THE HILL: Senate GOP Incumbents Brace for MAGA Primary Challengers

Several GOP Senate incumbents are staring down the threat of primary challenges next year as friction builds between the MAGA and establishment wings. ROKK Co-Founder and Partner Ron Bonjean shared his thoughts with The Hill on senators striking a delicate balance between upcoming votes to decide on Trump’s most controversial Cabinet picks and answering to their constituent base in their own backyard.

“They’ve seen the political combat Trump made, and his historic sweep of a Republican Congress and White House. And senators who are on the fence of particular issues will definitely be weighing that strongly: what their backyard looks like, how strong the MAGA base is at home,” Bonjean said. “It’s probably even stronger now.”

This shift is incredibly important when looking ahead to the 2026 midterm elections with Republicans looking to defend 20 seats as opposed to Democrats’ 13 seats.