The first primaries of this election cycle are just days away. On March 3, voters in Texas and North Carolina will head to the polls. Then, two weeks later, Illinois voters will choose their nominees for November’s general election. These states present the only opportunity to add Black women to the Senate in 2026.
We are watching dozens of congressional and statewide candidates in these states. Let’s jump in.
🗓️The Downballot’s 2026 election calendar
US House Zoom on March 4
But first—meet Nancy Pelosi and competitive Incumbent House women on March 4. While our first priority at EWA is Senate and gubernatorial candidates, we also realize the importance of flipping the House this cycle. Thus, we are hosting a two-part Zoom series to support the most vulnerable House incumbents and then later this spring the non-incumbent red to blue candidates.
Road to 218: Protecting Women on the Frontlines
Featuring special guest Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi
With cohosts: CareGIVERS, Leadership Now PAC, Elect Democratic Women & the CleanTech Party
Wednesday, March 4, 2026 | 4 pm PT / 7 pm ET
RSVP HERE
Note: EWA prioritizes our in-person events, so if you have already contributed to one of these candidates through a local event, you are welcome to join the Zoom as a guest. You may also customize donations at checkout. To RSVP based on a prior contribution through a group event, please email Dani Musoff at dani@electingwomen.org
The Zoom will feature these seven highly vulnerable incumbents:
- Laura Gillen (NY-4)
- Marie Gluesenkamp Pérez (WA-3)
- Marcy Kaptur (OH-9)
- Susie Lee (NV-3)
- Kristen McDonald Rivet (MI-8)
- Nellie Pou (NJ-9)
- Emilia Sykes (OH-13)
US Senate: Texas and Illinois
Texas: Rep. Jasmine Crockett vs. TX state Rep. James Talarico
US Rep. Jasmine Crockett is locked in a tight primary with state Rep. James Talarico for this competitive nomination that will be decided next week. Current polling averages have Crockett ahead.
Talarico has been gaining steam in recent weeks after his appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert ignited a controversy regarding the FCC’s new equal time rules, which require all candidates in a race to be featured on a program. News and interview shows have traditionally been exempted, but FCC Chair Brendan Carr has decided to enforce it, a move likely to sow chaos in more races than this one.
According to December’s FEC reports, Talarico enters the final stretch with a cash-on-hand edge—$7.1 million versus $5.6 million for Crockett.
Illinois: Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton vs. Rep. Robin Kelly vs. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi
Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton has closed the polling gap against Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi for this open, safe D seat, though averages still have Krishnamoorthi ahead by low double-digits. Still, Stratton halving the gap in the span of two weeks shows major momentum, and makes her our best chance to put a woman in this seat. Kelly’s numbers have continued to hover in the high single-digits to low double-digits.
Fundraising is another matter. Krishnamoorthi heads into the primary with more than $15 million cash-on-hand, most of that transferred from his US House account. Both Stratton and Kelly have struggled to keep up; they are heading into next week with $1.1 million and $1.6 million cash-on-hand, respectively.
If you would like to make calls to Illinois for Lt. Gov. Stratton, you can sign up below:
Days: Every Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday
Time: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM CT
End Date: March 16
👉Sign up HERE
News Clips
New Ad, Juliana Stratton: They Said It [YouTube]
Pritzker drops $5M to boost Lt. Gov. Stratton in Senate race [Capitol News Illinois]
Texas Election Season Is Getting Spicy [NY Times]
Alsobrooks becomes first Senator to endorse Crockett in Texas Senate race [The Hill]
Tina Smith endorses Peggy Flanagan in Minnesota Senate race [Politico]
The Senate: A Couple of Rating Changes in Favor of Democrats [Sabato’s Crystal Ball]
US House: Texas, Illinois and North Carolina
Texas
- TX-15: Physician Ada Cuellar and musician Bobby Pulido are going head-to-head in this primary to take on incumbent US Rep. Monica De La Cruz. In a reflection of the US Senate race, Crockett has endorsed Cuellar while Talarico has endorsed Pulido, whose fame makes him far-and-away the favorite; current polls have him with 68 percent of the vote.
- TX-30: Barbara Mallory Caraway, a former state Representative, is the only woman in the race to fill Rep. Crockett’s open, safe D seat. Crockett has endorsed the man in this race, Frederick Haynes III, a pastor and former president and CEO of Rainbow/PUSH.
- TX-33: Incumbent Rep. Julie Johnson, who was redistricted from the current TX-32, is being challenged by former Rep. Colin Allred, who dropped out of the Senate race last year. She leads overwhelmingly in endorsements and fundraising though, alarmingly, the only poll conducted shows Allred receiving more than 50 percent of the vote.
