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United States Senate election in Delaware, 2026

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U.S. Senate, Delaware
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Democratic primary
Republican primary
General election
Election details
Filing deadline: July 14, 2026
Primary: September 15, 2026
General: November 3, 2026
How to vote
Poll times:

7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Voting in Delaware

Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Solid Democratic
DDHQ and The Hill: Pending
Inside Elections: Solid Democratic
Sabato's Crystal Ball: Safe Democratic
Ballotpedia analysis
U.S. Senate battlegrounds
U.S. House battlegrounds
Federal and state primary competitiveness
Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2026
See also
U.S. Senate, Delaware
U.S. Senate • At-large
Delaware elections, 2026
U.S. Congress elections, 2026
U.S. Senate elections, 2026
U.S. House elections, 2026

Voters in Delaware will elect one member to the U.S. Senate in the general election on November 3, 2026. The primary is September 15, 2026. The filing deadline is July 14, 2026. The election will fill the Class II Senate seat held by Chris Coons (D), who first took office in 2010. For more information about the primaries in this election, click on the links below:

Candidates and election results

Note: The following list includes official candidates only. Ballotpedia defines official candidates as people who:

  • Register with a federal or state campaign finance agency before the candidate filing deadline
  • Appear on candidate lists released by government election agencies

General election

The primary will occur on September 15, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. General election candidates will be added here following the primary.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Delaware

Incumbent Chris Coons is running in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Delaware on September 15, 2026.

Candidate
Image of Chris Coons
Chris Coons

Incumbents are bolded and underlined.

Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Candidate profiles

There are currently no candidate profiles created for this race. Candidate profiles will appear here as they are created. Encourage the candidates in this race to complete Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey so that their profile will appear here.

Voting information

See also: Voting in Delaware

Ballotpedia will publish the dates and deadlines related to this election as they are made available.

Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses

Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

No candidate in this race has completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Ballotpedia is seeking 100 percent participation so voters can learn more about all the candidates on their ballots.


Campaign finance

Name Party Receipts* Disbursements** Cash on hand Date
Chris Coons Democratic Party $4,714,517 $3,038,679 $3,516,352 As of September 30, 2025

Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2026. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

* According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee."
** According to the FEC, a disbursement "is a purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit or gift of money or anything of value to influence a federal election," plus other kinds of payments not made to influence a federal election.

General election race ratings

See also: Race rating definitions and methods

Ballotpedia provides race ratings from four outlets: The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, Sabato's Crystal Ball, and DDHQ/The Hill. Each race rating indicates if one party is perceived to have an advantage in the race and, if so, the degree of advantage:

  • Safe and Solid ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge and the race is not competitive.
  • Likely ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge, but an upset is possible.
  • Lean ratings indicate that one party has a small edge, but the race is competitive.[1]
  • Toss-up ratings indicate that neither party has an advantage.

Race ratings are informed by a number of factors, including polling, candidate quality, and election result history in the race's district or state.[2][3][4]

Race ratings: U.S. Senate election in Delaware, 2026
Race trackerRace ratings
11/18/202511/11/202511/4/202510/28/2025
The Cook Political Report with Amy WalterSolid DemocraticSolid DemocraticSolid DemocraticSolid Democratic
Decision Desk HQ and The HillPendingPendingPendingPending
Inside Elections with Nathan L. GonzalesSolid DemocraticSolid DemocraticSolid DemocraticSolid Democratic
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal BallSafe DemocraticSafe DemocraticSafe DemocraticSafe Democratic
Note: Ballotpedia reviews external race ratings every week throughout the election season and posts weekly updates even if the media outlets have not revised their ratings during that week.

Ballot access

The table below details filing requirements for U.S. Senate candidates in Delaware in the 2026 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Delaware, click here.

Filing requirements for U.S. Senate candidates, 2026
State Office Party Signatures required Filing fee Filing deadline Source
Delaware U.S. Senate Ballot-qualified party N/A $10,440 7/14/2026 Source
Delaware U.S. Senate Unaffiliated 1% of all eligible voters N/A 9/1/2026 Source


Election history

The section below details election results for this state's U.S. Senate elections dating back to 2018.

