Primaries increasingly decide election outcomes, reshaping Congress
The Story
A recent NPR analysis reports that primary elections have become the decisive contests for most congressional seats, with more than 90% of races favoring one party in the general election due to redistricting. The shift toward closed primaries, which exclude voters not registered with a party, is further concentrating power among smaller, more ideological electorates. Lawmakers interviewed said this dynamic incentivizes partisanship over compromise, affecting how Congress functions.
Key Facts
- Redistricting following President Trump in 2025 has produced the smallest number of competitive congressional races in recent history, with one party favored in more than 90% of seats.
- Some states have moved to closed primaries, barring unaffiliated voters from participating; both Democrats and Republicans are implementing these changes.
- Nonpartisan primaries, where all eligible voters can vote for any candidate regardless of party, exist in California, Washington, and Alaska.
- In Louisiana, a switch to a closed primary this year contributed to the defeat of incumbent Republican Senator Bill Cassidy, who voted to convict President Trump on impeachment charges in 2021.
- Alaska used a nonpartisan primary system starting in 2022; Senator Lisa Murkowski, who lost a closed primary in 2010, became the only Republican senator who backed Trump’s impeachment to win reelection under the new system.
- Voters in several states rejected ballot measures to create nonpartisan primaries in 2024.
- Pennsylvania Republican Representative Brian Fitzpatrick stated that closed primaries and the two-party system co-opt lawmakers from doing the right thing.
Conflicting Reports
No conflicting reports identified in the source article.
Still Unclear
The article does not specify how many states have adopted closed primaries recently, nor does it provide exact numbers on voter turnout differences between primary and general elections.
Misconceptions
No widespread misconceptions addressed in the source article.
Key Figures
- Ashley Lopez – NPR political correspondent
- Eric McDaniel – NPR congressional reporter
- John Opdycke – representative of Open Primaries (group advocating for open primaries)
- Brian Fitzpatrick – Republican U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania
- Bill Cassidy – Republican U.S. Senator from Louisiana (incumbent who lost primary)
- Lisa Murkowski – Republican U.S. Senator from Alaska
- President Trump – referenced as having initiated redistricting battle and whose picks keep winning Republican primaries
Sources: NPR
