Primary elections are taking place in six U.S. states on Tuesday \u2014 Alabama, Connecticut, Minnesota, South Carolina, Vermont and Wisconsin.<\/p>\n
Minnesota voters will settle a moderate-versus-progressive<\/a> Democratic U.S. Senate primary between centrist U.S. Rep. Angie Craig<\/a> and progressive Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan<\/a>. In the race for governor, Mike Lindell, known as the MyPillow Guy, leads a crowded Republican primary with President Donald Trump\u2019s endorsement, while Sen. Amy Klobuchar faces minimal opposition for the Democratic nomination.<\/p>\n The Democratic primary for Wisconsin governor is another high-profile clash between the party\u2019s establishment and progressive wings, as democratic socialist<\/a> Francesca Hong tries to rise above establishment candidate David Crowley. In a Republican primary for U.S. House, Trump-backed candidate Michael Alfonso, the 26-year-old son-in-law<\/a> of U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, is seeking to win Duffy\u2019s former district.<\/p>\n 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\u2019s general election ballot. The crowded race has attracted top party members, including two congressmen and a former governor \u2014 but Trump has endorsed Graham\u2019s sister, Sen. Darline Graham<\/a>, a political unknown appointed to serve<\/a> out the final months of her late brother’s current term.<\/p>\n Here’s the latest:<\/p>\n Darline Graham has gone from political sibling to interim senator and candidate in special primary<\/p>\n She had already been known as Lindsey Graham\u2019s<\/a> sister and lifelong supporter, but since her brother\u2019s death a month ago, Darline Graham has been thrust into the political spotlight.<\/p>\n A day after the late senator\u2019s sudden death<\/a> was announced, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster named Darline Graham<\/a> to serve the remaining months on his current term, which expires in January. She was sworn in the next day<\/a> and took his spot on powerful committees, including Judiciary.<\/p>\n Days later, Darline Graham was among the candidates<\/a> jumping into a special GOP primary to replace her late brother on November ballots. She\u2019s appeared at various stump events and one debate, although Senate business kept her off the campaign trail as other hopefuls traversed the state.<\/p>\n Minnesota\u2019s Senate primary is another Democratic factional fight of moderates vs. progressives<\/p>\n U.S. Rep. Angie Craig has support from the party\u2019s establishment, while Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan is backed by prominent figures on the left including Sen. Bernie Sanders.<\/p>\n The primary will again take the temperature of Democratic voters a week after progressive Abdul El-Sayed won a bitter and divisive primary<\/a> in Michigan that fired up the left and fueled anxiety among party leaders that Democrats will alienate moderate swing voters.<\/p>\n Craig says her record of winning repeatedly in a battleground House district will ensure the seat stays in Democratic hands. Flanagan says Craig hasn\u2019t stood firm enough against President Donald Trump and wealthy donors.<\/p>\n Voters for progressive Francesca Hong dismiss electability concerns<\/p>\n Wisconsin voter Jesse Heer said Hong understands \u201cwhat it\u2019s like to live here and have to afford to live here.\u201d<\/p>\n Heer, a 32-year-old business owner from Madison, said Hong\u2019s focus on affordability issues was the top reason he voted for her. And he\u2019s not buying the argument from other Democrats, including Hong\u2019s more moderate challenger, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, that she will have a harder time winning in the general election.<\/p>\n \u201cI think she\u2019s a good candidate,\u201d Heer said. \u201cI think a lot of people agree.\u201d<\/p>\n Hong voter Kelly McClurg, 40, of Sun Prairie, says Hong has shown \u201cshe\u2019ll be able to push back more\u201d on issues that Democrats care about, like affordability.<\/p>\n McClurg said if fellow Democrats believe in her, and don\u2019t assume she can\u2019t beat Republican Tom Tiffany, \u201cshe can win.\u201d<\/p>\n Wisconsin Democratic voters who are divided in the primary say they will unite<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Zimmerman says he worries \u201ca lot\u201d about progressive candidate Francesca Hong\u2019s ability to defeat Republican Tom Tiffany in November.<\/p>\n \u201cI think she\u2019s going to have trouble winning,\u201d Zimmerman said.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s no reason we can\u2019t galvanize around her and get her in there,\u201d Martinson said.<\/p>\n Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont seeks a rare third term<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n In Tuesday\u2019s Democratic primary, Lamont, 72, takes on state Rep. Josh Elliott, 42, who is running left of the current governor.