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Here’s what’s at stake in the primary, where Mike Katz and John Shulli stand on key issues and more.
Delaware physician and business owner Michael Katz (left), and Military veteran John Shulli are competing in the Republican primary to represent Delaware in the U.S. Senate. (WHYY file)
Former state senator and physician Mike Katz and military veteran John Shulli are vying to be the GOP nominee in Delaware’s 2026 primary for U.S. Senate. The seat is currently held by U.S. Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., who is also competing in a primary race.
Coons, who was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2010, is seeking his fourth term in Congress.
He faces three Democratic challengers — artificial intelligence systems builder Jeff Appelhans, small business owner Mary Louve and business executive Eric No-Trump Hansen, who legally changed his name to show his opposition to President Donald Trump.
The winner of the Republican and Democratic U.S. Senate primaries will battle in the general election on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
What’s at stake in Delaware’s U.S. Senate race?
The last time Delaware had a Republican U.S. senator was the late U.S. Sen. William Roth, who served from 1971 to 2001.
Electing a Republican to the seat would upend 25 years of Democratic control, which would be an extraordinary turn for a state that former Vice President Kamala Harris won by about 15 percentage points in the 2024 presidential election.
Each of the 50 states has two U.S. senators, who serve six-year terms.
Senators write laws and vote on bills, including budget bills. They sit on committees that consider legislation and hold hearings. They also approve the president’s nominations for cabinet members, federal judges and U.S. Supreme Court Justices.
Delaware election 2026: Meet the 3 Democrats fighting to unseat Chris Coons in the U.S. Senate
Jeff Appelhans, Mary Louve and Eric No-Trump Hansen are vying to unseat U.S. Sen. Chris Coons in September’s primary as he runs for his fourth term in office.
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Katz earned his medical degree and an MBA in international business from Georgetown University. He is a licensed anesthesiologist and owns a commercial real estate company.
Katz has identified himself as a Democrat, Independent and Republican in Delaware politics over the past several years.
As a Democrat, he was elected to represent state Senate District 4, which includes West Talleyville, Greenville, Centreville, Hockessin and parts of Pike Creek, from 2009 to 2013. He worked on legislation about lobbying reform, term limits and health care policy.
Katz ran as an Independent in 2024 for the Senate seat vacated by retiring U.S. Sen. Tom Carper. Katz and Eric No-Trump Hansen, who ran as a Republican but is competing this year as a Democrat, lost to U.S. Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester.
“Few people seeking public office bring this combination of medical, health care, executive, business and legislative experience,” he said. “It has prepared me to understand complex issues, make difficult decisions, bring people together, and deliver results.”
Katz said his three biggest priorities, if elected, would be lowering the cost of living, fixing America’s health care system and making the federal government more fiscally responsible.
He said he wants to lower health care and prescription drug costs and increase transparency.
“I will also fight to improve access to physicians, specialists, and advanced medical care in underserved areas of Delaware, particularly Kent and Sussex counties,” Katz said. “Every Delawarean should have access to high-quality, affordable healthcare regardless of where they live.”
Endorsements include the Delaware Republican Party, Northern New Castle County Republicans, former U.S. Attorney Julianne Murray, state Sen. Dave Wilson, State Sen. Dave Lawson, state Rep. Danny Short, Delaware State Sportsmen’s Association President Jeff Hague, College Republicans of America, Delaware College Republicans and the Independent Party of Delaware.
Shulli holds a Bachelor of Science in Aviation Computer Science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and a master’s degree in international relations from the University of Oklahoma. He also holds a master’s in strategic studies from the U.S. Army War College.
He spent 28 years in the military and federal civil service, achieving the rank of Army Colonel. Shulli has been deployed overseas, including in Iraq and Germany, and he worked on artificial intelligence in the Pentagon. His current role is as a part-time faculty instructor at the U.S. Army War College.
“I am a proven leader who has built and protected teams under pressure, shaped national defense policy and understands both the battlefield and the technology that will define America’s future,” Shulli said.
Shulli said his top priorities, if elected, would be to rebuild a high-wage society, make government accountable to the public and protect parental rights in education.
He said Delaware has endured single-party rule that has resulted in higher costs, weaker energy security, and a loss of opportunity for working families.
“I am a proven leader who has built and protected teams under pressure, shaped national defense policy, and understands both the battlefield and the technology that will define America’s future,” he said. “Delaware deserves a U.S. senator who will fight for sovereignty, abundance, and the American Dream, rather than manage scarcity,” he said.
State Rep. Lyndon Yearick, R-Magnolia, and former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn have made endorsements.
Editor’s note: We have updated the section about Michael Katz to clarify that he owns a commercial real estate company.
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