Primary elections are taking place in six U.S. states on Tuesday 鈥� Alabama, Connecticut, Minnesota, South Carolina, Vermont and Wisconsin.
Minnesota voters will settle a Democratic U.S. Senate primary between centrist U.S. Rep. and progressive Lt. Gov. . In the race for governor, Mike Lindell, known as the MyPillow Guy, leads a crowded Republican primary with President Donald Trump鈥檚 endorsement, while Sen. Amy Klobuchar faces minimal opposition for the Democratic nomination.
The Democratic primary for Wisconsin governor is another high-profile clash between the party鈥檚 establishment and progressive wings, as Francesca Hong tries to rise above establishment candidate David Crowley. In a Republican primary for U.S. House, Trump-backed candidate of U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, is seeking to win Duffy鈥檚 former district.
And Republicans in South Carolina are casting ballots in a special primary election to replace the late U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham on the state鈥檚 general election ballot. The crowded race has attracted top party members, including two congressmen and a former governor 鈥� but Trump has endorsed Graham鈥檚 sister, , a political unknown out the final months of her late brother’s current term.
Here’s the latest:
Vermont Democrats pick a challenger to long-serving Republican Gov. Phil Scott
The Democratic primary features a race between economist Amanda Janoo and Aly Richards, a former child advocacy organization CEO.
Richards, 40, grew up in Newbury, Vermont, and has received endorsements from former Vermont governors Howard Dean and Madeleine Kunin. She previously worked for former Gov. Peter Shumlin and on former President Barack Obama鈥檚 2008 campaign.
Janoo, 38, was born on a farm in Strafford, Vermont. She began her career working with the United Nations and international development organizations.
Scott, who has served five terms and is one term away from becoming the state鈥檚 longest-serving governor, is running unopposed.
Vermont is one of two states, along with neighboring New Hampshire, that hold a gubernatorial election every two years.
Incumbent plans fight to retain redrawn US House seat in Alabama
Republicans redrew Alabama鈥檚 2nd Congressional District after the U.S. Supreme Court severely earlier this year.
The redraw added a Republican-leaning seat to the state鈥檚 congressional map by shifting the boundaries of one represented by a Black Democrat.
The seat is now held by Democratic Rep. Shomari Figures, who was unopposed in his primary and has said he plans to aggressively defend the seat.
Six Republicans are competing in the special congressional primary for the chance to challenge Figures in November.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has placed Figures on its list of 鈥渇rontline鈥� candidates for extra support in what they consider the most pivotal districts. The National Republican Congressional Committee has similarly put the district on its list of targets for 2026.
鈥楽he feels like one of us,鈥� Hong supporter says
In the Wisconsin governor鈥檚 race, software engineer Cody Chandler said he didn鈥檛 worry about electability when he cast his ballot for Hong.
鈥淚n the past I鈥檇 think about who could win,鈥� said Chandler. 鈥淏ut this time I鈥檓 voting for who I want to win.鈥�
He鈥檚 thrilled by Hong and the progressive movement around her.
鈥淪he鈥檚 probably the most exciting candidate I鈥檝e seen,鈥� said Chandler, 35, who voted in the town of Hudson. He sees himself as a progressive, someone inspired a decade ago by Sen. Bernie Sanders, and volunteered for Hong鈥檚 campaign.
鈥淪he seems to be like a real working-class person. Sure, she stumbles over her words sometimes 鈥� but so do I,鈥� he said, laughing. 鈥淪he feels like one of us.鈥�
In Wisconsin, a Republican votes Democratic 鈥� and for the candidate she thinks can win
Linda Biles believes Hong鈥檚 politics will frighten voters like her 鈥� a Republican in a largely rural area who votes Democratic because she dislikes Trump and politicians who back him.
鈥淚 think just the word 鈥榮ocialism鈥� is turning off Republicans,鈥� said Biles, a 71-year-old retired home economics teacher, after casting her ballot in the western Wisconsin town of Hudson. 鈥淚t scares them away.鈥�
Crowley, she said, was an obvious choice: 鈥淗e鈥檚 got more of a chance of beating Tiffany,鈥� she said.
A former NFL broadcaster votes for herself in Minnesota
Michele Tafoya is seeking the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate.
She strode into a suburban Minneapolis church with a phalanx of reporters and photographers watching. She checked in with poll workers, filled out her ballot and fed it into the counter.
鈥淗ow are you?鈥� she asked the top election official on site.
鈥淚鈥檒l be glad when you鈥檙e done,鈥� the stressed-out official responded with a laugh.
In the parking lot out front, she argued that this will be the year voters end a 20-year losing streak for Republicans running statewide in Minnesota. Voters, she said, are fed up after widespread reports of fraud in public assistance programs.
