The first primary dates of the 2026 elections are underway Tuesday in Texas, North Carolina, and Arkansas, offering an early test of party enthusiasm, ideological divides, and how global crises are shaping down-ballot contests. 

Texas and North Carolina will host some of the most heated primaries of the season. GOP candidates in the Lone Star State will test their loyalty to President Donald Trump as Democrats push to flip the state. In North Carolina, new district lines drawn by Republicans pose an uphill battle for Democrats, and the Left will see how far they can push the progressive envelope.