Eight congressional incumbents have lost their primaries as of June 24, with losses affecting both parties and spanning the Senate and House chambers.
Republican Sens. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and John Cornyn of Texas were defeated in their upper chamber races. Both lost to Trump-endorsed challengers weeks before the November general election. In the House, four Democrats and at least two Republicans have been ousted from their seats.
What the Right Is Saying
Republican losses centered on incumbents who had crossed Trump or opposed elements of his agenda. Sen. John Cornyn, who served as Senate Majority Whip and once called Trump's "time has passed him by," lost to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton by more than 27 points in the GOP runoff.
Sen. Bill Cassidy, one of seven Republicans who voted to convict Trump after the January 6 attack on the Capitol, finished third in Louisiana's open primary behind Rep. Julia Letlow and state Treasurer John Fleming. A Cassidy-Letlow runoff will be decided Saturday.
Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, a libertarian maverick, lost to Ed Gallrein by more than 9 points after Trump campaigned for his opponent. Massie had voted against the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and led efforts to release files on Jeffrey Epstein. Rep. Dan Crenshaw of Texas was defeated by state Rep. Steve Toth in March.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive Democrats pointed to several high-profile defeats as a sign of shifting voter priorities within the party. Rep. Adriano Espaillat of New York, who had chaired the Congressional Hispanic Caucus for nearly 18 months, lost to challenger Darializa Avila Chevalier by more than 3.5 points. Avila Chevalier, a democratic socialist backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, ran on a platform critical of deportations and criminal justice.
Rep. Dan Goldman of New York was defeated by former NYC Comptroller Brad Lander in the 10th Congressional District primary, losing by more than 30 points. Lander had support from Mamdani as well as Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. Goldman's support for Israel amid the Gaza war became a central line of attack from his opponent.
Rep. Al Green of Texas lost to challenger Christian Menafee in the Houston-based 18th Congressional District by more than 39 points in the May runoff after redistricting forced the longtime incumbent into a new district. Rep. Julie Johnson also fell to former Rep. Colin Allred in newly redrawn Texas districts that merged territory.
What the Numbers Show
Two sitting Republican senators have lost primaries this cycle: Cassidy and Cornyn represent only the fourth and fifth Senate incumbents to lose primaries since 2000, according to data from the University of Virginia's Center for Politics. In the House, at least six incumbents across both parties have been defeated.
Cornyn's 27-point loss to Paxton represents one of the largest primary margins for a sitting senator in recent memory. Menafee defeated Green by 39 points after redistricting combined Green's former territory with a district that favored his challenger. Avila Chevalier's 3.5-point win over Espaillat marked the first time an incumbent chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus has lost a primary.
The Cook Political Report rates all Republican-held seats from Tuesday's results as solidly Republican in November, while Allred is favored in Texas's newly drawn 33rd District.
The Bottom Line
Tuesday's results mark a significant shift in both parties' electoral landscapes. For Republicans, Trump's endorsement proved decisive against established incumbents who had previously opposed him. For Democrats, progressive challengers backed by outside groups and new Democratic leadership figures like Mamdani succeeded in ousting sitting members.
The November general election will now feature Paxton facing state Rep. James Talarico for Texas's open Senate seat, while Letlow awaits Saturday's runoff result to determine whether she faces Fleming or another challenger in the fall. House races in Kentucky and New York are expected to remain in Republican and Democratic hands respectively.