20 million to unseat rat representatives and this is what The sHill writes about??
Yes, but would they have lost if elections in AZ were legit?
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