Where are the Democratic and Republican parties going next? Watch these primaries to find out

Hotly contested primaries for Congress and governor next year will not only choose new candidates for important midterm races, but also serve as early battlegrounds in the fight for the future of both parties, as Democrats and Republicans navigate with how to move forward after the 2024 election

Hotly contested primaries for Congress and governor next year will not only choose new candidates for important midterm races, but also serve as early battlegrounds in the fight for the future of both parties, as Democrats and Republicans navigate with how to move forward after the 2024 election.

Although Democrats have celebrated victories up and down the ballot this year, they are still searching for definition and direction after their 2024 loss to President Donald Trump. The party is divided over which strategies and ideologies to embrace, as well as the question of elevating and embracing a new generation of leaders at the expense of older, entrenched incumbents.

Republicans are also weighing what the future of their party should look like, following Trump’s takeover of the GOP. Loyalty to the president continues to define Republican contests, and some 2026 primaries will test whether Trump can exact revenge against Republicans who have crossed him. Others will test just how much Trump’s "Make America Great Again" movement is redefining the GOP.

All of those ideas and outcomes could play into the next presidential race, too. And there are plenty of ways in which next year’s primaries will also be early tests for leaders in both parties considering 2028 campaigns for the White House, with some already taking sides in key contests.

Here are the key themes to watch in the primaries as next year's midterm elections get going.