2026 Primary Election Results: Florida, Wyoming and Alaska Set the Stage for the Midterms

 

The 2026 primary election season is entering a crucial stage, and voters in Florida, Wyoming and Alaska delivered several results that could have major consequences for the November midterm elections.

Tuesday, August 18, brought a series of closely watched contests involving U.S. Senate, House and gubernatorial races. The elections were particularly significant because they helped determine which candidates will compete in November for seats that could influence control of Congress.

Among the biggest headlines were a surprise Democratic Senate victory in Florida, a setback for President Donald Trump's preferred candidate in Wyoming and a potentially competitive Senate matchup emerging in Alaska.

Florida Primary Produces Major Upsets

Florida generated some of the night's biggest political stories.

Republican Rep. Byron Donalds won the Republican nomination for governor, defeating several challengers and setting up a November matchup with Democrat David Jolly, a former Republican congressman who later joined the Democratic Party.

Donalds, a strong Trump ally, now has an opportunity to make history. If he wins in November, he could become Florida's first Black governor.

The Democratic Senate primary produced an even bigger surprise.

Florida state Rep. Angie Nixon defeated Alex Vindman, the retired Army lieutenant colonel who became nationally known for his role in Donald Trump's first impeachment. Nixon entered the race with considerably fewer financial resources than Vindman but managed to pull off a major upset.

Nixon will face Republican Ashley Moody in November in the special election for the Senate seat previously held by Marco Rubio. Moody won the Republican primary and enters the general election with significant advantages in a state that has moved increasingly toward the Republican Party in recent election cycles.

The Florida results also showed that Trump's influence within Republican primaries is not absolute. Rep. Cory Mills, who faced serious political controversies, lost his Republican primary. Other Trump-backed candidates also suffered defeats.

Wyoming Republicans Choose Eric Barlow

Wyoming also delivered a notable result in the Republican gubernatorial primary.

State Sen. Eric Barlow defeated Megan Degenfelder, who had received Trump's endorsement, in the race to replace retiring Gov. Mark Gordon.

The result is significant because Wyoming remains one of the country's most strongly Republican states. Republican candidates are generally expected to have a major advantage in November, meaning Barlow's primary victory puts him in a strong position heading into the general election.

The Wyoming Senate race was another important contest. Sen. Cynthia Lummis is retiring, creating an open seat and attracting several Republican candidates. Rep. Harriet Hageman, who received Trump's endorsement, was among the leading contenders.

The state's House race was also closely watched because Hageman's Senate campaign created an open seat in Wyoming's lone congressional district. Nine Republicans entered the crowded primary, making it one of the most competitive Republican congressional contests in the state.

Alaska Creates a Competitive Senate Race

Alaska could provide one of the most interesting Senate contests of the 2026 midterm elections.

Democratic former Rep. Mary Peltola advanced from Alaska's nonpartisan Senate primary and will face Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan in the November general election.

Peltola's performance immediately attracted national attention because she received more votes than Sullivan in the primary. While primary results do not determine the November winner, her strong showing indicates that Democrats have a credible challenger in a state where Republicans have traditionally been competitive.

The Alaska contest also received unusual attention because another candidate named Dan Sullivan appeared on the ballot, creating confusion among voters and adding another layer to an already unusual Senate race.

With Sullivan seeking another term and Peltola attempting to return to Congress, the race could become one of the Senate contests worth watching closely as November approaches.

What the Results Mean for the 2026 Midterms

The primary results provide several early clues about the political environment heading into the general election.

One of the clearest messages is that both parties continue to experience internal battles over ideology and political direction.

In Florida, Democrats nominated Angie Nixon, a progressive candidate who defeated a much better-funded establishment-backed opponent. The result could energize progressive voters, but Republicans are likely to argue that Nixon's nomination makes it easier for them to retain the Senate seat.

Republicans, meanwhile, experienced mixed results. Byron Donalds won his Florida gubernatorial primary with Trump's support, but Trump's preferred candidate in Wyoming, Megan Degenfelder, lost to Eric Barlow. Several other Trump-backed candidates also failed to secure nominations in Tuesday's contests.

These results suggest that Trump's endorsement remains powerful but is not an automatic guarantee of victory in Republican primaries.

Control of Congress Remains the Bigger Picture

Although individual primary races receive most of the attention, the larger question is what happens to control of Congress in November.

The 2026 midterms will determine the makeup of the U.S. House and Senate, making every competitive Senate and House race important to both parties.

Florida is particularly important because Republicans have strengthened their position in the state, including through a newly redrawn congressional map. Alaska could offer Democrats an opportunity to compete for a Senate seat, while Wyoming remains heavily Republican despite the competitive primary battles.

The November races will therefore be less about the primary victories themselves and more about whether these candidates can expand their coalitions beyond their party's primary voters.

More Primary Results Are Still Coming

The August 18 contests represented one of the final major clusters of primaries on the 2026 election calendar. Alaska, Florida and Wyoming all held congressional primaries on August 18, according to the Federal Election Commission's 2026 congressional election schedule.

However, the primary season is not completely finished. Additional states will hold their own contests before voters nationwide head toward the November general election.

For voters, political campaigns and election watchers, the next few weeks will be focused on how the newly nominated candidates reposition themselves for the general election.

The 2026 primary elections in Florida, Wyoming and Alaska have already produced several surprises.

Angie Nixon's upset victory in Florida demonstrated the potential strength of progressive candidates. Byron Donalds emerged as the Republican nominee for governor and now moves closer to a potentially historic victory. Wyoming's Republican primary showed that Trump's preferred candidates can still face serious resistance, while Alaska produced a Senate matchup that could become much more competitive than expected.

The real test, however, comes in November.

As campaigns shift from primary battles to general election strategy, voters will decide whether these candidates can turn their primary victories into general election wins. With control of Congress at stake, the results from Florida, Wyoming and Alaska could ultimately prove to be early indicators of the political direction of the United States after the 2026 midterms.

The 2026 election season is far from over, and the November results could look very different from what Tuesday's primaries suggest.