Republican Rep. Cory Mills of Florida recently became the latest in a string of congressional incumbents to lose their party primaries. This year, twelve House members and two senators faced defeats in their renomination bids during the 2026 midterms, as reported by the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia.
According to Kyle Kondik, the communications director at the Center for Politics, this is one of the highest numbers recorded in decades outside of a full national redistricting year. While redistricting contributed to some of the losses, other factors included scandals involving incumbents, moves by former President Donald Trump to remove certain GOP lawmakers, and a generational shift urged by Democrats toward younger candidates.
For instance, Democratic Rep. Shri Thanedar from Michigan was recently defeated by state Rep. Donavan McKinney, affiliated with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). In New York, Democratic Rep. Dan Goldman also lost to progressive challenger Brad Lander, who had the backing of socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
In another notable race, Rep. Adriano Espaillat of New York lost to activist Darializa Avila Chevalier, a DSA member. Chevalier’s victory was attributed partly to her age, being 32, compared to Espaillat’s 71 years. Similarly, in Colorado, DSA member Melat Kiros unseated the moderate Democratic Rep. Diana Degette.
Generational change also played a role in the defeat of Rep. Al Green in Texas. Democratic Rep. Christian Menefee, aged 38, won against the 79-year-old Green, amidst redistricting changes influenced by Texas Republicans.
In Connecticut, former Mayor Luke Bronin defeated the long-serving Rep. John Larson, who has been in Congress for nearly three decades. Bronin’s victory, attributed to his youthful 47 years, emphasized the Democrats’ push for fresh leadership.
On the Republican side, Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana lost after voting to convict Trump during his second impeachment trial. Sen. John Cornyn faced defeat in Texas against Ken Paxton, backed by Trump at the last moment.
Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, known for his criticism of Trump, lost to Ed Gallrein, a former Navy SEAL. In Texas, Rep. Dan Crenshaw was defeated by the more conservative Steve Toth.
In Tennessee, Rep. Andy Ogles lost despite having Trump’s endorsement. He was beaten by Charlie Hatcher, who had support from prominent Republicans in the state.
Regarding Mills, he faced significant challenges, including a House Ethics Committee investigation. He was defeated by Ryan Elijah, who highlighted these issues during the campaign. An earlier endorsement by Trump was insufficient to secure Mills’ renomination.
Earlier in the year, GOP Rep. Tony Gonzales withdrew from his race after admitting to an affair, leading to his resignation from Congress.
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