Voters in two states cast their ballots in primary races on Tuesday, helping to shape several key elections that may sway control of Congress in November.
Most races in Wyoming and Alaska were called soon after the polls closed in each of the states, leaving few unanswered questions about who would advance to the November ballot. Former President Donald Trump loomed large in several of the races, ousting one of his most high-profile challengers from Congress and boosting others to a primary victory.
FULL COVERAGE OF THE 2022 MIDTERM ELECTIONS
Here are the biggest results from last night’s primary elections:
Liz Cheney ousted from Congress
One of the most consequential, but least surprising, results of the night was the ouster of Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY), offering Trump his most high-profile primary win yet against House Republicans who voted to impeach him in 2021.
Cheney, one of two Republicans on the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and one of 10 who voted to impeach Trump, was one of the former president’s most high-profile targets in the 2022 midterm election cycle. The Wyoming Republican focused much of her campaign on denouncing Trump’s efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election, urging Democrats and independents in the state to re-register to vote for her in the GOP primary.
However, she finished far behind Trump-backed Harriet Hageman, a onetime ally and informal adviser to Cheney. Cheney is the fourth House Republican to lose her reelection bid after voting to impeach Trump, with only Reps. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) and David Valadao (R-CA) surviving their primary challenges. The other four chose not to seek reelection.
Palin among those to advance to Alaska House race
Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is one of three candidates projected to advance to the general election for the state’s only House seat, setting the stage for her attempted political comeback after more than a decade out of office.
Palin, who was backed by Trump and spent much of her campaign leaning on his endorsement, will face Republican Nick Begich and Democrat Mary Peltola in the general election in November, with a fourth candidate not yet determined. The four candidates will compete via ranked-choice voting, the first time the state has used such a system.
The former governor and one-time vice presidential candidate also appeared on the ballot for a special election finishing out former Republican Rep. Don Young’s term after he died in March. Those results are not expected to be final until at least the end of the month, according to the Associated Press.
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Murkowski survives primary challenge against Trump-backed opponent
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) survived her primary challenge against Trump-backed Kelly Tshibaka, largely thanks to the state’s use of ranked-choice voting that allowed the incumbent to advance to the general election.
Murkowski became one of Trump’s most high-profile targets in the Senate after the Alaska Republican voted to convict the former president during his second impeachment trial. She was the only senator who voted to impeach Trump to face a primary challenge during this election cycle.
