All articles tagged with #democratic primary
Charles Booker won Kentucky's Democratic U.S. Senate primary, defeating Amy McGrath and advancing to a general election against Republican Rep. Andy Barr to replace retiring Sen. Mitch McConnell; Booker, a progressive, carried Jefferson and Fayette counties and frames the race as a chance to flip a seat in a state long regarded as solid red.
Keisha Lance Bottoms won the Democratic nomination for Georgia governor outright in a crowded field, avoiding a runoff and setting up a general‑election bid as Democrats try to flip the state; Republicans head to a costly runoff, and Bottoms’ mayoral tenure and national support will be central as fundraising and attacks loom in a state that has trended purple but hasn’t elected a Democratic governor since 1998.
Former Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms won Georgia’s Democratic gubernatorial primary outright, avoiding a runoff and gaining a head start toward the November general election against a GOP runoff between Rick Jackson and Burt Jones. Backed by name recognition, Biden administration ties, and a platform featuring pre-K expansion, Medicaid expansion and tax relief for teachers, Bottoms also faces concerns about her Atlanta mayoralty during the pandemic and civil unrest. The victory shifts focus to unifying Democrats for November while Republicans battle over a Trump-aligned challenger.
Progressive state Rep. Chris Rabb won the Democratic nomination for Pennsylvania’s 3rd District, defeating state Sen. Sharif Street and Ala Stanford and is all but guaranteed to replace retiring Rep. Dwight Evans; backed by the Squad, Working Families Party and DSA, Rabb frames the win as a shift toward left-flank progressivism and a rebuke of Philadelphia’s establishment.
In Philadelphia’s PA-3, four Democrats—Chris Rabb, Sharif Street, Ala Stanford, and Shaun Griffith—seek the party’s nomination in a left-leaning district with no incumbent. The race highlights tensions between establishment-backed candidates and bold progressive outsiders, with endorsements split among AOC/Omar/Van Hollen (Rabb), local party machinery (Street), and Evans’ endorsement of Stanford. Polls show a volatile three-way contest, making turnout crucial as the winner is expected to prevail in November in a district with no Republican challenger. The contest serves as a barometer for how far the Democratic Party’s progressivism can stretch in a swing-state stronghold.
Pennsylvania's 7th District Democratic primary pits union-backed Bob Brooks, touting working-class roots, against former DOJ prosecutor Ryan Crosswell, who emphasizes anti-Trump governance; Brooks has broad party backing including endorsements from Bernie Sanders and Josh Shapiro, reflecting a concerted push to broaden the Democrats' appeal beyond the anti-Trump base, while Crosswell leverages fundraising to stay competitive and the race features Latino outreach and other candidates ahead of the district's pivotal primary.
Georgia Democrats are anxious that front-runner Keisha Lance Bottoms could be vulnerable in a general election because her Atlanta tenure and the turmoil of pandemic-era unrest may invite GOP attacks, even as she leads in polls and touts achievements plus plans like Medicaid expansion and universal pre-K; the high-stakes race could determine statewide power and shape 2028 redistricting.
Denise Powell won the Democratic primary in Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District, a coveted "blue dot" seat, defeating state Sen. John Cavanaugh; she’ll face Omaha City Council member Brinker Harding in November in a district that splits electoral votes and has been a top target for Democrats.
Denise Powell won the Democratic nomination in Nebraska’s 2nd District, narrowly defeating state Sen. John Cavanaugh and advancing to a general election against Republican Brinker Harding. The race is a top target for Democrats to flip a House seat after Don Bacon’s retirement, helped by major outside groups backing Powell, while Cavanaugh drew progressive and union support. The district voted for Biden in 2020 and 2024, and Cook has it as Lean Democrat, highlighting the national importance of this contest as Democrats seek to net three seats to gain the House. Powell stressed unity and the opportunity despite a bruising primary campaign.
Pete Ricketts won Nebraska's U.S. Senate Republican primary with about 81.7% of 165,715 votes, defeating Todd Knobel and Debb Axtell Schultz; Cindy Burbank captured the Democratic primary with about 89.2% of 102,122 votes. The AP called both races, and The Cook Political Report still lists the general-election race as Likely Republican.
Democrat Cindy Burbank won Nebraska’s Senate primary, potentially clearing the path for independent Dan Osborn to challenge GOP Sen. Pete Ricketts in November if she concedes. Osborn, who ran as an independent in 2024 and says he won’t caucus with either party, has been positioned to face Ricketts, while Democrats debated backing Osborn after a last-minute opponent raised concerns of a GOP plant. Burbank says she’ll drop out only if polling shows she cannot win, and would remove her name if needed; Ricketts has Trump’s endorsement and is highlighting tax cuts as he defends his seat.
Nebraska’s 2nd District, the state’s lone Electoral College vote, has become the center of a Democratic primary to replace Rep. Don Bacon, with John Cavanaugh and Denise Powell trading ads over whether electing Cavanaugh would threaten Nebraska’s district-based vote by ushering in a winner-take-all system; outside spending targets the Blue Dot and broader abortion and governance issues, highlighting how a local electoral quirk has national implications in a closely watched race.
Rev. Adam Hamilton, senior pastor of the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, launched a Democratic bid to challenge Sen. Roger Marshall in Kansas after an 18-stop listening tour, aiming to lower everyday costs and restore civility in a crowded primary. The race could reshape Kansas politics in a state that hasn’t elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate since 1932, though Hamilton faces scrutiny over campaign use of church resources and a crowded field of challengers.
At the National Action Network Convention in New York, Kamala Harris drew the loudest applause and appears poised as a central figure in a growing 2028 Democratic field that includes Wes Moore, Josh Shapiro, Pete Buttigieg, and Ruben Gallego; Harris said she is 'thinking about' running again, while attendees and allies voice support but acknowledge the race is early and the field could shift as campaigns gear up for the next cycle.
Progressive Twitch streamer Hasan Piker joined Dr. Abdul El-Sayed at a Michigan State University rally to gauge how his online following can translate into real‑world political influence for the 2026 campaign, drawing about 400 attendees and illustrating the growing role of streaming figures in Democratic politics.