All articles tagged with #republican primary
In the Aug. 25 South Carolina Senate runoff debate, Darline Graham admitted she’s not “that informed” on national security, specifically U.S.-Taiwan relations, a blunder critics seized on to label her unprepared for the Senate as rival Ralph Norman presses the foreign policy angle and Trump remains backing her candidacy.
Trump-backed Rep. Harriet Hageman won Wyoming's Republican Senate primary in an open-seat race, advancing to the general election to replace retiring Sen. Cynthia Lummis in a deep-red state after securing Trump's endorsement and defeating a field of four opponents.
In a runoff-advancing Republican Senate debate in Newberry, Darline Graham said national security isn’t her focus and emphasized domestic issues while aligning with Trump on foreign policy; Ralph Norman attacked her establishment ties as the two sparred over Iran, China, Fauci, Covid relief funds, and proposed AI data-center regulations. The matchup sets up a fall contest against Democrat Annie Andrews after they finished first and second in last week’s special primary.
Mike Lindell refused to concede Minnesota's Republican gubernatorial primary after trailing Lisa Demuth by more than 45,000 votes with most ballots counted, disputing the AP’s call that Demuth won; the stance underscores Lindell’s ongoing election-denial activism and questions about his Minnesota residency, while Demuth becomes the first woman to win the MN GOP nomination and will face Democrat Amy Klobuchar in November, as Trump-endorsed candidates face setbacks.
Paula Copenhaver, backed by Trump, won Indiana Senate District 23's Republican primary after a months-long recount that flipped the result, ousting incumbent Spencer Deery as several ballots were discounted for clerical issues; Deery plans to appeal to the state Court of Appeals while Copenhaver prepares for the general election.
Trump-backed Rep. Andy Ogles loses Tennessee’s GOP primary amid controversies including a probe into campaign finance and past anti-Muslim remarks, underscoring the ongoing influence of Trump endorsements in competitive races.
Trump-endorsed incumbent Andy Ogles lost Tennessee’s Republican primary to Charlie Hatcher, despite near-total results and late support from Donald Trump. Hatcher leads by about 6.6 points and will face Democrat Chaz Molder in November, in a district redrawn to favor Republicans; Ogles’s anti-Muslim statements drew widespread condemnation and contrasted with Hatcher’s pro-Trump stance.
Sen. Marsha Blackburn won NBC News’s projection of the Republican nomination for Tennessee governor, defeating Rep. John Rose as President Trump declined to endorse; Blackburn, a longtime Trump ally who would be the first female Tennessee governor, faces Democrat Jerri Green (Memphis City Council) in the general election in a red-leaning state. Rose spent heavily in his bid, while Trump stayed on the sidelines.
Former South Carolina governor and ex-congressman Mark Sanford announced a bid to replace the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, challenging interim appointee Darline Graham in the Republican special primary for the seat; other GOP contenders include Russell Fry, Duke Buckner, Ralph Norman and Mark Lynch, with a July poll showing Norman ahead among rivals. Trump had previously endorsed Darline. Sanford’s career includes two stints in Congress and two terms as governor, alongside a 2009 extramarital affair noted in his past.
Former NFL kicker Jay Feely won the Republican primary for Arizona’s District 1 U.S. House seat after initially filing in District 5 and switching when Trump endorsed another candidate; Feely faces a likely close race in November and has framed his campaign around preserving a GOP majority to lower costs and protect the American Dream, with a slate of high-profile supporters listed.
Rep. Mike Collins won Georgia’s Republican Senate runoff and will face incumbent Sen. Jon Ossoff in November; Collins, a businessman and former chair of a major Georgia credit union, ran on a conservative record, while Ossoff criticized him in response to the result.
NBC News’ latest Georgia governor runoff results show Rick Jackson leading Burt Jones 194,767 (57.1%) to 146,359 (42.9%) with about 426,000 votes still expected to be counted. Jones has Trump’s endorsement and a late nod from Gov. Kemp, while Jackson positions himself as the MAGA-aligned choice; results are reported by county and will update as remaining votes are tallied.
South Carolina Republicans are looking to extend their recent electoral gains as veteran incumbent Sen. Lindsey Graham runs for a fifth term in the U.S. Senate. The article frames Graham as a well-supported GOP figure in a red-leaning state, highlighting strong fundraising and endorsements, a largely favorable climate for Republicans, and a primary landscape that shouldn't derail his re-election prospects, with Democrats facing an uphill battle to unseat him.
Ralph Alvarado, a physician and former Kentucky state senator backed by Donald Trump, won the Republican primary to replace outgoing Rep. Andy Barr in Kentucky’s 6th District; Alvarado had resigned as Tennessee health commissioner to run. The seat, carried by Trump in 2024, is viewed by Democrats as a competitive battleground in the general election.
U.S. Rep. Andy Barr won Kentucky's Republican primary for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Mitch McConnell, aided by a Trump endorsement and outsized fundraising over rival Daniel Cameron; Cameron conceded after Barr led as polls closed, setting Barr up to face the Democrat in November.