A new year brings a new primary election calendar. To celebrate 2022, we’re presenting a full schedule of this year’s primary election dates.
For each date, there’s a preview of some of the more competitive primaries we’re expecting. If you have any suggestions for contests we missed, feel free to let us know. We hope you’ll come back to this list, over and over, as the year progresses.
March 1: Texas
Incumbent Governor Greg Abbott seeks to fend off two long-shot primary challengers on his right. There are also, due to redistricting and retirements, three open congressional seats: the competitive 15th, the heavily Democratic 34th and the ruby red 38th.
May 3: Indiana, Ohio
The Republican primary for the seat of retiring Senator Rob Portman is already one of the highest-profile inter-party contests, with bestselling author J.D. Vance and former State Treasurer Josh Mandel leading a crowded field. Elsewhere on the ballot, former Rep. Jim Renacci is challenging GOP Governor Mike DeWine, while Mayors John Cranley and Nan Whaley fight for the Democratic nomination. Additionally, Congresswoman Shontel Brown is expecting a re-match with progressive firebrand Nina Turner.
May 10: Nebraska, West Virginia
In West Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District, the latest round of redistricting has forced an Incumbent vs Incumbent battle between Congressmen David McKinley and Alex Mooney. Mooney, the younger and more conservative of the two, has already secured the support of Donald Trump. Over in the Nebraska Governor’s race, Trump’s also put his thumb on the scale for Charles Herbster in the crowded open GOP primary.
May 17: Idaho, Kentucky, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania
This is one to circle on your calendars. In the Keystone State, Lt. Governor John Fetterman and Rep. Connor Lamb are battling for the Democratic nomination for PA’s open Senate seat. On the other side, Dr. Oz and David McCormick are each making late entrances into the Republican primary. The more chaotic GOP contest, however, is probably the Governor’s race.
North Carolina’s former Governor Pat McCrory will face off against Trump-backed Rep. Ted Budd in the GOP primary for the open Senate seat. Over on the West coast, New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof is seeking the Democratic nomination for the Oregon Governorship against State House Speaker Tina Kotek. In next-door Idaho, the controversial Lt. Governor Janice McGeachin is challenging incumbent Brad Little.
On top of all that, due to reapportionment North Carolina and Oregon are both getting a new House seat while Pennsylvania is losing one. Finally, with PA’s map yet to be finalized, there may be even more races to watch by the time May 17th rolls around.
May 24: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Texas Runoff
Speaking of high-profile Republican primaries where a Trump-backed insurgent is running against an establishment candidate, we have three more coming on May 24th. The first concerns former Senator David Perdue’s challenge to Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, and the second, former NFL player Herschel Walker’s Georgia Senate contest with Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black. The third such race, in neighboring Alabama, features Rep. Mo Brooks’ effort against retiring Sen. Richard Shelby’s Chief of Staff Katie Britt.
Meanwhile, Democratic Reps. Lucy McBath and Carolyn Bourdeaux are on a collision course thanks to Republican maps that aim to draw them both into a single district.
June 7: California, Iowa, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, South Dakota
California will get most of the attention on this day, with their new Congressional map leading to wide open contests in the Republican 5th district and Democratic 42nd district. Meanwhile, Montana is getting a second Congressional seat that’s attracting numerous candidates. The GOP is coalescing behind former Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, as Democrats back Olympian Monica Tranel.
June 14: Maine, North Dakota, Nevada, South Carolina
The most competitive race on this date should be the Republican primary to decide who will seek to dethrone Steve Sisolak, Democratic Governor of Nevada. Former Senator Dean Heller, Sheriff Joe Lombardo, City Councillor Michele Fiore and former professional boxer Joey Gilbert lead the colorful crop of candidates.
June 21: Alabama Runoff, Arkansas Runoff, District of Columbia, Georgia Runoff, Virginia
The biggest question for June 21st is how many of those May 24th contests will require a run-off. The less exciting the latter ends up, the more exciting the former will be.
June 28: Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, New York, Oklahoma, South Carolina Runoff, Utah
For a time, the New York Gubernatorial Democratic primary looked like it was going to be the top primary of the year. New incumbent Kathy Hochul, however, impressed Attorney General Tish James enough for James to drop out of the race. Nevertheless, Hochul will still have to defeat Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, Rep. Thomas Souzzi and Mayor Bill de Blasio.
Over in the Land of Lincoln, Illinois looks like it will host two separate incumbent Congressional battles. In the 6th district, Democrat Reps. Sean Casten and Marie Newman are due to go head-to-head, while GOP Reps. Mike Bost and Mary Miller are likely to clash in the 12th district.
