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Lucy Campbell
Millions of voters across the country are heading to the polls today in crucial primaries in a slew of key gubernatorial, Senate and House races.
Here’s a quick rundown of what we’re watching:
California
Voters are casting ballots on who should lead the nation’s most populous state (and the world’s fourth largest economy), where there is no clear leader among candidates vying to advance in the race to succeed term-limited Democratic governor Gavin Newsom. The race for Los Angeles mayor is also on the ballot, along with a series of high-stakes US House contests in the state’s newly redrawn congressional districts – which are set to play an outsized and potentially decisive role in the battle for power in Washington in November’s midterm elections. My colleague Lauren Gambino has more:
Iowa
Per my colleague Chris Stein, with Trump’s approval ratings deep underwater, gas prices high and historical political trends favoring the party out of power, Democrats this year are considering a comeback in Iowa, putting the state at the center of their campaigns to win back control of both the US House and the Senate. That effort for a “once-in-a-generation” breakthrough in the GOP-dominated state is being led by pro-hunting Democrat Rob Sand, who is running for governor. Chris wrote about him below. Democrats also believe they have a shot at winning three of the state’s US House seats and a competitive chance at securing a US Senate seat, where the GOP frontrunner recently called Trump’s war on Iran a “political liability”.
New Jersey
One of this year’s most closely watched House midterms will take place in the battleground district currently represented by now-infamous Republican Tom Kean Jr, who has drawn public scrutiny and concern after missing more than 100 House votes due to an undisclosed illness. Voters are deciding which Democrat will run against him in November – and the seat is a must-win for the party. The frontrunner, veteran army trauma surgeon and political newcomer Adam Hamawy, has secured endorsements from the likes of Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar. My colleague Joseph Gedeon has more:
New Mexico
Contests in the state include primaries for congressional seats, a US Senate seat and a long list of statewide offices, but the governor’s race is the main event. Deb Haaland, who was Joe Biden’s interior secretary, is running for the Democratic nomination, which could put her on a historic path for Native American leaders.
Montana
In Montana, a five-way Democratic fight is under way for the retiring Republican senator’s seat. Independent Seth Bodnar, former president of the University of Montana, is outraising them all at the moment but they’re refusing to step aside, Politico reports this morning.
South Dakota
The race is on for state governor, Sioux Falls mayor, a US Senate and House seat, a Republican primary for local lawmakers. The incumbent GOP governor Larry Rhoden faces three primary challengers in his first run for a full term. He stepped up into the role from the lieutenant governorship when the former governor, the since-ousted Kristi Noem, left to lead the Department of Homeland Security.
The Associated Press contributed reporting
Key events
Deb Haaland has won the Democratic nomination for governor in New Mexico. If elected in the November general election, Haaland would become the first Native American woman governor elected in the country.
A single, working mother, Haaland came on the national scene in 2018 when she was elected to Congress alongside a wave of freshman, female lawmakers known as “The Squad” who’d run in reaction to Donald Trump’s election in 2016. Haaland resigned from the House of Representatives in 2021 when Joe Biden chose her to lead his interior department, making her the first Native American to serve in the roll, which includes overseeing much of the nation’s public lands and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
During her time in congress, Haaland – who is from Laguna Pueblo - introduced legislation to stem the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People, and as interior secretary she oversaw the formation of a new Missing & Murdered Unit (MMU) within the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Last year, New Mexico became the fourth state in the country to create its own law enforcement alert system for missing Indigenous people. Haaland also launched a historic effort to investigate the legacy of Native American boarding schools.
Haaland has campaigned as a fierce critic of Donald Trump, saying in campaign ads that, “Governors are the first line of defense against the horrific policies of the Trump administration.” Since Trump returned to office, New Mexico has been one of few Democratic strongholds in the south-west – with the state working to shore up protections for abortion patients, transgender people and SNAP and Medicaid recipients.
Democratic senator Ben Ray Luján has won his primary in his bid for re-election in New Mexico.
Celebrating her victory in the Democratic primary for New Jersey’s 7th congressional district, Rebecca Bennett called her Republican opposition Tom Kean Jr a “coward”.
“You are failing us, and you do not deserve to represent us in Washington,” Bennett said, addressing Kean who has been away from Congress with an unspecified illness since March.
Ashley Hinson has won the Republican nomination to replace retiring Iowa senator Joni Ernst.
A former television anchor turned state senator, Hinson was endorsed by Donald Trump and Ernst in her race against former state senator Jim Carlin.
Election results are coming in from South Dakota, where Mike Rounds has won the Republican nomination for Senate and Marty Jackley has won the Republican nomination for the state’s 1st congressional district.
New Jersey Republican not seen in Congress since March issues statement after uncontested primary win
Tom Kean Jr says he is “more energized than ever”, in a statement posted to social media nearly three months after he last appeared in Congress.
The New Jersey Republican, who won his uncontested primary today, has been away from his office dealing with a “personal medical issue”.
In a post on social media today, Kean said he was “focused on my recovery and under the advice of healthcare professionals.” He added, “I will transition from virtual work to in person work within a matter of weeks. At that time I will be completely transparent as to the nature of my medical condition.”
Polls close in Iowa, New Mexico, South Dakota
Polls have closed in Iowa, New Mexico and all of South Dakota.
In Iowa, Democrats are considering a comeback, with Trump’s approval ratings deep underwater, gas prices high and historical political trends favoring the party out of power. That effort for a “once-in-a-generation” breakthrough in the GOP-dominated state is being led by pro-hunting Democrat Rob Sand, who is running for governor. Democrats also believe they have a shot at winning three of the state’s US House seats and a competitive chance at securing a US Senate seat, where the GOP frontrunner recently called Trump’s war on Iran a “political liability”.
