U.S. House battleground primaries, 2022

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Last updated: January 29, 2022
General elections are often the focal point of election-year media coverage as they determine control of elected offices up and down the ballot. Primary elections, however, can provide insight on future elections as they help dictate the direction each party takes.

Although many of the most competitive primaries take place for open seats or offices that are held by a different party, even high-ranking federal officeholders can lose renomination to primary challengers. In the 2014 primary for Virginia's 7th Congressional District, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R), ranked behind only then-Speaker John Boehner (R) in Republican House leadership, was defeated by economics professor Dave Brat (R).

On this page, you will find information on noteworthy and notable Republican and Democratic primaries that took place for the U.S. House in 2022. The page also includes information about notable top-two primaries for Republican and Democratic seats.

Ballotpedia identified 61 U.S. House battleground primaries in 2022.

Click here for information on Democratic Party battleground primaries for the U.S. House in 2022.
Click here for information on Republican Party battleground primaries for the U.S. House in 2022.

Click on the links below to learn more about general election battlegrounds by race type:

Criteria

It is typically difficult to predict how competitive primaries will be until after filing deadlines take place. However, Ballotpedia used a number of factors to give insight into the most interesting 2022 primary elections. Factors that were used to determine the competitiveness of primaries included:

Whether or not the seat was open (retiring or resigning incumbent)
Notable endorsements of multiple candidates
Significant fundraising from multiple candidates
Number of candidates
Incumbent's years in office (if seeking re-election)
Whether or not the district's general election was expected to be a battleground

U.S. House primaries

Democratic Party battleground primaries

There were 30 U.S. House Democratic battleground primaries in 2022.

The following map shows each state with a Democratic battleground primary for U.S. House in 2022. Hover over or tap a district to view the incumbent's name.

Republican Party battleground primaries

There were 30 U.S. House Republican battleground primaries in 2022.

The following map shows each state with a Republican battleground primary for U.S. House in 2022. Hover over or tap a district to view the incumbent's name.

Top-two primaries

See also: Top-two and top-four battleground primaries, 2022

There was 1 top-two battleground primaries for Republican-held seats in 2022.

California's 27th Congressional District election, 2022 (June 7 top-two primary)

Ballotpedia did not identify any top-two battleground primaries for Democratic-held seats in 2022.

California uses a top-two primary system, in which all candidates appear on the same ballot. The top two vote-getters, regardless of party affiliation, move on to the general election. In states that do not use a top-two system, all parties are usually able to put forward a candidate for the general election if they choose to.^[1]^[2]

Unlike the top-two format used in some states (Louisiana and Georgia special elections for example), a general election between the top-two candidates in California occurs regardless of whether the top candidate received 50% of the vote in the first round of elections.

As of June 2025, California was one of five states to use a top-two primary system, or a variation of the top-two system. See here for more information.

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

2020 U.S. House battlegrounds

See also: Republican Party battleground primaries, 2020, Democratic Party battleground primaries, 2020

Ballotpedia identified 90 U.S. House battleground primaries in 2020, including 53 Republican primaries and 37 Democratic primaries. To read more about the 2020 Republican Party battleground primaries, click here. To read more about the 2020 Democratic Party battleground primaries, click here.

Other election analysis

Federal elections

All 435 U.S. House seats and 34 U.S. Senate seats were up for regular elections in the 2022 elections. The seats of five of the six non-voting members of the U.S. House were up for election as well. Additionally, two U.S. Senate seats were up for special election on November 8, 2022.

Heading into the election, Democrats had a majority in the U.S. House. The Senate was split 50-50 and Vice-President Kamala Harris had the tie-breaking vote.

Following the elections, Democrats gained a net of one seat in the United States Senate, maintaining control of the chamber. Republicans held 49 seats following the elections, while Democrats held 48 seats and independents who caucus with Democrats held two. After the elections, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema announced she had changed her party affiliation from Democrat to independent.

In the U.S. House, Republicans gained a 222-213 majority.

United States House of Representatives

See also: United States House of Representatives elections, 2022

Elections to the U.S. House were held on November 8, 2022. The seats of all 435 representatives were up for election. The seats of five of the six non-voting members of the U.S. House were up for election as well.

As a result of the elections, Republicans gained a 222-213 majority.^[3]

Heading into the election, Democrats had a 220-212 majority. There were three vacancies. Republicans needed to gain a net of five districts to win a majority in the chamber. The party gained a net of nine districts.

Nine incumbents — six Democrats and three Republicans — were defeated.