鈥淢innesotans are ready. We鈥檝e had a crisis of leadership here,鈥� Tafoya said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e seen what career politicians have done in this state. They鈥檝e brought us to a place of national embarrassment, and this state is ready for change.鈥�
Graham: 鈥業 don鈥檛 think I could have done anything differently鈥�
Asked if she would have handled anything differently about the sprint of a special Senate primary, Graham said she had no regrets.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think I could have done anything any differently,鈥� Graham told reporters outside the Lexington church where she and her family voted. 鈥淚t was my priority to be in Washington as your representative, working hard, and I got back here just as soon as I possibly could.鈥�
With the Senate staying in session until early Saturday morning, Graham 鈥� as South Carolina鈥檚 interim senator 鈥� was in Washington for votes during much of the campaign.
Anticipating a runoff to follow Tuesday鈥檚 crowded GOP Senate primary, Graham told reporters that she would 鈥済et out and work really hard to earn鈥� voters in the ensuing two-week period.
4 US senators ran for Minnesota governor this year
Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar has had a successful career in Washington, but she鈥檇 prefer to head back home to Minnesota. She鈥檚 the leading candidate for governor in the state鈥檚 Democratic primary.
She鈥檚 not alone. , underscoring how sharply the balance of political ambition has shifted away from Washington.
Although the Senate was once seen as the capstone of a long political career or a premier perch for launching presidential bids, it has become increasingly stagnant and dysfunctional.
Sens. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee and Tommy Tuberville of Alabama both won Republican gubernatorial primaries this year.
But Colorado Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet wasn鈥檛 as fortunate. to state Attorney General Phil Weiser.
Connecticut Rep. John Larson seeks a 15th term in the House, but can he get by Luke Bronin?
Bronin was a sophomore at Yale University when Larson was elected to the U.S. House in 1998.
Now he鈥檚 standing in the way of Larson getting a 15th term representing Connecticut. The two face off in another contest that pits the party鈥檚 old guard against a younger generation.
Bronin, 46, is the former mayor of Hartford. He鈥檚 a lawyer, former Rhodes scholar and U.S. Navy Reserve officer.
Larson is 78. While he has been popular in his central Connecticut district throughout his time in office, concerns about his health arose when he during a speech on the House floor last year.
In a flip of the usual script for primary challengers, Bronin can lay claim to be the establishment candidate. He won the Democratic state party鈥檚 endorsement at a nominating convention earlier this year.
Darline Graham鈥檚 daughter casts first-ever vote 鈥� for her mother in Senate race
The interim senator and her 17-year-old daughter Nicole Nordone voted midday Tuesday at a Lexington County church.
鈥淚t was a hard choice,鈥� Nicole said jokingly to her father, as they walked out of the voting area so that Darline Graham could speak with reporters.
After she fed her ballot into a reader machine, Graham told poll workers that she typically votes at another location. Many polling sites have been changed for Tuesday鈥檚 special election due to several factors, including classes beginning this week at many schools typically used for voting.
South Carolinians who are 17 years old but will be 18 before the general election can vote in primaries.
Former Rep. Sean Duffy鈥檚 son-in-law looks for a win in Duffy鈥檚 old congressional district
Michael Alfonso has leaned into his endorsement from Trump in the for Wisconsin鈥檚 7th Congressional District.
The 26-year-old Alfonso has faced blowback from some Republican leaders in the district who question whether he is too young and inexperienced for the job.
Alfonso is counting on Trump鈥檚 endorsement carrying the day in the deeply red district.
Duffy held the congressional seat from 2011 until 2019, when he resigned mid-term. He returned to politics last year when Trump . Alfonso is married to Duffy鈥檚 daughter, Evita Duffy.
Trump relied on Lindsey Graham in the Senate and has endorsed Darline Graham to replace him
After losing a top Senate advocate when the South Carolina Republican suddenly died, Trump has angled to play a role in picking his replacement, too.
Trump heralded the selection of as 鈥渁 fabulous tribute鈥� to serve as her brother鈥檚 interim replacement. And in the special primary, endorsing Graham before she鈥檇 made her candidacy official.
In forging a relationship with Darline Graham, Trump could be angling to develop another ally to help steer his agenda through the Senate.
So far, Darline Graham has been doing just that. Repeatedly stressing to voters her intent to support Trump鈥檚 policy positions, she often references in particular her co-sponsorship of a voting bill that鈥檚 become a key priority for the president.
Trump relied on Lindsey Graham in the Senate and has endorsed Darline Graham to replace him.
Darline Graham has gone from political sibling to interim senator and candidate in special primary
She had already been known as sister and lifelong supporter, but since her brother鈥檚 death a month ago, Darline Graham has been thrust into the political spotlight.
A day after was announced, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster to serve the remaining months on his current term, which expires in January. She was and took his spot on powerful committees, including Judiciary.
Days later, Darline Graham was jumping into a special GOP primary to replace her late brother on November ballots. She鈥檚 appeared at various stump events and one debate, although Senate business kept her off the campaign trail as other hopefuls traversed the state.
Minnesota鈥檚 Senate primary is another Democratic factional fight of moderates vs. progressives
U.S. Rep. Angie Craig has support from the party鈥檚 establishment, while Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan is backed by prominent figures on the left including Sen. Bernie Sanders.
The primary will again take the temperature of Democratic voters a week after progressive in Michigan that fired up the left and fueled anxiety among party leaders that Democrats will alienate moderate swing voters.
