Delaware Closes Out the 2026 Primary Season With a Whimper and a Warning

Delaware was last out the gate in the 2026 primary election season. This is the state where former President, VP, and Senator Joseph Robinette Biden first parked himself into elected office and stayed there for 47 years before failing up.

So, Delaware is a cautionary tale, and we should be concerned about what is occurring in the first state.

The Delaware primary was so late in the season because of a quirky law, so it tracks.

Delaware state law dictates that state and local primaries be held the second Tuesday after the first Monday in September in general election years, pushing the primary back into the third week of September this year. 

Delaware has one U.S. Senator up for election, and only one U.S. House Representative, both Democrats. So, Tuesday's primary rendered few surprises in that regard. Rep. Sarah McBride (DE-At Large) won his race unchallenged, because how would it look for another progressive to challenge the first transgender congressperson? Joseph Arminio is the Republican challenging the incumbent McBride. Can this Republican beat the dude in a dress? We will see...

DDHQ Race Update (est. 28% in): Delaware US House At-Large Republican Primary

Joseph Arminio (R): 4,397 (43.1%)
John Whalen III (R): 3,411 (33.4%)
Earl Cooper (R): 2,398 (23.5%)

Follow more results here:https://t.co/onxa9sdoBy pic.twitter.com/mgHfGhWR6P

— Decision Desk HQ (@DecisionDeskHQ) September 16, 2026

Sen. Chris Coons had other Democrat challengers; one was businessman Eric Hansen, who decided to appear on the ballot as "E. No-Trump Hansen." Hansen and the other challengers barely cracked 10 percent of the vote. Former Democrat state lawmaker Mike Katz, who ran as an Independent in 2024 and now as a Republican, won that primary and will face Coons on November 3. However, prognosticators are not holding out any hope for a red sweep. Delaware has not had a Republican senator since 1966: 60 years ago. J. Caleb Boggs only served one Senate term and was defeated by a 29-year-old Joe Biden, who became the youngest person to be elected to the Senate. 

We know the rest. 

DDHQ: Michael Katz wins the Republican primary for US Senate in Delaware. https://t.co/ikJAe32Nxd pic.twitter.com/4ASHXfhsoA

— Politics & Poll Tracker 📡 (@PollTracker2024) September 16, 2026

So, unless Katz does something incredible, the incumbent is the subject of an October surprise, or Coons is tapped to be VP on a winning Democrat ticket (50/50), he'll probably be carried out of the Senate chamber feet first.

Like other blue states, the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) are doing incredibly well statewide, which is the first indication that Coons and McBride should be watching their backs. Currently, the DSA lot are blowing incumbent Democrats out of the state house races. If they manage to prevail in November in Delaware and other states, it's only a matter of time for the DSA takeover to be complete.

DSA CANDIDATE SHAY FRISBY IS LEADING A CORPORATE INCUMBENT STATE SENATOR BY 12 POINTS

PROGRESSIVE CHALLENGER ADRIANA BOHM IS UNEXPECTEDLY LEADING ANOTHER CORPORATE INCUMBENT SENATOR

BOTH ENDORSED BY MATT MEYER pic.twitter.com/zEjcMF4NDw

— Fireborn (@firebornnn) September 16, 2026

Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both chambers of Congress.

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