Meanwhile, in New Mexico, voters will nominate candidates for congressional seats and a US senate seat, but the governor’s race is the main event. Deb Haaland, who was Joe Biden’s interior secretary, is running for the Democratic nomination. If she wins in November, Haaland would become the first Native American female governor in the country.
And, in South Dakota, we’re watching the race for state governor, Sioux Falls mayor, a US Senate and House seat, a Republican primary for local lawmakers. The incumbent GOP governor Larry Rhoden faces three primary challengers in his first run for a full term. He stepped up into the role from the lieutenant governorship when the former governor, the since-ousted Kristi Noem, left to lead the Department of Homeland Security.
Rebecca Bennett wins Democratic nomination in New Jersey's district 7
Rebecca Bennett has won the Democratic nomination in her bid to unseat Republican congressman Tom Kean Jr.
A former Navy helicopter pilot, Bennett will face off in the general election against Kean, who’s been absent from Congress, citing a health issue, since March.
As Americans head to the polls in six states today, Donald Trump is congratulating his preferred candidates across the country – and abroad.
Yesterday, voters in Colombia cast their ballots for president, in a race to determine who will replace outgoing president Gustavo Petro. Right-wing candidate Abelardo de la Espriella and leftist senator Iván Cepeda will advance to a runoff election later this month.
In a post on Truth Social today, Trump congratulated de la Espriella: “As President, Abelardo would be tremendously successful in leading Colombia to Grow the Economy, Create Jobs, Promote Trade, Stop Illegal Immigration, Crack Down on Crime and Drugs, and Restore LAW AND ORDER! Abelardo will face off against a Radical Left Marxist in the Runoff on June 21st — The results of this Election are very important to the future of Colombia and its relationship to the United States.”
Our South America correspondent Tiago Rogero has more on Colombia’s election:
Lauren Gambino
Californians casting their vote for governor today may see a surprisingly familiar name on their ballot: Barack Obama.
The former president is not running for California governor, despite what some Democrats might wish. Barack D Obama Shaw, of Alameda, California, however, is running – one of 61 candidates vying to lead the nation’s most populous state.
Born Cecil Shaw III, the musician-turned-gubernatorial hopeful said he changed his name in 2013 in honor of the 44th president.
In an interview on Tuesday, the 56-year-old candidate likened his name change to a newly elected Pope selecting a papal name. “Instead of people asking, ‘what are you about?’ … the name told them,” he said. “It gave them an idea of the kind of leader people could expect, and that’s in essence what I was creating.”
“As far as I’m concerned he brought hope into the world,” Shaw said of his presidential namesake. “That’s the space I want to stand in - not necessarily the presidency, but I want people to start believing in our country again. That’s what I’m about.”
Obama’s historic election in 2008 was “one of the proudest moments of my life,’ Shaw recalled, and inspired him as a US Army reservist. “When I was in the military, he was my commander in chief, and he was the reason why a musician like myself would get into the military,” the candidate said.
The D in his middle name stands for Denzel, a reference to the actor Denzel Washington, whom his friends used to compare him to.
“I never used [the name] to make money for profit or gain in any kind of way,” he said. “But when it came to politics, I was like Frodo Baggins, I gotta take this ring – this name – back to where it belongs – and it belongs in the political arena.”
While the name is familiar, the candidate is less so.
No poll of the race has ever included Shaw, or the dozens of other candidates whose names appear alongside his on the ballot. Even more prominent political figures - like San Jose mayor Matt Mahan and former congresswoman Katie Porter – are considered long shots in the race to succeed Gavin Newsom.
But Shaw is undaunted. He ran for mayor of Alameda in 2022 to make a difference in his city. No matter what happens on Tuesday, he insists this won’t be the last time Californians see his name.
“My family is known for music,” Shaw said, “but I also wanted to be known for hope.”
Results called for New Jersey's 8, 10th and 11th congressional districts
The Associated Press has began calling the first races of the evening, with Analilia Mejia winning the Democratic nomination for New Jersey’s 11th congressional district, Rob Menendez winning the party’s nomination in the state’s 8th congressional district and LaMonica McIve winning the Democratic nomination in the state’s 10th congressional district.
Within minutes of polls closing in New Jersey, Donald Trump has already congratulated Tom Kean Jr, Chris Smith and Jeff Van Drew – all Republican candidates for Congress who ran uncontested.
In a series of posts on Truth Social, Trump celebrated the wins of the three candidates, who he had endorsed.
Polls close in New Jersey
Polls have closed in New Jersey and parts of South Dakota. South Dakota spans two time zones and results are not released until the final polls have closed at 9 pm ET.
In New Jersey, we’re paying close attention to the House race where now-infamous Republican Tom Kean Jr, who has drawn public scrutiny and concern after missing more than 100 House votes due to an undisclosed illness, is vying for his party’s nomination while veteran army trauma surgeon and political newcomer Adam Hamawy competes for the Democratic nomination.
The Guardian follows the Associated Press in calling an election. We’ll bring you the results from all of tonight’s primary elections as the AP calls the races.
With the first polls of the evening set to close shortly, here are some images from the elections happening across the country:
Senate hopeful Ken Paxton, a Republican from Texas, met with Donald Trump and other Republican leaders in Washington today.
Trump endorsed Paxton ahead of his primary last month, where Paxton beat four-term incumbent John Cornyn. Paxton will face off against Democrat James Talarico in November’s general election.
The Associated Press reported Paxton’s scheduled meeting with Trump, citing a person with knowledge of the president’s plans who was not authorized to discuss them publicly.
Paxton is also expected to meet with Senate majority leader John Thune, who backed Cornyn. Although Senate Republicans accused Paxton of “repulsive and disgusting” behavior during the primary, Paxton’s meeting with Thune signals the party may be working to ameliorate its relationship with the nominee.
