Voters in four states will head to the ballot box this month in contests that will test political momentum ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Special congressional elections in Georgia and New Jersey, a state Supreme Court race in Wisconsin, and a redistricting referendum in Virginia will all draw national attention.
The elections come as the 2026 primary calendar takes a break after kicking off in March, before returning with a vengeance in May. Republicans currently hold a razor-thin 218–214 majority in the House, making any special election potentially consequential for party control.
What the Right Is Saying
Republicans are defending their slim House majority and working to consolidate support in both special elections. Clay Fuller is considered the clear frontrunner in Georgia's 9th Congressional District, which Trump carried by 37 points in 2024. After dividing the Republican vote among 12 candidates in the first round, party leaders expect Fuller to consolidate that support in the runoff.
In New Jersey's 11th District, Republican Joe Hathaway is positioning himself as a different kind of Republican who could attract crossover voters. Having pointed out his differences with Trump, Hathaway is running in a suburban New York City district that once favored Republicans but has trended Democratic in recent cycles.
Republicans are calling Virginia's redistricting referendum an "unconstitutional power grab" by Democrats. Despite being vastly outraised, party officials see positive signs in early turnout numbers that are outpacing last autumn's general election.
On the Wisconsin Supreme Court race, Republicans hope that if their candidate wins or keeps the margin close, it could be claimed as a moral victory after last year's unexpected Democratic win. Elon Musk, a Trump ally who headlined a rally before last year's election and wore a cheesehead hat, has been active in the court's races.
What the Left Is Saying
Democrats are framing the Georgia and New Jersey races as tests of their political standing 14 months after Trump returned to the White House. If Democratic candidate Shawn Harris can hold Republican Clay Fuller's margin to the mid-teens or less in northwest Georgia, party leaders plan to point to overperformance as evidence of momentum.
Progressive groups are closely watching the New Jersey contest where Analilia Mejia, a progressive organizer backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, faces Republican Joe Hathaway. Mejia pulled off an upset in the primary by narrowly defeating former Rep. Tom Malinowski in a field of 11 candidates, and progressives see the general election as another chance to demonstrate their electoral viability.
In Wisconsin, Democrats currently hold a 4-3 majority on the state Supreme Court after winning last year's election by a larger-than-expected margin. While this year's race doesn't put the majority at stake, a liberal win would expand their majority to 5-2.
Virginia Democrats are pushing a referendum that would give the state up to four more left-leaning U.S. House districts, potentially creating a 10-1 Democratic advantage in the state's delegation, up from their current 6-5 edge.
What the Numbers Show
The Georgia 9th Congressional District seat became vacant when Marjorie Taylor Greene stepped down at the beginning of January, leaving one year left in her term. The district extends from Atlanta's northwest exurbs to Georgia's northwestern border with Alabama and northern border with Tennessee. Trump won the district by 37 points in his 2024 presidential victory.
In New Jersey's 11th Congressional District, Analilia Mejia narrowly defeated Tom Malinowski in a primary with 11 candidates. The district in northern New Jersey's New York City suburbs was once a Republican stronghold.
Early voting in Virginia is outpacing early voting from last autumn's general election, according to state officials. The redistricting referendum could result in Democrats holding a 10-1 advantage in the state's U.S. House delegation.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court race features a conservative justice retiring, meaning the current 4-3 liberal majority is not at stake this year. A liberal win would expand the majority to 5-2.
The Bottom Line
The four April elections will provide early indicators of political momentum heading into the 2026 midterms. In Georgia, Republicans cannot afford to lose a seat they once held with a member who had Trump's endorsement. In New Jersey, the race tests whether progressive candidates can win in swing districts. The Wisconsin Supreme Court election will show whether Democrats can maintain their recent gains, while Virginia's referendum could reshape the state's congressional map for years to come. All four contests will draw significant national attention and spending as both parties position themselves for the midterm elections.
May will bring the primary calendar back with a vengeance, as more states hold contested primaries ahead of November's general election.