On Tuesday, the 2026 U.S. midterm election season kicked off with primary elections in Arkansas, North Carolina, and Texas, with the race unfolding along two main lines: the Republicans aiming to maintain their narrow majority in the House of Representatives and trying to consolidate their advantage by redrawing congressional districts in some Republican-controlled states. Meanwhile, the Democrats are betting on the historical pattern that "the party not in the White House has an advantage in midterms" and the backlash against a potential second Trump term, seeking to flip both chambers. The newly drawn districts will be tested for the first time in Texas and North Carolina, with Republicans targeting six Democratic seats, sparking fierce intra-party primary battles; the Democrats claim their performance in recent non-election years and special elections has exceeded expectations, providing momentum for November. Two key states in the Senate race have also come under the spotlight, with the Republican Senate nomination battle in Texas set to go into a runoff on May 26. Senator John Cornyn failed to win the primary at the halfway point, and will face the more radical state attorney general Ken Paxton. Paxton is trying to portray Cornyn as a symbol of the Bush era "old guard," while both sides compete for control over the narrative of "traditional conservatism" versus MAGA-style political mobilization. Cornyn raised far more funds than his opponent and another challenger, U.S. Representative Wesley Hunt, but still couldn't escape the tug-of-war with the controversial Paxton. The number of voters in the Texas Republican primary exceeded 2.3 million, roughly matching the level of the 2024 Republican presidential primary and slightly higher than in 2020. To secure this seat, Trump, who had previously not taken sides, may soon start speaking out, more likely endorsing Cornyn and urging Paxton to drop out.
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Original: toutiao.com/article/1858805308688521/
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