Finally, a diverse group of Democrats are looking to flip the Maryland Governorships after Larry Hogan’s retirement. Former DNC Chair Tom Perez is the most notable name, but by no means did he clear the field.
July 26: North Carolina Runoff
If the McCrory-Budd match-up goes to this run-off, it should draw the attention of the entire political media.
August 2: Arizona, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, Washington
Arizona, with two competitive statewide Republican primaries, is set to be the main event on August 2nd. In the Governor’s race, several officeholders endorsed former Rep. Matt Salmon, yet Trump threw his support behind TV anchor Kari Lake. Over in the Senate contest, Attorney General Mark Brnovich leads the field with Blake Masters (and his employer Peter Thiel) posing a major threat.
Another race to watch is the Democratic primary for Michigan’s 11th Congressional District, which will feature another incumbent vs. incumbent match-up, as Reps. Andy Levin and Haley Stevens are both fighting to win this suburban Detroit seat.
August 4: Tennessee
A number of prominent left-wing groups are seeking to primary Democratic Rep. Jim Cooper out of his Nashville seat and replace him with activist Odessa Kelly. Meanwhile, pulmonologist Jason Martin will take on Memphis City Councilman JB Smiley Jr for the Democratic nomination, and the right to take on incumbent Republican Governor Bill Lee.
August 6: Virgin Islands
Stacey Plaskett, who made history as one of the House managers for the second Trump impeachment trial, will seek another term as House delegate. Bet you didn’t expect anything for the Virgin Islands, did you? Well, here’s another tidbit: Incumbent Democratic Governor Albert Bryan is also expected to run for a second term.
August 9: Connecticut, Minnesota, Vermont, Wisconsin
There’s a slew of Democrats hoping to take on Republican Senator Ron Johnson, chief among them Lt. Governor Mandela Barnes and Milwaukee Bucks Senior VP Alex Lasry. Meanwhile, Donald Trump threw a wrench in the plans of the Wisconsin GOP, who want former Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch as the Gubernatorial nominee, by urging former Rep. Sean Duffy to make a run.
Meanwhile in Minnesota, a pair of Republican State Senators, Michelle Benson and Paul Gazelka, are set to duel for the right to take on Democratic Governor Tim Walz.
August 13: Hawaii
With incumbent Democratic Governor David Ige term-limited, Lt. Governor Josh Green is the favorite to replace him. First, though, Green will have to fend off primary challenges from former First Lady Vicky Cayetano and former Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell.
August 16: Alaska, South Dakota Runoff, Wyoming
August 16th brings us a pair of high-profile Republican primaries where Donald Trump is seeking revenge on two GOP women who voted in favor of his impeachment. In fact, Trump got the Alaska Republican Party to endorse challenger Kelly Tshibaka over Senator Lisa Murkowski. He also got most of Wyoming’s local legislators to back Harriet Hageman over Liz Cheney. As a result, these contests are simply must-wins for the Never-Trump wing of the party.
August 23: Florida, Mississippi Runoff, Oklahoma Runoff
Even though we still don’t know what Florida’s new Congressional map will look like, we can nevertheless be sure that they’ll have two major statewide Democratic primaries. In the Senate race, Rep. Val Demings has the advantage over a field including Miami City Commissioner Ken Russell and former Rep. Alan Grayson. In the Governor’s race, there’s a much more competitive contest between former Governor Charlie Crist and Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried.
August 27: Guam
Sure, we’ve been doing this for a while, so why not, let’s do Guam too. Turns out Guam’s House delegate, Michael San Nicolas, is publicly weighing a primary challenge against incumbent Democratic Governor Lou Leon Guerrero.
September 13: Delaware, New Hampshire, Rhode Island
True to type, New Hampshire has a bunch of primaries worth watching. For instance, a half dozen Democrats are weighing campaigns in the hope of taking on popular Republican incumbent Governor Chris Sununu (the Sununus are political royalty in the Granite State). There’s also a healthy field of Republicans vying for the nomination in NH’s competitive 1st Congressional District.
Elsewhere in New England, Rhode Island’s interim Incumbent Democratic Governor Dan McKee is looking to win a term in his own right. To do so, he’ll first need to win the nomination over opponents like Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea and Treasurer Seth Magaziner.
September 20: Massachusetts
Look, we finally made it! The Bay State will be replacing retiring Republican Governor Charlie Baker, presenting Democrats with a golden opportunity to at last win back the Governorship in this deep blue territory. State Senator Sonia Chang-Diaz will take on Harvard professor Danielle Allen for this right, although the possibility remains that Attorney General Maura Healey could also jump in.
Nick Field (@nick_field90)) is a contributor to Decision Desk HQ.