US primary season wraps up: leftists gain ground, Trump flexes political muscle
The US primary season has concluded ahead of the 3 November midterms that will decide control of Congress, revealing growing influence of leftist candidates among Democrats and continued dominance by Trump within the Republican party.
The United States has officially wrapped up its primary season, setting the stage for the 3 November midterm elections that will determine the balance of power in Congress. Democrats currently lead in polling amid economic anxiety, a war with Iran, and Trump's ongoing mass deportation agenda.
Turnover in the House
According to Pew Research Center, 74 House members departed this cycle — the most since 1992. Of 11 incumbents who lost their primaries, seven were Democrats. Four of them were defeated by candidates tied to the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), including in New York, Colorado and Michigan. All of these DSA-linked winners are running in heavily Democratic districts, making their general election wins largely expected.
Centrists hold the key districts
Despite the attention on leftist wins, the real battle for House control will play out in 21 toss-up districts, where candidates backed by centrist Democratic groups dominate. Analysts argue that moderate Democrats flipping red-leaning seats will likely determine which party wins the majority.
Limits of the leftward shift
The DSA's victories were not universal — several incumbent Democrats, including Senator Ed Markey in Massachusetts and Senator John Hickenlooper in Colorado, successfully fended off left-wing primary challengers.
Trump's influence
Trump actively intervened in Republican primaries, backing loyal candidates and targeting those who had broken with him. His campaigning contributed to primary losses for several Republican incumbents, including Senators Bill Cassidy and John Cornyn. A USA Today analysis found nearly 97% of Trump-endorsed candidates won their primaries.
Scandals and Aipac's role
Several candidates dropped out of their races following accusations of sexual assault or other misconduct. Meanwhile, the pro-Israel group Aipac spent heavily in a number of primaries, notching both wins and losses in its fight against leftist candidates.
