US Elections Tuesday: Florida, Alaska, Wyoming Primaries, California Special Election — Key contests to watch
With 77 days remaining until the general election, several races stand out because of their competitive fields, open seats, redistricting battles and potential implications for the balance of power in Washington.
Voters in Florida, Alaska and Wyoming head to polls on Tuesday for key state primaries, while California decides a special congressional election. These contests will set party nominees for significant races and may give early clues about the political environment leading up to the November midterms. With 77 days left until the general election, several elections stand out due to competitive fields, open seats, redistricting battles and their potential impact on the balance of power in Washington.
In Florida, the primaries will determine nominees for governor, the US Senate and several congressional seats. Republican primaries will see 11 candidates vie for the right to replace term-limited Gov. Ron DeSantis. Key Republican contenders include Byron Donalds, a Trump-endorsed candidate with significant financial advantage, Jay Collins, a close DeSantis ally and former lieutenant governor, and James Fishback, a former investment firm CEO.
On the Democratic side, six candidates will battle for the nomination, with David Jolly, the former Republican US representative, leading the pack with a major fundraising edge and former Democratic Rep. Gwen Graham as his running mate.
The Florida Senate primary will primarily feature Republican Sen. Ashley Moody, who faces little opposition after being appointed to fill the seat left vacant by Marco Rubio. The Democratic nomination will be decided between Angie Nixon, a state representative, and Alex Vindman, a retired Army lieutenant colonel known for his role during Trump's first impeachment.
Florida's congressional races are particularly important as Republicans recently adopted a new congressional map that could strengthen their position in the upcoming elections. Democratic incumbents Kathy Castor and Darren Soto will seek reelection in newly redrawn, more Republican-friendly districts. In South Florida, another Democratic primary pits former Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick against Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz in the newly configured 20th District.
In Alaska, the primaries could have major implications for control of the US Senate. The Republican primary will pit Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan against former Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola, among 16 candidates competing in the all-party, top-four primary. The winner will advance to the November election using ranked-choice voting.
In the congressional race, Republican Rep. Nick Begich is seeking a second term, while independent Bill Hill, a commercial fisherman, is his main challenger. The governor's race will see 17 candidates battle for the Republican nomination, with former Gov. Mike Dunleavy's term-limited status providing a competitive field.
Wyoming is holding unusual Republican primaries due to having open races for governor, US Senate and US House simultaneously for the first time in 32 years. The Republican gubernatorial primary will see four candidates, with President Trump endorsing the front-runner, Megan Degenfelder. In the Senate, five Republicans are competing to replace retiring Sen. Cynthia Lummis. The winner will advance to the November election.
Written by urgent.news from Live Mint's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
