Voters in Delaware are participating in primary elections held on Tuesday, representing the last state primary contest before the November midterm elections. The state operates under a closed primary system, meaning only registered Democrats can vote in the Democratic primary and only registered Republicans in the Republican primary. Primary elections in Delaware only proceed when multiple candidates seek a single office; unopposed candidates automatically advance to the general election scheduled for November 3.
Several significant races are taking place. In the US Senate race, incumbent Democratic Senator Chris Coons is facing three primary challengers as he pursues a third full term: University of Delaware history professor Jeff Appelhans, naval architect Mary Louve, and Eric Hansen, a former business executive who was the Republican nominee for the same seat in 2024 and is now running as a Democrat under the name “E. No-Trump Hansen.” On the Republican side, former state Senator Michael Katz and US Army Reserve Colonel John Shulli are competing for their party’s nomination.
For the US House, Democratic Representative Sarah McBride, the first openly transgender member of Congress, faces no primary opposition in her reelection bid for a second term representing Delaware’s sole House seat. Three Republicans—Joseph Arminio, Earl Cooper, and John Whalen—are competing to secure the Republican nomination to challenge her in the general election.
Additional races involve nominees for state legislature positions and an open seat for state treasurer. Historically, Delaware has demonstrated a strong Democratic lean since the 1990s, with Republicans unable to win the governorship since 1988, a US Senate seat since 1994, or the House seat since 2008. Political analysts expect the Democratic-held statewide seats to remain solidly within the party’s column in November. As of September 1, Delaware had approximately 808,000 registered voters, including roughly 331,000 Democrats and 199,000 Republicans.
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