Incumbents in both parties are falling in primaries — but for very different reasons

13, Jul 2026

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Trump’s tight grip on the GOP has upended his party’s nomination fights, while Democratic members of Congress are navigating generational divides and redistricting.

Split composite of John Cornyn Bill Cassidy and Thomas Massie.

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., and Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., are among the six congressional incumbents who have lost primaries this year. Getty Images

May 27, 2026, 1:45 PM EDT

More members of Congress have lost primaries in the last three months than in all of 2024. And there’s reason to believe it could get worse for entrenched incumbents.

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