US Elections: Democrats Face Challenges in Senate Race

US Elections are happening.

It is Friday, June 19, 2026, at 4:48 am.

A Republican senator named Dan Sullivan is running in a primary race against someone with the same name.

You might have heard about the US primaries on social media.

This year is important for US voters, and the primaries are just the start.

Primary elections choose who will represent voters in the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Here's what you need to know about primary elections.

Aren't US voters going to the polls later this year?

Yes, they are.

The midterm elections will be on November 3 and will decide the makeup of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

This election will determine how much power President Donald Trump has to pass laws.

All politicians running in the midterms are currently fighting for a spot on the ballots.

In short, that's what primary elections are.

Political parties use primaries to select candidates for the general election in most states.

So, how do primary elections work?

Most primaries happen between May and August.

Who can vote in them depends on the type of primary, which is different in each state.

Voters can vote in any party's primary, but only one.

In some places, voters can only vote in the primary of the party they are registered with.

For example, a Democrat can only vote in the Democratic primary.

In some states, voters without a party can choose which primary to vote in.

But they can only vote in one primary.

Tell me about some of the races.

There are over 400 congressional seats up for grabs, and many primary races are happening now.

Most of these races are not very exciting, especially for people outside the US.

But some races have taken unexpected turns.

Analysts say Democrats might win in Maine.

Democrats are likely to control the House of Representatives after the midterms.

But winning the Senate will be harder for them.

The party needs to win at least four seats, most of which are in areas that tend to vote Republican.

Maine is a state where Democrats have a good chance of winning.

The current senator, Susan Collins, is a Republican who has been in office since 1997.

Democrats are supporting a new candidate named Graham Platner, who won the primary election easily.

But some Democrats are worried about Platner's past.

He has a tattoo that looks like a Nazi symbol, and he sent explicit texts to women.

Platner has apologized and said he struggled with PTSD and depression after serving in the military.

He said he didn't know the tattoo was a Nazi symbol and had it covered up.

Graham Platner won the Maine primary easily.

Some Democrats, including Senator Bernie Sanders, still support Platner.

But others worry that Platner's past could cost them the election.

President Trump has criticized Platner, calling him a 'thug'.

Trump has also faced allegations of misconduct with women.

In Alaska, there are two Republicans named Dan Sullivan running for the Senate.

One Dan Sullivan is the current senator, and the other is a challenger.

The two candidates have very similar campaign logos and branding.

This could confuse voters and help the Democratic candidate, Mary Peltola, win.

The primary election in Alaska is on August 18, and the top four candidates will move on to the midterms.

Dan Sullivan accused Democrats of recruiting the other Dan Sullivan to run and confuse voters.

The other Dan Sullivan denied this and said he is running because he wants to make a difference.

The state's election officials have ruled that the other Dan Sullivan cannot be on the ballot because his candidacy is not genuine.

The other Dan Sullivan has 30 days to appeal this decision.

In Nebraska, the Democratic candidate for the Senate has no intention of winning.

Cindy Burbank won the Democratic primary, but she plans to drop out of the election.

She wants to help the independent candidate, Dan Osborn, win the election.

Burbank ran in the primary to prevent another candidate, William Forbes, from winning.

Forbes is accused of being a Republican who ran as a Democrat to help the Republican candidate win.

Burbank might need to go to court to drop out of the election because the state's election laws are unclear.

The state's election official is seeking legal advice on what to do.

If Burbank cannot drop out, there might be a legal battle.

ABC/Reuters

Friday, June 19, 2026, at 4:48 am.

Friday, June 19, 2026, at 10:35 am.

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