1 year ago
Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks to face rematch for key Iowa House seat
From Cami Mondeaux
FILE - Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, attends a panel discussion in the U.S. Pavilion at the COP27 U.N. Climate Summit, in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, Nov. 11, 2022. (AP Photo/Thomas Hartwell, File)
Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA) won the GOP primary for Iowa’s 1st Congressional District, setting the stage for a rematch against Christina Bohannan in November.
Miller-Meeks won after receiving 55% of the vote with 87% of ballots tallied, defeating marketing consultant David Pautsch. The Associated Press called the race at 10:59 p.m.
The first-term incumbent will go on to face Bohannan, who won her uncontested primary on Tuesday night. Miller-Meeks defeated Bohannan by 6.8 points in the 2022 midterm election.
1 year ago
This concludes coverage of the June 4 primaries
From Washington Examiner Staff
Voters cast ballots at the MetraPark events center, Tuesday, June 4, 2024, in Billings, Mont. The primary election included candidates for president, U.S. Senate, governor and other offices. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown)
Thank you for following along. To continue reading coverage of the 2024 elections from the Washington Examiner, click here.
1 year ago
Republican Troy Downing wins Montana primary race to replace Rep. Matt Rosendale
From Cami Mondeaux
U.S. Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont., speaks with reporters after filing to run for the U.S. Senate on Friday, Feb. 9, 2024 in the Montana State Capitol in Helena. (Thom Bridge/Independent Record via AP)
Montana State Auditor Troy Downing won the contested Republican primary to replace the retiring Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-MT), who announced earlier this year he would not run for reelection in the solidly Republican seat.
Downing won the race for Montana’s 2nd Congressional District with 37.9% of the vote with 4% of ballots tallied. The Associated Press called the race in Downing’s favor at 9:27 p.m. local time.
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1 year ago
Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte overcomes primary challenge from his right
From Cami Mondeaux
Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte overcame a primary challenge despite arguments from his opponent that the first-term incumbent was not conservative enough for the position.
Gianforte won after receiving 77% of the vote with 32% of the ballots tallied — coming in above state Rep. Tanner Smith, who garnered only 23% of the vote.
Gianforte’s victory comes despite criticism from Smith that he did not wield his governorship effectively enough to implement conservative policies. However, Gianforte pointed to several endorsements from conservative groups such as the National Rifle Association to brush off the attacks.
Gianforte is set to face off against Democrat Ryan Busse for the seat in November.
1 year ago
Tim Sheehy wins Montana Senate GOP primary in quest to unseat Tester
From Ramsey Touchberry
Former Navy SEAL Tim Sheehy won the Montana Senate GOP primary Tuesday and will go on to face Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) in the hotly contested general election that could determine party control of the chamber.
The Associated Press called the race for Sheehy at 8:37 p.m. Mountain time, 37 minutes after the polls closed. With about 27% of the ballots counted, Sheehy led with nearly 76% of the vote.
Sheehy, who is backed by former President Donald Trump, beat former Montana Public Service Commissioner Brad Johnson and past congressional candidate Charles Walking Child.
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1 year ago
Tester wins Montana Senate Democratic primary in bid for fourth term
From Ramsey Touchberry
Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., speaks about the border security talks, outside the chamber at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) won the Montana Senate Democratic primary on Tuesday and will go on to face the Republican victor in a hotly contested race that is crucial for Democrats to maintain their chamber majority.
The Associated Press called the race for Tester at 8:30 p.m. Mountain time, 30 minutes after the polls closed. With about 14% of the ballots counted, Tester led with nearly 98% of the vote against Democrat Michael Hummert.
1 year ago
Iowa Rep. Randy Feenstra handily defeats primary challenger
From Cami Mondeaux
U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra, R-Iowa, listens to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speak during a fundraising picnic, Saturday, May 13, 2023, in Sioux Center, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-IA) easily won his primary election on Tuesday, overcoming a challenge from Kevin Virgil.
Feenstra won the race with 62% of the vote with roughly 45% of ballots tallied. The Associated Press called the race at 9:10 p.m. local time.
The second-term incumbent was challenged by Virgil, who argued that Feenstra’s legislative agenda and votes were largely influenced by super PACs that donated to his campaign. However, Virgil only managed to secure 37% of the vote.
Feenstra will go on to face Democratic candidate Ryan Melton, who won his party’s nomination on Tuesday after running uncontested. The district is rated as R+16.
1 year ago
Democrat Andy Kim to face Republican Curtis Bashaw in New Jersey Senate race
From Ramsey Touchberry
Rep. Andy Kim talks to reporters at the Bergen County Democratic convention in Paramus, N.J., Monday, March 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Republican businessman Curtis Bashaw won the New Jersey GOP Senate primary Tuesday, teeing up a general election showdown with Democratic nominee Rep. Andy Kim (D-NJ).
The Associated Press called the race at 9:08 p.m. Bashaw holds roughly 52% of the vote with about 54% counted. Bashaw beat Trump-backed Serrano Glassner, whose husband, Michael Glassner, was a former chief adviser to the ex-president.
The candidates are vying to replace indicted Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ), who will run for reelection as an independent if he’s exonerated by a Manhattan jury in his ongoing federal public corruption trial.
