Here are the key dates ahead in the 2022 midterm elections, as Democrats try to hold onto and even expand razor-thin majorities in the U.S. House and Senate and Republicans weigh the influence of former President Donald Trump.
July 19 — Maryland
The race for governor is open as Republican Larry Hogan is term-limited. Seeking to succeed him in the deeply Democratic state are 10 Democratic candidates, including two former members of the Obama Cabinet: Labor Secretary Tom Perez and Education Secretary John King.
Aug. 2 — Arizona, Michigan, Missouri, Kansas and Washington
Arizona — The Republican Senate primary pits state Attorney General Mark Brnovich against Blake Masters, who is backed by billionaire Peter Thiel, and businessman Jim Lamon. The winner will face Democratic Senator and former astronaut Mark Kelly who has also been critical of President Joe Biden. Trump has not endorsed anyone in the GOP race.
Michigan — Incumbent Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer is likely to win another term. Republicans are fractured between former Detroit police chief James Craig, businessman Perry Johnson and Garrett Soldano, a chiropractor who led protests against Whitmer's coronavirus policies. Republican Representative Peter Meijer faces a primary challenge with Trump-backed John Gibbs after being openly critical of the former president.
Missouri — The primary to replace retiring Republican Senator Roy Blunt includes former Governor Eric Greitens, who resigned from office in 2018 due to sexual misconduct allegations — and now faces allegations of child abuse — and Representative Billy Long. On the Democratic side, one of the candidates is Anheuser-Busch heiress Trudy Busch Valentine.
Aug. 4 — Tennessee
Incumbent Democratic Representative Jim Cooper, who served for more than three decades, announced his retirement after his Nashville district was redrawn from favoring Democrats by 9 points to favoring Republicans by 15. Beth Harwell, the former Tennessee state House speaker is expected to win on the Republican side after two candidates, including Trump State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus, were removed from the ballot.
Aug. 9 — Wisconsin, Connecticut, Minnesota and Vermont
Wisconsin — Republican Senator Ron Johnson is considered one of the most endangered Republican incumbents. The Democrats vying to replace him include Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes, state Treasurer Sarah Godlewski and Alex Lasry, an executive with the NBA Milwaukee Bucks and son of team owner Marc Lasry, a venture capitalist. Democratic Governor Tony Evers barely won in 2018 and will have a tough battle for re-election in a year that is favoring Republicans. Rebecca Kleefisch, a former lieutenant governor, is favored to win the GOP nomination.
Connecticut — Governor Ned Lamont and Senator Richard Blumenthal face minimal opposition in this heavily Democratic state.
Minnesota — A slew of candidates from both parties are vying to fill the 1st District seat left vacant by the death of Republican Representative Jim Hagedorn, though it’s favored to stay in GOP hands. Meanwhile, eight Republicans are seeking the nomination to take on Democratic Governor Tim Walz.
Vermont — Representative Peter Welch holds an early lead for the Democratic nomination to fill the seat of retiring Senator Patrick Leahy.
Aug. 13 — Hawaii
Senator Brian Schatz appears poised to keep the seat in Democratic hands.
Aug. 16 — Wyoming, Alaska
Wyoming — The only House race in the sparsely populated state is also one of the nation’s most closely watched as Representative Liz Cheney fends off Trump-backed backlash for her work on the committee investigating Trump’s role in the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection.
Alaska — The single House race in Alaska, to replace the late Don Young, features a possible comeback for 2008 vice presidential nominee and former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, who is hoping the political brand she pioneered will return her to office. Senator Lisa Murkowski is facing a primary challenge by Kelly Tshibaka, who was endorsed by Trump because of Murkowski's vote to convict him in his second impeachment trial.
Aug. 23 — Florida, New York
Florida — Republican incumbent Senator Marco Rubio will likely face Representative Val Demings in a hotly contested election in November. The governorship is also on the ballot but incumbent Republican Ron DeSantis is not facing serious opposition. Democrats will choose between Representative Charlie Crist, who is favored, state Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and state Senator Annette Taddeo.
New York — A last-minute redistricting ruling has led to the rescheduling of New York congressional primaries. Two long-serving representatives are slated to face off in the 12th District: Jerry Nadler and Carolyn Maloney.
Sept. 6 — Massachusetts
Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey has opened up a wide lead in the Democratic primary for governor and is favored to succeed retiring Republican Governor Charlie Baker.
Sept. 13 — Delaware, New Hampshire, Rhode Island
Delaware — Delaware only has one congressional district, and incumbent Democratic Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester is favored to win in the president’s home state.
New Hampshire — New Hampshire’s Republican primary to challenge incumbent Democratic Senator Maggie Hassan includes Harvard University lecturer and founder of Kelan Capital LLC Vikram Mansharaman, state Senator Chuck Morse, and former executive director of the Bitcoin Foundation, Bruce Fenton.
Rhode Island — Incumbent Representative David Cicilline is expected to be re-elected. Redistricting slightly changed the makeup of the 2nd District, though it's still expected to stay Democratic. Jim Langevin, the incumbent, isn't seeking re-election and several candidates are running including Sarah Morgenthau, a U.S. Commerce Department official, state General Treasurer Seth Magaziner, journalist Omar Bah and former state Representative David Segal.
Nov. 8
— General Election Day
Louisiana — The state holds a hybrid primary where all candidates are listed on the ballot for each seat. The winner is whoever gets a simple majority, but if no candidate breaks 50%, the race goes into a runoff on Dec. 10. It's unlikely any will, as no incumbent is facing serious opposition. Incumbent Republican Senator John Kennedy can expect to keep his seat.
