The 2026 primaries have officially kicked off in Texas, North Carolina and Arkansas, with American voters deciding which candidates will represent the major Republican and Democratic parties in the November midterm elections.

The polls opened four days after the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran, sparking a regional war that has seen Iran launch retaliatory strikes across the Middle East. The battle is over hundreds of people diedincluding at least 787 Iranians, six members of the US military and several civilians in the Gulf.

At the same time, the war touches on several issues expected to dominate the U.S. midterm elections, with Democrats raising concerns about America’s affordability and Republicans seeking to combine President Donald Trump’s “America first” vow with the latest military adventurism.

Tuesday’s election results will provide an early boost to American voters ahead of midterm votes that will determine whether Republicans can maintain their slim control of the U.S. House and Senate.

One of the biggest tests will be in Texas, where Democrats have long hoped to win statewide office, something they haven’t done since 1994.

Some political observers believe that Democratic candidate James Talarico, positioning himself as a Christian liberal and centrist seeking to speak directly to Trump’s voters, while Republican challenger Ken Paxton closely follows Trump, may give Democrats the best chance of winning a seat in the U.S. Senate.

Talarico, a seminary student who has taken a cautious approach to the war with Iran, posted after Saturday’s attack: “No more forever wars,” referring to Trump’s own war campaign promises.

Later in his speech, Talarico mentioned members of the U.S. military who have died since the war began but avoided delving into the politically charged topic.

His primary rival in the Senate race, Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett, has taken a more confrontational approach, in line with the fierce, blunt style she says Democrats need in the Trump era.

“The question is, how many more lives have to be lost before people heed these warnings?” she said in a video responding to the attacks, noting the state’s large number of U.S. military veterans.

“This president has engaged in lawless behavior since the day he took office, and unfortunately, we — we Americans — are going to suffer.”

Paxton, the current attorney general of Texas, defended Trump’s attacks, but with an apparent eye on the growing unrest over Trump’s Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement. In the final stretch of the campaign, he assured reporters that Trump was seeking a quick end to the fight.

“He wanted to get it over with,” he said.

Current Sen. John Cornyn also said he was satisfied with Trump’s rationale for the attack, with the president describing Iran’s ballistic and nuclear capabilities as imminent threat He offered little evidence for the U.S. claims.

“It takes a lot of political courage because these things are easier to start than to end,” Cornyn said in a “Face the Nation” interview published Monday.

Test the party’s direction

To be sure, the war overlays rather than changes many of the issues that have dominated the campaign under the Trump administration, including cost of living, immigration, artificial intelligence, housing, health care and civil rights.

In North Carolina, progressive candidate Nida Allam was quick to tie the war to the support her opponent, incumbent Rep. Valerie Foushee, has received from defense contractors and an artificial intelligence super PAC, as well as past support she has received from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).

The issue dovetails with Alam’s opposition to building artificial intelligence data centers in her district in what has become the most expensive race in state history.

In an ad released on Monday, Alam focuses on bombing She described herself as a “proudly uncompromising, pro-peace leader” after a massacre at a girls’ school in Minab, Iran, killed at least 165 people.

Meanwhile, Fauci co-sponsored legislation to limit Trump’s ability to strike Iran, accusing the president of “violating the Constitution and risking another endless war without clear goals and an exit strategy.”

Both parties will also select their candidates to run for the Senate seat left vacant by retiring Republican Thom Tillis. Democrats are hoping for chaos in the so-called “purple” state in November. The Democratic and Republican parties are roughly equally divided.

Former Gov. Roy Cooper warned that “another costly, drawn-out war would put our military at risk and divert our attention and resources away from domestic needs.” He is considered the front-runner in a crowded Democratic primary that also includes five other candidates.

On the Republican side, former Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Wortley, who has been endorsed by Trump and has vowed to continue to serve as the president’s “Senate ally”, is expected to win the six Republican races.

A wave of Democratic voters on Tuesday will be a sign of strength heading into the November polls.

The opposition typically performs well in U.S. midterm elections, with polls showing frustration with Trump’s immigration policies, his management of the U.S. economy and his military actions in Venezuela and, most recently, Iran.

Republicans try to seize Trump’s chance Claiming policy success The first term expanded presidential norms and transformed government.

Also being closely watched is the race between Texas Rep. Al Green, 78, and Rep. Christian Menefee, 37. Al Green was kicked out of Trump’s State of the Union address earlier this month for holding a sign accusing the president of racism.

After the latest round of elections, two incumbents were forced to compete for the Democratic seat. congressional redistricting in the state.

Another sign of Trump’s continued control of the party’s power could be the Texas race between Republican Rep. Dan Crenshaw and challenger, state Rep. Steve Toth.

Crenshaw has been an outspoken supporter of many of Trump’s policies, including his decision to go to war with Iran, but he has also been critical of several figures close to the president.

He is the only Republican House member from Texas not endorsed by Trump.