2024

See also: United States Senate election in Delaware, 2024

General election
General election for U.S. Senate Delaware

Lisa Blunt Rochester defeated Eric Hansen and Michael Katz in the general election for U.S. Senate Delaware on November 5, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Lisa Blunt Rochester
Lisa Blunt Rochester (D)
 
56.6
 
283,298
Image of Eric Hansen
Eric Hansen (R) Candidate Connection
 
39.5
 
197,753
Image of Michael Katz
Michael Katz (Independent Party)
 
3.9
 
19,555

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 500,606
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

The Democratic primary election was canceled. Lisa Blunt Rochester advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Delaware.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
Republican primary election

The Republican primary election was canceled. Eric Hansen advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. Senate Delaware.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

2020

General election

General election for U.S. Senate Delaware

Incumbent Chris Coons defeated Lauren Witzke, Mark Turley, and Nadine Frost in the general election for U.S. Senate Delaware on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Chris Coons
Chris Coons (D)
 
59.4
 
291,804
Image of Lauren Witzke
Lauren Witzke (R) Candidate Connection
 
37.9
 
186,054
Image of Mark Turley
Mark Turley (Independent Party) Candidate Connection
 
1.6
 
7,833
Image of Nadine Frost
Nadine Frost (L)
 
1.1
 
5,244

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 490,935
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Delaware

Incumbent Chris Coons defeated Jessica Scarane in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Delaware on September 15, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Chris Coons
Chris Coons
 
72.9
 
87,332
Image of Jessica Scarane
Jessica Scarane Candidate Connection
 
27.1
 
32,547

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 119,879
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. Senate Delaware

Lauren Witzke defeated James DeMartino in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate Delaware on September 15, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Lauren Witzke
Lauren Witzke Candidate Connection
 
56.9
 
30,702
Image of James DeMartino
James DeMartino Candidate Connection
 
43.1
 
23,266

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 53,968
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2018

General election

General election for U.S. Senate Delaware

Incumbent Tom Carper defeated Robert Arlett, Demitri Theodoropoulos, and Nadine Frost in the general election for U.S. Senate Delaware on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Tom Carper
Tom Carper (D)
 
60.0
 
217,385
Image of Robert Arlett
Robert Arlett (R) Candidate Connection
 
37.8
 
137,127
Image of Demitri Theodoropoulos
Demitri Theodoropoulos (G)
 
1.2
 
4,170
Image of Nadine Frost
Nadine Frost (L)
 
1.1
 
3,910

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 362,592
(100.00% precincts reporting)
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.



Election analysis

Click the tabs below to view information about demographics, past elections, and partisan control of the state.

  • Presidential elections - Information about presidential elections in the state.
  • Statewide elections - Information about recent U.S. Senate and gubernatorial elections in the state.
  • State partisanship - The partisan makeup of the state's congressional delegation and state government.
  • Demographics - Information about the state's demographics and how they compare to the country as a whole.


See also: Presidential voting trends in Delaware and The Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index

Cook PVI by congressional district

Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index for Delaware, 2026
District Incumbent PVI
Delaware's At-Large Sarah McBride D+8

2024 presidential results by 2026 congressional district lines

2024 presidential results in congressional districts, Delaware
District Kamala Harris Democratic Party Donald Trump Republican Party
Delaware's At-Large 57.0% 42.0%
Source: The Downballot

2016-2024

How a state's counties vote in a presidential election and the size of those counties can provide additional insights into election outcomes at other levels of government including statewide and congressional races. Below, four categories are used to describe each county's voting pattern over the 2016, 2020, and 2024 presidential elections: Solid, Trending, Battleground, and New. Click [show] on the table below for examples:


Following the 2024 presidential election, 56.1% of Delawareans lived in one of the state's 1 Solid Democratic counties, which voted for the Democratic presidential candidate in every election from 2016 to 2024, and 25.5% lived in one of 1 Solid Republican counties. Overall, Delaware was Solid Democratic, having voted for Hillary Clinton (D) in 2016, Joe Biden (D) in 2020, and Kamala Harris (D) in 2024. Use the table below to view the total number of each type of county in Delaware following the 2024 election as well as the overall percentage of the state population located in each county type.

