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By Mary Ellen McIntire and Daniela Altimari

Our friend Nathan L. Gonzales has cautioned against calling 2026 an “anti-incumbent election.”

The Republicans who have lost primaries so far this year have been on the outs with President Donald Trump and his MAGA movement, as we saw Tuesday when Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton beat Sen. John Cornyn in a runoff. That seems to be a sign less of anti-incumbent fervor and more that, at least for Republican primary voters, alignment with Trump is still paramount.

But as primary season rolls on, some of the most closely watched races involve Democratic incumbents facing challenges from within their party.