The 2022 election was the first to take place following apportionment and redistricting after the 2020 census. As a result of apportionment, six states (Texas, Colorado, Florida, Montana, North Carolina, and Oregon) gained seats, and seven states (California, Illinois, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia) lost seats.

Featured analysis

Congressional margin of victory analysis: An electoral margin of victory (MOV) is the difference between the share of votes cast for the winning candidate and the runner-up in a single-seat election. In a multi-seat race, the MOV is the difference between the vote share received by the bottom-placing winning candidate and the top-placing losing candidate. Margins of victory can be used to measure electoral competitiveness, political party or candidate strength, and, indirectly, the popularity of a particular policy or set of policies. Congressional races in 2022, on average, were decided by a similar margin of victory (MOV) as in 2020. Relative to 2020, the average MOV increased in the Senate and in the House.
Rematches in 2022 general elections: An election rematch occurs when the same candidates run against each other in consecutive election cycles. In the 2022 general election, 340 elections in Ballotpedia's coverage scope were head-to-head rematches for single-seat offices between the same candidates who ran in 2020. Additionally, 37 elections in 2022 were head-to-head rematches for single-seat offices between the same candidates who ran in 2018.^[4]

United States Senate

See also: United States Senate elections, 2022

Elections to the U.S. Senate were held on November 8, 2022, and 34 of the 100 seats were up for regular election. Those elected to the U.S. Senate in the 34 regular elections in 2022 began their six-year terms on January 3, 2023. Two special elections also took place on November 8, 2022.

Heading into the 2022 general election, Democrats and Republicans split the chamber 50-50 and Harris, the vice president, had the tie-breaking vote. Democrats controlled the Senate via a power-sharing agreement.

As a result of the elections, Democrats retained control of the U.S. Senate, gaining 51 seats to Republicans' 49.^[5]

Democrats gained a seat Republicans formerly held, as John Fetterman (D) defeated Mehmet Oz (R) in the U.S. Senate election in Pennsylvania. Incumbent Senator Pat Toomey (R) did not seek re-election.

Fourteen seats held by Democrats and 21^[6] seats held by Republicans were up for election in 2022.

Featured analysis

Annual Congressional Competitiveness Report: Ballotpedia's 2022 study of competitiveness in congressional elections found that 14.3% of incumbent U.S. senators and representatives did not file for re-election. This was up from 9.6% in 2020 and 11.8% in 2018.
Presidential election results in 2022 Senate states: Republicans were defending two Senate seats in states Joe Biden (D) won in the 2020 presidential election. In Pennsylvania, where incumbent Pat Toomey did not seek re-election, Biden defeated Donald Trump (R) 50.0%-48.8% in 2020. In Wisconsin, where incumbent Ron Johnson sought re-election, Biden defeated Trump 49.5%-48.8%. Democrats were not defending any Senate seats in states Trump won in 2020.

Footnotes

↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Primary Election Types," accessed August 13, 2024
↑ California Secretary of State, "Primary Elections in California," accessed August 13, 2024
↑ These figures include the seat of Rep. Donald McEachin (D), who passed away on November 28, after winning re-election.
↑ This number only includes races for offices with four-year term lengths.
↑ On December 9, 2022, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema announced she had changed her party affiliation from Democrat to independent. Politico reported that Sinema would not caucus with Republicans, and said she intended "to vote the same way she [had] for four years in the Senate."Politico, "Sinema switches to independent, shaking up the Senate," December 9, 2022
↑ This number includes Sen. Jim Inhofe's (R-Okla.) seat, up for a special election on November 8, 2022.

[1] National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Primary Election Types," accessed August 13, 2024

[2] California Secretary of State, "Primary Elections in California," accessed August 13, 2024

[3] These figures include the seat of Rep. Donald McEachin (D), who passed away on November 28, after winning re-election.

[4] This number only includes races for offices with four-year term lengths.

[5] On December 9, 2022, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema announced she had changed her party affiliation from Democrat to independent. Politico reported that Sinema would not caucus with Republicans, and said she intended "to vote the same way she [had] for four years in the Senate."Politico, "Sinema switches to independent, shaking up the Senate," December 9, 2022

[6] This number includes Sen. Jim Inhofe's (R-Okla.) seat, up for a special election on November 8, 2022.

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U.S. House battleground primaries, 2022

Contents

Criteria

U.S. House primaries

Democratic Party battleground primaries

Republican Party battleground primaries

Top-two primaries

2020 U.S. House battlegrounds

Other election analysis

Federal elections

United States House of Representatives

Featured analysis

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United States Senate

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