- TX-35: This is a new district created by redistricting. It’s Republican leaning; Donald Trump would have won it with 54.6 percent and US Sen. Ted Cruz with 50.6 percent in 2024. Maureen Galindo, a mental health consultant and candidate for San Antonio City Council in 2025, is the most viable woman in this race. Businesswoman Whitney Masterson-Moyes is also running. The Texas AFL-CIO has co-endorsed the two men running: Bexar County Sheriff’s Deputy Johnny Garcia and former Marine John Lira.
North Carolina
- NC-4: Durham County Commissioner Nida Allam is challenging incumbent US Rep. Valerie Foushee in what will be an early test of what momentum exists among younger, more liberal voters to primary “establishment” Democrats.
- NC-7: Kimberly Hardy, a social worker, is the presumptive nominee for this competitive Republican-held seat. She will take on incumbent US Rep. David Rouzer in the fall. Hardy is endorsed by WomenCount partner Patriotic Millionaires.
- NC-11: Zelda Briarwood, a mental health specialist, is the only woman running for this competitive seat held by incumbent Republican Rep. Chuck Edwards. Jamie Ager, a farmer and grandson of former US Rep. Jamie Clarke, is the heavily endorsed favorite to win the nomination.
Illinois
- IL-2: Donna Miller, the Cook County commissioner, is the most competitive woman running for this open, safe D seat vacated by Rep. Robin Kelly. However, she recently lost a major endorser in US Rep. Jan Schakowsky over Miller’s ties to AIPAC. Former IL-2 Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.; state Sens. Robert Peters and Willie Preston; and Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Board member Yumeka Brown round out the field of competitive candidates, with Jackson leading polling by a wide margin.
- IL-4: Patty Garcia, chief of staff to retiring US Rep. Chuy García, is the only person running in this primary, due to Rep. García’s late retirement announcement and subsequent endorsement.
- IL-7: Melissa Conyears-Ervin, the Chicago treasurer, is the most competitive woman against the frontrunner, state Rep. La Shawn Ford for this open, safe Democratic seat being vacated by Rep. Danny Davis, who has endorsed Ford. Rounding out the competitive field are activist Kina Collins; former Cook County commissioner Richard Boykin; and SEIU Illinois Executive Director Anthony Driver Jr.
- IL-8: Yasmeen Bankole, a City of Hanover trustee, and former US Rep. Melissa Bean, are the only women in the crowded primary for this open, safe D seat being vacated by Rep. Krishnamoorthi. Bankole has a major endorser in retiring US Sen. Dick Durbin, though Bean leads in polling and has the endorsement of US Sen. Tammy Duckworth. Cook County commissioner Kevin Morrison and consultant Junaid Ahmed—who is endorsed by US Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren—are the most competitive men.
- IL-9: There are three competitive women in this primary to replace retiring US Rep. Schakowsky: Journalist Kat Abughazaleh; Skokie School District Board Member Bushra Amiwala; and state Sen. Laura Fine. However, the clear frontrunner is Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss, who has Schakowsky’s endorsement as well as Sen. Duckworth’s.
News Clips
DCCC Announces First Round of Candidates Named to Coveted 2026 ‘Red to Blue’ Program [DCCC]
The left’s next big test in N.C. [Punchbowl]
A Flood of Open House Seats—But Not Competitive Open Seats [Sabato’s Crystal Ball]
State & Local: Texas
Texas
Governor: State Rep. Gina Hinojosa is the clear frontrunner in this race, though she faces some competition from former US Rep. Chris Bell. Both US Rep. Jasmine Crocket and TX Rep. James Talarico have endorsed Hinojosa, as has every Democratic member of Texas’s congressional delegation. If she wins, she’ll face the current Gov. Greg Abbott, who is running for an unprecedented fourth term.
Comptroller: State Sen. Sarah Eckhardt is the only Democratic woman running for this technically open position. The acting comptroller, former state Sen. Kelly Hancock, was appointed after her predecessor resigned. Eckhardt is likely to win the primary, as she’s been endorsed by most of the state’s major Democratic political associations, but she’ll be an underdog to Hancock—who has been endorsed by Abbott—or state Sen. Don Huffines, who has the support of the state’s congressional delegation and major GOP organizations.
News Clips
California 2026 Poll: Hilton, Swalwell, Bianco Lead [Emerson College Polling]
New poll shows Benson pulling ahead as Duggan slips [Detroit Metro Times]
Cinde Warmington launches second bid for New Hampshire governor [NH Public Radio]