Primary season rolls on Tuesday as voters in Alaska, Florida and Wyoming pick their parties’ standard-bearers for November’s midterm elections, now less than three months away. The contests come on the heels of closely watched primaries in Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota, where progressive candidates surged in some races but fell short in others, highlighting the Democratic Party’s ongoing tug-of-war between its left flank and the center.
The November midterms will decide control of Congress for the remainder of President Donald Trump’s term. If Democrats, who currently lead in the polls, capture one or both chambers, it would sharply curtail legislation for the next two years and open the door to greater oversight of the White House and industry. A recent analysis from TD Cowen noted that “the decline in President Trump’s approval ratings across a range of issues has increased Democratic prospects,” adding that “divided government could leave policy in a gridlock.”
Alaska: A toss-up Senate race with a twist
Alaska’s Senate primary is the marquee event, with Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan facing a tough challenge from former Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola. The Cook Political Report rates the race a toss-up, making it a key battleground in the fight for Senate control. Alaska uses a top-four primary system, so the top four vote-getters advance to a ranked-choice general election in November, regardless of party.
Peltola, who won statewide twice in 2022 but lost reelection in 2024, is running a centrist campaign in a state Trump carried by about 13 points in 2024. She is pushing targeted tax credits for Alaska’s oil and gas refineries and faster permitting for energy projects, while also borrowing from the left with a call to eliminate federal income tax for Alaskans earning under $92,000 a year, funded by higher taxes on millionaires and billionaires.
She has also tried to distance herself from the national Democratic brand, recently moving away from an endorsement by former Vice President Kamala Harris, according to The New York Times. Sullivan, a Marine veteran who has served since 2015, is a reliable Republican vote and has Trump’s endorsement — a contrast with Alaska’s other GOP senator, Lisa Murkowski, who is often a swing vote.
Complicating matters, another Daniel Sullivan — a former teacher running as a Republican — has entered the race with the same name as the incumbent. Sen. Sullivan has accused him of being a Democratic plant meant to confuse voters and siphon support, which could matter if both Sullivans make it through the primary.
Florida: Data centers dominate the gubernatorial race
In Florida, data centers have become a top issue, according to a recent Politico report, with hyperscalers struggling to get projects approved amid voter backlash over rising utility bills. Many candidates are scrambling to position themselves against the facilities that power artificial intelligence.
Rep. Byron Donalds, the Trump-endorsed candidate to replace term-limited Gov. Ron DeSantis, is the heavy favorite in the Republican gubernatorial primary, which also includes Lt. Gov. Jay Collins and investor James Fishback. AI interests have spent heavily to back Donalds, according to Bloomberg, but he has called for data center builders to “pay their own way” in the state, echoing the White House’s Ratepayer Protection Pledge, which aims to ensure hyperscalers cover any utility cost increases.
DeSantis has already signed strict legislation on the issue, including a ban on data centers passing costs to ratepayers and new authority for local communities to reject projects. Collins has proposed a “Florida Strong standard” requiring operators to fund their own infrastructure and meet water, reliability, and ratepayer terms, while Fishback has gone further, vowing to ban data centers in all 67 counties by preventing county commissions from approving them.
On the Democratic side, former Republican-turned-independent Rep. David Jolly is seeking the gubernatorial nomination. Recent general election polling shows him down but within striking distance of Donalds, though Democrats have struggled mightily in Florida in the Trump era.
Florida also holds a Senate primary, where Republican Sen. Ashley Moody — appointed to replace now-Secretary of State Marco Rubio — is running for a full term. She is expected to face the winner of a Democratic field that includes Army veteran Alex Vindman and state politician Angela Nixon.
Wyoming: The race to replace the ‘crypto queen’
Wyoming voters are deciding the successor to Republican Sen. Cynthia Lummis, who is retiring at the end of her term. Lummis, known as the “crypto queen,” has been a key player in cryptocurrency legislation.
Rep. Harriet Hageman has secured Trump’s endorsement and is the favorite. While she has voted solidly in favor of crypto, she has not made it a top issue the way Lummis did, instead focusing on curbing federal regulation and resource issues. A Democrat has not won statewide in Wyoming since 2006, and the Democratic field includes state Rep. James Byrd.
Source: www.cnbc.com — https://www.cnbc.com/2026/08/18/primary-elections-alaska-florida-wyoming-midterms.html
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