Incumbents defeated in state legislative elections, 2026

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Last updated on March 4, 2026
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There are 6,122 state legislative seats up for election on November 3, 2026, in 46 states. This page analyzes incumbents defeated in those elections. An incumbent may be defeated at two points in an election cycle: during a primary and during a general election.[1]

Three states—Arkansas, North Carolina, and Texas—have held state legislative primaries. In those states, 10 incumbents lost to primary challengers, 2.6% of incumbents who ran for re-election and 10.9% of contested incumbents. As of March 4, there were seven incumbents in uncalled races.

In 2026 primaries:

  • Three Democratic incumbents lost, 2.1% of the 142 Democratic incumbents who ran.
  • Seven Republican incumbents lost, 2.8% of the 250 Republican incumbents who ran.
  • The total number of incumbents defeated in primaries—10—was below the average of 16 since 2010 and represented a 50% decrease from 2024 in those states that have held primaries so far this year.

    • In 2026


    Click [show] on the table below to view primary incumbent defeat statistics by state in 2026. Hover over column headings to learn more about their contents.


    Historical comparison

    The chart below shows a partisan breakdown of incumbents defeated in primaries from 2010 to 2026.


    Click [show] on the table below to view primary incumbent defeat statistics by state from 2010 to 2026. Hover over column headings to learn more about their contents.

    List of defeated incumbents

    Click [show] on the header below to see a full list of incumbents defeated in primaries by state. Winners marked with (i) were incumbents from the same chamber.

    By state

    Overview

    Arkansas

    Primary defeats

    There are 117 seats up for election in Arkansas. Overall, 92 incumbents filed for re-election, including 15 Democrats and 77 Republicans. Of that total, one incumbent lost in primaries—a Republican—representing 1.1% of incumbents who filed for re-election.

    Statistics from 2026 are shown below. Hover over column headings to learn more about their contents.

    Incumbents defeated in primaries in Arkansas, 2026
    Chamber
    Democratic incumbents Republican incumbents Total incumbents
    Filed Cont. Def. % Filed Cont. Def. % Filed Cont. Def. %
    House 14 0 0 0.0% 66 6 0 0.0% 80 6 0 0.0%
    Senate 1 0 0 0.0% 11 3 1 9.1% 12 3 1 8.3%
    Total 15 0 0 0.0% 77 9 1 1.3% 92 9 1 1.1%

    Historical primary defeat statistics are shown below. Hover over column headings to learn more about their contents.

    Incumbents defeated in primaries in Arkansas, 2010-2026
    Year
    Democratic incumbents Republican incumbents Total incumbents
    Filed Cont. Def. % Filed Cont. Def. % Filed Cont. Def. %
    2010 42 3 1 2.4% 22 1 0 0.0% 64 4 1 1.6%
    2012 40 6 1 2.5% 48 6 1 2.1% 88 12 2 2.3%
    2014 44 1 1 2.3% 43 7 3 7.0% 87 8 4 4.6%
    2016 36 2 1 2.8% 66 8 1 1.5% 102 10 2 2.0%
    2018 21 4 0 0.0% 73 11 3 4.1% 95 15 3 3.2%
    2020 27 3 0 0.0% 80 8 2 2.5% 107 11 2 1.9%
    2022 22 3 0 0.0% 82 26 8 9.8% 104 29 8 7.7%
    2024 15 4 0 0.0% 90 6 0 0.0% 105 10 0 0.0%
    2026 15 0 0 0.0% 77 9 1 1.3% 92 9 1 1.1%

    North Carolina

    Primary defeats

    There are 170 seats up for election in North Carolina. Overall, 160 incumbents filed for re-election, including 68 Democrats and 92 Republicans. Of that total, eight incumbents lost in primaries—three Democrats and five Republicans—representing 5.0% of incumbents who filed for re-election.

    Statistics from 2026 are shown below. Hover over column headings to learn more about their contents.

    Incumbents defeated in primaries in North Carolina, 2026
    Chamber
    Democratic incumbents Republican incumbents Total incumbents
    Filed Cont. Def. % Filed Cont. Def. % Filed Cont. Def. %
    House 48 8 3 6.3% 63 22 4 6.3% 111 30 7 6.3%
    Senate 20 2 0 0.0% 29 7 1 3.4% 49 9 1 2.0%
    Total 68 10 3 4.4% 92 29 5 5.4% 160 39 8 5.0%

    Historical primary defeat statistics are shown below. Hover over column headings to learn more about their contents.

    Incumbents defeated in primaries in North Carolina, 2010-2026
    Year
    Democratic incumbents Republican incumbents Total incumbents
    Filed Cont. Def. % Filed Cont. Def. % Filed Cont. Def. %
    2010 88 24 4 4.5% 64 15 1 1.6% 152 39 5 3.3%
    2012 50 15 2 4.0% 77 22 5 6.5% 127 37 7 5.5%
    2014 54 9 2 3.7% 102 20 2 2.0% 156 29 4 2.6%
    2016 57 13 1 1.8% 93 18 1 1.1% 150 31 2 1.3%
    2018 57 11 3 5.3% 96 28 5 5.2% 153 39 8 5.2%
    2020 69 12 1 1.4% 75 12 1 1.3% 144 24 2 1.4%
    2022 56 9 2 3.6% 88 24 5 5.7% 144 33 7 4.9%
    2024 58 8 2 3.4% 91 11 2 2.2% 149 19 4 2.7%
    2026 68 10 3 4.4% 92 29 5 5.4% 160 39 8 5.0%

    Texas

    Primary defeats

    There are 166 seats up for election in Texas. Overall, 140 incumbents filed for re-election, including 59 Democrats and 81 Republicans. Of that total, one incumbent lost in primaries—a Republican—representing 0.7% of incumbents who filed for re-election.

    Statistics from 2026 are shown below. Hover over column headings to learn more about their contents.

    Incumbents defeated in primaries in Texas, 2026
    Chamber
    Democratic incumbents Republican incumbents Total incumbents
    Filed Cont. Def. % Filed Cont. Def. % Filed Cont. Def. %
    House 55 12 0 0.0% 74 29 1 1.4% 129 41 1 0.8%
    Senate 4 1 0 0.0% 7 2 0 0.0% 11 3 0 0.0%
    Total 59 13 0 0.0% 81 31 1 1.2% 140 44 1 0.7%

    Historical primary defeat statistics are shown below. Hover over column headings to learn more about their contents.

    Incumbents defeated in primaries in Texas, 2010-2026
    Year
    Democratic incumbents Republican incumbents Total incumbents
    Filed Cont. Def. % Filed Cont. Def. % Filed Cont. Def. %
    2010 75 8 4 5.3% 82 20 3 3.7% 157 28 7 4.5%
    2012 53 8 0 0.0% 94 43 11 11.7% 147 51 11 7.5%
    2014 57 11 2 3.5% 93 28 9 9.7% 150 39 11 7.3%
    2016 54 13 0 0.0% 95 33 5 5.3% 150 46 5 3.3%
    2018 57 17 5 8.8% 94 33 4 4.3% 151 50 9 6.0%
    2020 70 21 2 2.9% 85 11 2 2.4% 155 32 4 2.6%
    2022 68 13 1 1.5% 84 32 1 1.2% 152 45 2 1.3%
    2024 65 14 1 1.5% 83 46 15 18.1% 148 60 16 10.8%
    2026 59 13 0 0.0% 81 31 1 1.2% 140 44 1 0.7%

    See also

    Footnotes

    1. ↑ Incumbents may also be defeated in other nominating contests such as conventions. Ballotpedia counts an incumbent defeat in a convention as a defeat in a primary.
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