Historical voting trends

Delaware presidential election results (1900-2024)

  • 16 Democratic wins
  • 16 Republican wins
Year 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024
Winning Party R R R D R R R R R D D D R R R D D R R D R R R D D D D D D D D D

This section details the results of the five most recent U.S. Senate and gubernatorial elections held in the state.

U.S. Senate elections

See also: List of United States Senators from Delaware

The table below details the vote in the five most recent U.S. Senate races in Delaware.

U.S. Senate election results in Delaware
Race Winner Runner up
2024 56.6%Democratic Party 39.5%Republican Party
2020 59.4%Democratic Party 37.9%Republican Party
2018 60.0%Democratic Party 37.8%Republican Party
2014 55.8%Democratic Party 42.4%Republican Party
2012 66.4%Democratic Party 29.0%Republican Party
Average 59.6 37.3

Gubernatorial elections

See also: Governor of Delaware

The table below details the vote in the five most recent gubernatorial elections in Delaware.

Gubernatorial election results in Delaware
Race Winner Runner up
2024 56.1%Democratic Party 43.9%Republican Party
2020 59.5%Democratic Party 38.6%Republican Party
2016 58.3%Democratic Party 39.2%Republican Party
2012 69.3%Democratic Party 28.6%Republican Party
2008 67.5%Democratic Party 32.1%Republican Party
Average 62.1 36.5
See also: Party control of Delaware state government

Congressional delegation

The table below displays the partisan composition of Delaware's congressional delegation as of October 2025.

Congressional Partisan Breakdown from Delaware
Party U.S. Senate U.S. House Total
Democratic 2 1 3
Republican 0 0 0
Independent 0 0 0
Vacancies 0 0 0
Total 2 1 3

State executive

The table below displays the officeholders in Delaware's top four state executive offices as of October 2025.

State executive officials in Delaware, October 2025
Office Officeholder
Governor Democratic Party Matt Meyer
Lieutenant Governor Democratic Party Kyle Evans Gay
Secretary of State Democratic Party Charuni Patibanda-Sanchez
Attorney General Democratic Party Kathy Jennings

State legislature

Delaware State Senate

Party As of October 2025
     Democratic Party 15
     Republican Party 6
     Other 0
     Vacancies 0
Total 21

Delaware House of Representatives

Party As of October 2025
     Democratic Party 27
     Republican Party 14
     Other 0
     Vacancies 0
Total 41

Trifecta control

Delaware Party Control: 1992-2025
Seventeen years of Democratic trifectas  •  No Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Governor R D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D
Senate D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D
House R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D

The table below details demographic data in Delaware and compares it to the broader United States as of 2023.

Demographic Data for Delaware
Delaware United States
Population 989,948 331,449,281
Land area (sq mi) 1,948 3,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White 61.8% 63.4%
Black/African American 21.9% 12.4%
Asian 4.1% 5.8%
Native American 0.4% 0.9%
Pacific Islander 0.2% 0.4%
Other (single race) 4.1% 6.6%
Multiple 7.6% 10.7%
Hispanic/Latino 10.7% 19%
Education
High school graduation rate 91.4% 89.4%
College graduation rate 35.3% 35%
Income
Median household income $82,855 $78,538
Persons below poverty level 10.7% 12.4%
Source: population provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "Decennial Census" (2020). Other figures provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2018-2023).
**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

See also

Delaware 2026 primaries 2026 U.S. Congress elections
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External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Inside Elections also uses Tilt ratings to indicate an even smaller advantage and greater competitiveness.
  2. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Nathan Gonzalez," April 19, 2018
  3. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Kyle Kondik," April 19, 2018
  4. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Charlie Cook," April 22, 2018


Delaware's current delegation to the United States Congress
Senators
Lisa Blunt Rochester (D)
Chris Coons (D)
Representatives
Democratic Party (3)


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