Democrats are on the defensive in Washington, where they face an uphill battle to maintain or grow their narrow majorities in the House and Senate. Republicans, meanwhile, believe they are well-positioned to capitalize on frustration over the ongoing pandemic and bring divided government to the US Capitol in 2023.
As the primary calendar heats up, both parties are also poised for intense internal fights over their political directions.
Democrats are in the midst of a familiar but pointed debate between rival party factions that has been crystallized by the party’s failure, so far, to pass the centerpiece of Biden’s agenda.
For Republicans, the stakes are different — and, in many ways, much higher.
In GOP nominating contests across the country, up and down the ballot, the usual issues are largely taking a backseat to basic questions about democracy and whether the Republicans candidates are willing to acknowledge Trump’s 2020 loss and to defend the democratic process.
The first round of primaries begin on March 1 in Texas. Nominees will be decided in big contests on May 3, when Ohio goes to the polls, and two weeks later as Pennsylvania and North Carolina vote: All three states, like Alabama (May 24), Missouri (August 2) and Vermont (August 9) are going to fill open Senate seats.
There will also be an unusual amount of attention paid this year to state legislative races. Even below key contests for governor and statewide offices like attorney general and secretary of state — the winners of which will have a large role in running the next presidential election — local elections in 2022 could determine the future of democracy for a generation.
Some of these dates will change as the redistricting process continues.
Tuesday, March 1
Tuesday, April 5
- CA-22 special primary
Tuesday, May 3
- Indiana
- Ohio
Tuesday, May 10
- Nebraska
- West Virginia
Tuesday, May 17
- Idaho
- Kentucky
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- North Carolina
Tuesday, May 24
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Georgia
- Texas (runoff)
Tuesday, June 7
- California
- Iowa
- Mississippi
- Montana
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- South Dakota
- CA-22 special general (if necessary)
Tuesday, June 14
- Maine
- Nevada
- North Dakota
- South Carolina
Tuesday, June 21
- District of Columbia
- Virginia
- Alabama (runoff)
- Arkansas (runoff)
- Georgia (runoff)
Tuesday, June 28
- Colorado
- Illinois
- Maryland
- New York
- Oklahoma
- Utah
- Mississippi (runoff)
- South Carolina (runoff)
Tuesday, July 26
- North Carolina (runoff)
Tuesday, August 2
- Arizona
- Kansas
- Michigan
- Missouri
- Washington
Thursday, August 4
Tuesday, August 9
- Connecticut
- Minnesota
- Vermont
- Wisconsin
Saturday, August 13
Tuesday, August 16
- Alaska
- Wyoming
- South Dakota (runoff)
Tuesday, August 23
- Florida
- Oklahoma (runoff)
Tuesday, September 6
- Massachusetts
Tuesday, September 13
- Delaware
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
Tuesday, November 8
- Election Day
- Louisiana (open primaries)
Tuesday, December 6
- Georgia runoffs
Saturday, December 10
- Louisiana runoffs
