Johnson and Barnes to compete for Wisconsin Senate seat in November; Minnesota governor's election planned for the fall
Johnson and Barnes to compete for Wisconsin Senate seat in November; Minnesota governor's election planned for the fall
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Tuesday’s primaries in four states – Connecticut, Minnesota, Vermont, and Wisconsin – will determine who runs in November’s midterm elections, which will influence how far President Joe Biden can progress his programme in the second part of his tenure.

The Aug. 9 contests will also present another round in former President Donald Trump’s ongoing proxy war with his former vice president, Mike Pence, as they support rival candidates in the Wisconsin Republican gubernatorial primary. The winner is set to confront current Democratic Gov. Tony Evers.

And the retirement of Vermont Democrat Patrick Leahy, the Senate’s longest-serving member, is opening up the seat for the first time in in 50 years.

Recent developments:

In Vermont, State Senate President Pro Tempore Becca Balint won the Democratic primary for the state’s lone House seat, making her the frontrunner to become the state’s first woman in Congress.

In Wisconsin, Democrat Mandel Barnes won easily and will face veteran Republican Sen. Ron Johnson in November in a fight that could determine which party controls the upper house next year.

In Minnesota, Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar defeated a moderate pro-cop candidate by a razor-thin margin of less than 3,000 votes. In 2020, Omar won the district by 35,000 votes.

In Connecticut, Republican Dominic Rapini won the primary election for Secretary of State. He was a former head of Fight Voter Fraud, an organisation that pushed false accusations regarding the 2020 presidential election.

Leora Levy wins Connecticut Senate Republican primary.

According to the Associated Press, Leora Levy won the Republican Senate primary in Connecticut with 50.5% of the vote at 11 p.m.

Levy, a Cuban-American businessman, defeated former state Representative Themis Klarides, who received 40% of the vote and received the party convention’s endorsement.

In the general election, Levy will run against incumbent Senator Richard Blumenthal. He has held the seat since 2011 and is still favoured in November, but his approval rating has dropped below 50%, according to the Hartford Courant.

– Katherine Swartz

Finstad wins Minnesota special election

A key race in Minnesota has been decided.

Brad Finstad, a former USDA director, won a special election to fill the remainder of Republican Rep. Jim Hagedorn’s term. Hagedorn died of cancer in February.

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The contest was viewed as a litmus test for November in a district that leans Republican that former President Donald Trump won by around 10 points in 2020. Democrats have been relying on abortion rights to turn out voters and win difficult contests like this one.

Candy Woodall

Omar wins a close primary race in Minnesota by less than 3,000 votes.

Rep. Ilhan Omar, a progressive House member, defeated a challenger who campaigned on a pro-law enforcement ticket in Minnesota, where George Floyd was slain by police.

Don Samuels, a centrist and former Minneapolis City Council member, received a late endorsement from the city’s mayor, giving him a boost. Furthermore, his pro-police platform distinguished him from Omar, who had sought to “defund the police.”

The incumbent won a close battle two years ago by 35,000 votes. This year, fewer than 3,000.

Candy Woodall

Connecticut polls close, with few primary changes likely.

Connecticut polls have already closed, but official results may take some time to come in because counting is done town by town. Furthermore, whether mail ballots are counted before or after polls close is up to local officials.

The Republican primary for governor was cancelled because Republican business executive Bob Stefanowski will run unopposed against Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont in November, rematching their tight election in 2018.

The Republican primary battle to Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal is one of the most competitive. Blumenthal will be challenged in November by three candidates: Cuban-American businesswoman Leora Levy, former state Representative Themis Klarides, and attorney Peter Lumaj.

Swartz, Katherine