Craig says her record of winning repeatedly in a battleground House district will ensure the seat stays in Democratic hands. Flanagan says Craig hasn鈥檛 stood firm enough against President Donald Trump and wealthy donors.
Voters for progressive Francesca Hong dismiss electability concerns
Wisconsin voter Jesse Heer said Hong understands 鈥渨hat it鈥檚 like to live here and have to afford to live here.鈥�
Heer, a 32-year-old business owner from Madison, said Hong鈥檚 focus on affordability issues was the top reason he voted for her. And he鈥檚 not buying the argument from other Democrats, including Hong鈥檚 more moderate challenger, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, that she will have a harder time winning in the general election.
鈥淚 think she鈥檚 a good candidate,鈥� Heer said. 鈥淚 think a lot of people agree.鈥�
Hong voter Kelly McClurg, 40, of Sun Prairie, says Hong has shown 鈥渟he鈥檒l be able to push back more鈥� on issues that Democrats care about, like affordability.
McClurg said if fellow Democrats believe in her, and don鈥檛 assume she can鈥檛 beat Republican Tom Tiffany, 鈥渟he can win.鈥�
Wisconsin Democratic voters who are divided in the primary say they will unite
Wisconsin voters who cast their ballots Tuesday for the gubernatorial candidate favored by more mainstream Democrats say they are confident the party will unite even if the progressive challenger wins.
David Zimmerman, a 79-year-old retired industrial engineering professor, voted for Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley. Crowley is endorsed by Gov. Tony Evers and is seen as the pick of more moderate Democrats.
Zimmerman says he worries 鈥渁 lot鈥� about progressive candidate Francesca Hong鈥檚 ability to defeat Republican Tom Tiffany in November.
鈥淚 think she鈥檚 going to have trouble winning,鈥� Zimmerman said.
But both Zimmerman and fellow Crowley voter Julie Martinson, 69, predict Democrats will come together even if Hong wins. They said they would vote for her in November.
鈥淭here鈥檚 no reason we can鈥檛 galvanize around her and get her in there,鈥� Martinson said.
Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont seeks a rare third term
No Connecticut governor has served three consecutive terms in modern times. Former Republican Gov. John G. Rowland was elected to a third consecutive term in November 2002 but he resigned in 2004 amid a corruption scandal.
In Tuesday鈥檚 Democratic primary, Lamont, 72, takes on state Rep. Josh Elliott, 41, who is running left of the current governor.
One of two Democratic governors who attended President Donald Trump鈥檚 inauguration, Lamont has carefully chosen which issues to criticize the Republican president on. That tactic has prompted complaints from more liberal Democrats in Connecticut.
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This post has been updated to correct the ages of Lamont and Elliott. Lamont is 72, not 71. Elliott is 41, not 42.
Low turnout expected in Alabama special primary
The state is holding special primaries in four congressional districts after it won permission from the U.S. Supreme Court to . The state tossed out the results of May primaries and scheduled the Tuesday special primaries using the new map.
Turnout for party primaries is typically low. It was 23% in the May primary and 10.7% for the June runoff. It is expected to be particularly low in a special late-summer primary, when people are unaccustomed to voting.
Six Republicans are seeking the GOP nomination in the redrawn 2nd Congressional District. The winner will challenge Democratic Rep. Shomari Figures in November.
Republican candidates and party officials have been trying to promote the special primary and get voters to the polls. The primaries will be decided without a runoff.
Polls are open for South Carolina鈥檚 special GOP primary to replace late Sen. Lindsey Graham
Polling places opened across the state at 7 a.m. EDT, and voters have until 7 p.m. to cast their ballots.
It鈥檚 only been two months since South Carolina voters made their picks in the primary elections in June. But last month set into motion a special primary to pick a Republican replacement for the general election ballot in November.
Candidates have only had a matter of weeks to campaign.
There were three days of early voting last week, and Tuesday鈥檚 special election also coincides with the first day of school in some areas, so polling places have changed for many who typically are assigned to vote at schools for summertime primaries.
Polls open in Wisconsin with Democratic primary race for governor topping the ballot
The race pits democratic socialist against the governor鈥檚 endorsed candidate David Crowley.
Hong has ridden a from liberals to bolster her insurgent campaign. Crowley had quit the race but got back in 鈥� with Democratic Gov. Tony Evers鈥� endorsement.
Crowley after Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez dropped out last month amid a campaign finance scandal.
Former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes had the highest name recognition after a 2022 U.S. Senate run, but he also less than two weeks before the primary amid questions about inappropriate behavior.
In the Republican primary for governor, U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany has Trump鈥檚 endorsement and faces nominal opposition.
Progressives look to capitalize on the energy from El-Sayed鈥檚 win in Michigan
Progressive candidates for and are increasing the pressure on a Democratic establishment that has spent the year on its heels.
Today鈥檚 primaries come a week after narrowly defeated in Michigan鈥檚 U.S. Senate primary. El-Sayed鈥檚 victory has energized the left while among Democratic Party leaders that the shift to the left, particularly in battleground states like Michigan and , will make it more difficult to win in November.
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