1 year ago
Herb Conaway wins New Jersey House primary to replace Rep. Andy Kim
From Cami Mondeaux
A New Jersey primary ballot has an "office-block ballot" design in Rutherford, New Jersey, on Friday, May 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey)
New Jersey state Rep. Herb Conaway won the contested Democratic primary to replace Rep. Andy Kim (D-NJ), who announced he would not run for reelection to his safe Democratic seat and would instead vie to run for Senate.
Conaway won the race for New Jersey’s 3rd Congressional District with 47.9% of the vote with 26.3% of ballots tallied. The Associated Press called the race in Conaway’s favor at 9:22 p.m.
Conaway faced a crowded field of Democrats who sought to replace Kim as he steps down from the lower chamber next year, including fellow state Rep. Carol Murphy and civil rights attorney Joe Cohn.
1 year ago
Rep. Rob Menendez wins New Jersey House primary despite father’s indictment
From Cami Mondeaux
FILE — Rob Menendez, son of the current U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez, greets supporters while holding his daughter Olivia, 2, after voting in Jersey City, N.J., June 7, 2022. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)
Rep. Rob Menendez (D-NJ) Tuesday fended off a primary challenge from Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla, setting the stage for a second term despite his father’s criminal indictment looming over the family.
Menendez won the primary for New Jersey’s 8th Congressional District after garnering 53.5% of the vote with 42% of the vote counted. The Associated Press called the race at 9:19 p.m., just over an hour after polls closed.
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1 year ago
Trump easily wins New Mexico primary
From Mabinty Quarshie
Former President Donald Trump gestures as he returns to court after a lunch break, at Manhattan criminal court in New York, on May 16, 2024. (Mike Segar/Pool Photo via AP)
In his first contested primary Tuesday night, Trump cruised to victory.
The Associated Press called the New Mexico GOP primary for Trump at 9:07 p.m. Eastern. The former president won nearly 86% of the vote with 8% of votes counted.
But after being convicted of 34 criminal counts last week, Trump faced some protest votes. Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley won nearly 8% of the vote in New Mexico, and another 3% voted uncommitted in the primary.
Elsewhere, Trump ran in an uncontested South Dakota GOP primary. He also ran unopposed in New Jersey as well, giving him two easy wins.
1 year ago
Rep. Gabe Vasquez and Republican Yvette Herrell head for rematch in fight for New Mexico House seat
From Cami Mondeaux
Yvette Herrell and Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-TX). (AP Photos)
Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-NM) and Republican candidate Yvette Herrell emerged from their uncontested primaries on Tuesday night, setting the stage for a competitive rematch to control New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District.
The races were called shortly after polls closed at 9 p.m. Eastern, as neither Vasquez nor Herrell faced challengers for their party’s nominations. The two will face each other in the November election in what is shaping up to be one of the most competitive elections of the 2024 cycle.
However, Vasquez could face an uphill battle as he seeks reelection as he faces backlash from criminal allegations dating back 20 years. Those reports, which were independently confirmed by the Washington Examiner, show Vasquez once called his former place of employment in 2004 and used a racial slur.
1 year ago
Biden glides to victory in South Dakota and New Mexico
From Mabinty Quarshie
Just one minute after polls closed in South Dakota at 9 p.m. Eastern, the Associated Press called the race for Biden.
The president won nearly 58% of the vote with 5% of the vote counted for, according to the Associated Press.
In New Mexico, Biden won nearly 91% of the vote, with “uncommitted” garnering 6.2% with 8% of votes counted. The Associated Press called the race seven minutes after polls closed at 9 p.m. Eastern.
1 year ago
DC Councilwoman Janeese George wins reelection despite ‘soft-on-crime’ criticism
From Cami Mondeaux
District of Columbia Ward 4 Councilwoman Janeese Lewis George, speaks to a crowd of people gathered outside the Supreme Court, early Tuesday, May 3, 2022 in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Washington, D.C., Councilwoman Janeese Lewis George sailed to reelection on Tuesday despite facing challenges from two opponents who have criticized the first-term lawmaker for her stance on public safety issues.
George won reelection after receiving 66% of the vote with about 83% of ballots tallied, according to the New York Times. Challengers Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Lisa Gore and Paul Johnson received 28% and 5%, respectively.
Gore and Johnson sought to portray George as being too soft on crime while citing record-high crime rates the district has reported over the last few years. George pushed back on those arguments, noting she was the only candidate who has previously worked as a prosecutor, which she said would help with reining in crime around the capital.
Crime has become a focal point of local elections in Washington, especially as the district has garnered national attention from congressional Republicans who have criticized Democratic leadership in the district for the rising crime rates.
1 year ago
Polls close in Iowa, New Mexico and South Dakota
From Mabinty Quarshie
Voting Booths set up in rows on Election Day
Polls in three states, Iowa, New Mexico, and South Dakota, closed at 9 p.m. Eastern as voters decided which candidates in congressional primaries will face off in November.
Four congressional primaries in Iowa, a Senate primary and three House primaries in New Mexico, and one House primary in South Dakota will be decided.
Iowa presidential primaries have already been called, but in New Mexico and South Dakota, Trump and Biden are expected to win their primaries after already clinching their party’s presidential nominations.
