Winner
Michael Katz clinched the Republican nomination for Delaware's U.S. Senate seat on September 15, 2026, as a first-time candidate for the office. Katz previously served one term as a Democratic state senator and ran for this same seat as an independent in 2024 before switching parties for this cycle. [](#ngr-c05d83b6-c57e-4024-bbaa-1a8945db76c6)
Primary Field
Katz defeated John Shulli, a retired Army colonel, by roughly 77% to 23%, according to the most recent unofficial returns; Katz's tally stood at 30,769 votes. Delaware's Department of Elections still lists Sept. 15 results as unofficial because election-district reporting confirms how many districts have submitted results, but not whether counting is finished.
Race Context
Cook Political Report and Inside Elections both rate the general election "Solid D," while Sabato's Crystal Ball rates it one notch further, "Safe D." The general election is set for November 3, 2026, and on Kalshi, the Democratic party was trading at 98.3% as of 1:00 PM ET, September 17, 2026, against 1.7% for the Republican party.
What's Next
Katz will face Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE), who won his own primary the same night over three long-shot challengers. Delaware hasn't sent a Republican to the Senate since Sen. William Roth left office in 2001, and the party hasn't won a Senate race in the state at all since 1994, a streak Katz would have to break to win in November. With Democratic-favoring ratings across the board and prediction markets giving Coons a commanding edge, Katz enters the general election as a decided underdog when voters return to the polls on November 3, 2026.
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