<\/p>\n One of two Democratic governors who attended President Donald Trump\u2019s inauguration, Lamont has carefully chosen which issues to criticize the Republican president on. That tactic has prompted complaints from more liberal Democrats in Connecticut.<\/p>\n ___<\/p>\n This post has been updated to correct Lamont’s age. He is 72, not 71.<\/p>\n Low turnout expected in Alabama special primary<\/p>\n The state is holding special primaries in four congressional districts after it won permission from the U.S. Supreme Court to change its congressional maps<\/a>. The state tossed out the results of May primaries and scheduled the Tuesday special primaries using the new map.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Six Republicans are seeking the GOP nomination in the redrawn 2nd Congressional District. The winner will challenge Democratic Rep. Shomari Figures in November.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Polls are open for South Carolina\u2019s special GOP primary to replace late Sen. Lindsey Graham<\/p>\n Polling places opened across the state at 7 a.m. EDT, and voters have until 7 p.m. to cast their ballots.<\/p>\n It\u2019s only been two months since South Carolina voters made their picks in the primary elections in June. But Graham\u2019s sudden death<\/a> last month set into motion a special primary to pick a Republican replacement for the general election ballot in November.<\/p>\n Candidates have only had a matter of weeks to campaign.<\/p>\n There were three days of early voting last week, and Tuesday\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n Polls open in Wisconsin with Democratic primary race for governor topping the ballot<\/p>\n The topsy turvy<\/a> race pits democratic socialist Francesca Hong<\/a> against the governor\u2019s endorsed candidate David Crowley.<\/p>\n Hong has ridden a wave of support<\/a> from liberals to bolster her insurgent campaign. Crowley had quit the race but got back in \u2014 with Democratic Gov. Tony Evers\u2019 endorsement.<\/p>\n Crowley rejoined the race<\/a> after Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez dropped out last month amid a campaign finance scandal.<\/p>\n Former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes had the highest name recognition after a 2022 U.S. Senate run, but he also dropped out<\/a> less than two weeks before the primary amid questions about inappropriate behavior.<\/p>\n In the Republican primary for governor, U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany has Trump\u2019s endorsement and faces nominal opposition.<\/p>\n Progressives look to capitalize on the energy from El-Sayed\u2019s win in Michigan<\/p>\n Progressive candidates for governor in Wisconsin<\/a> and U.S. Senate in Minnesota<\/a> are increasing the pressure on a Democratic establishment that has spent the year on its heels.<\/p>\n Today\u2019s primaries come a week after Abdul El-Sayed<\/a> narrowly defeated Rep. Haley Stevens<\/a> in Michigan\u2019s divisive and costly<\/a> U.S. Senate primary. El-Sayed\u2019s victory has energized the left while stoking fears<\/a> among Democratic Party leaders that the shift to the left, particularly in battleground states like Michigan and Wisconsin<\/a>, will make it more difficult to win in November.<\/p>\n Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Primary elections are taking place in six U.S. states on Tuesday \u2014 Alabama, Connecticut, Minnesota, South Carolina, Vermont…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":810175,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[21491,8632,199816,4,450,342604,28760,12,1070,328604,451,129500,232982,5852,28768,343892,71441,3,341900,111,28761,20444,177649,28757,452,453,795],"class_list":["post-810174","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-breaking-news","tag-abdul-el-sayed","tag-amy-klobuchar","tag-angie-craig","tag-breaking-news","tag-breakingnews","tag-darline-graham","tag-david-crowley","tag-donald-trump","tag-elections","tag-francesca-hong","tag-headlines","tag-john-rowland","tag-josh-elliott","tag-lindsey-graham","tag-mandela-barnes","tag-michael-alfonso","tag-mike-lindell","tag-news","tag-peggy-flanagan","tag-politics","tag-sara-rodriguez","tag-sean-duffy","tag-tom-tiffany","tag-tony-evers","tag-top-stories","tag-topstories","tag-u-s-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/810174","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=810174"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/810174\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/810175"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=810174"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=810174"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=810174"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}