Tuesday Primary Recap: Key Contests Set Stage for General Election

Primary elections in six states on Tuesday set up competitive November midterm matchups. From closely watched races to contests shaped by redrawn districts, the results offered important signals about the political landscape.

Here is a recap of some notable primary results:

State-by-State Primary Summaries

• Wisconsin: In a competitive Democratic gubernatorial primary, David Crowley narrowly upset progressive state lawmaker Francesca Hong. Polling before the primary had favored Hong, but controversy over past social media posts slowed her momentum and opened the door for Crowley, who had left the race before returning with Governor Tony Evers’ support, to face conservative Congressman Tom Tiffany in November.

In the 3rd Congressional District, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee backed Rebecca Cooke won her primary, setting up a major rematch against Republican incumbent Representative Derrick Van Orden.

• South Carolina: The Republican primary to fill the seat of the late Senator Lindsey Graham is heading to a crucial runoff in two weeks between Darline Graham and Representative Ralph Norman. Darline Graham, who was initially appointed to hold the seat through the end of the year, leveraged widespread goodwill for her late brother along with a high-profile endorsement from President Trump to secure a spot in the runoff. She will face a tough challenge from Norman, a durable conservative lawmaker who finished second and is looking to consolidate the remaining anti-runoff vote.

• Connecticut: Highlighting a shift toward a younger generation of leadership, 14-term incumbent Democratic Representative John Larson suffered a stunning primary defeat. The upset underscored a broader theme of progressive and younger base voters moving away from the state’s traditional establishment line.

• Vermont: In the Democratic gubernatorial primary, progressive candidate Amanda Janoo narrowly edged out Aly Richards, pulling in 49% of the vote compared to Richards’ 46%. Janoo will move on to face highly popular Republican incumbent Phil Scott, who easily coasted to victory after running completely unopposed in his own primary.

• Alabama: Voters across the state participated in special primaries dictated by four newly redrawn congressional districts. The night’s headline race saw Trump-endorsed candidate Rhett Marques secure a decisive victory, solidifying the president’s influence in the reshaped conservative stronghold.

• Minnesota: The state’s primary focused heavily on control of the deadlocked legislature, where Democrats currently hold a narrow one-seat advantage in the Senate and are locked in a 67-67 tie with Republicans in the House. Heavy voter turnout in the crucial battleground hubs of Hennepin and Ramsey counties set the definitive rosters for both parties as they look to break the legislative gridlock in November.