Voters are heading to the polls Tuesday in a series of state primaries that include pivotal contests in Georgia and Pennsylvania and a high-profile intraparty clash in Kentucky. Alabama, Idaho, Oregon and other states also hold important races or questions that will shape November matchups.
Kentucky 4th District
Incumbent Rep. Thomas Massie is fighting to keep his seat in northern Kentucky against Ed Gallrein, a former Navy SEAL backed by former President Donald Trump. The contest has drawn enormous outside spending and has become one of the most expensive House primaries on record. Pro-Israel groups and Republican megadonors have poured millions into the race to unseat Massie, who has clashed with Trump and party leaders on foreign policy and other priorities.
Massie argues he votes with Trump most of the time but resists certain measures — opposing wars, warrantless surveillance and legislation he sees as fiscally irresponsible — and has framed his stance as keeping promises to his constituents. Trump has aggressively campaigned for Gallrein and publicly attacked Massie. High-profile surrogates have also stumped for Gallrein, signaling the national significance Republicans place on the race. House leadership has suggested a preference for more reliable GOP votes, but Speaker Mike Johnson declined to formally endorse.
Georgia governor
With Gov. Brian Kemp term-limited, the GOP primary to replace him is competitive and expensive. The field includes former Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, Attorney General Chris Carr (who declined to pursue Trump’s 2020 election fraud case), and Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, who was aligned with Trump’s efforts after the 2020 election and has Trump’s backing. Billionaire Rick Jackson has spent tens of millions of dollars on the race and pledged massive ad buys.
Television ad spending in Georgia’s governor’s race has exceeded nine figures, with Jackson and Jones accounting for the largest shares. If no Republican tops 50%, the top two will go to a runoff.
On the Democratic side, former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms is widely viewed as the frontrunner and has received President Biden’s endorsement. A crowded Democratic field makes a runoff likely. Notably, former Republican Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan is running for the Democratic nomination after breaking with Trump in 2020.
Georgia Senate
Sen. Jon Ossoff, a Democrat, seeks reelection in a state President Trump won in 2024. Republicans hoping to flip the seat are divided: Reps. Mike Collins and Buddy Carter and former coach Derek Dooley are the main contenders. Dooley has Kemp’s endorsement, but Trump has not picked a candidate. A bruising GOP primary that could extend to a runoff may help Ossoff’s chances. Political ratings have trended in Ossoff’s favor amid Democratic momentum in recent Georgia special elections.
Pennsylvania
Democrats see opportunities to pick up House seats in Pennsylvania and could test Gov. Josh Shapiro’s standing with swing voters. Key Democratic targets include:
– 7th District (Lehigh Valley): Bob Brooks, a firefighter and union leader endorsed by Shapiro and the DCCC, is the Democratic frontrunner to reclaim a district that has trended competitive.
– 10th District (Harrisburg/York): Janelle Stelson, a former local TV anchor who narrowly lost in 2024, is the leading Democratic contender against Republican Rep. Scott Perry.
– 8th District (Scranton/Wilkes-Barre): Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti is the clear Democratic choice to challenge freshman GOP Rep. Rob Bresnahan.
– 1st District (Bucks County): Moderately conservative Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick has been a tough target; Bob Harvie, backed by Shapiro, is the top Democratic hopeful.
Republicans have fewer clear pickup opportunities statewide, but holding current front-line districts would be politically important for both national and state-level ambitions.
Alabama
A recent Supreme Court decision changed the legal landscape for congressional maps, allowing Alabama to use its 2023 map that contains a single majority-Black district. As a result, the governor has scheduled a special election for Aug. 11 in the 1st, 2nd, 6th and 7th districts; primaries in those seats will not be resolved Tuesday. Three other House districts still hold primaries on Tuesday.
Gov. Kay Ivey is term-limited. U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville is seen as a frontrunner for the GOP gubernatorial nomination, though he faces challengers, and former Sen. Doug Jones is among Democrats seeking the governorship. Tuberville’s U.S. Senate seat is open and drawing competitive fields on both sides.
Idaho
Idaho voters will decide the governor’s race, and both of the state’s House members face primary challenges. These contests will determine the shape of general-election matchups in a solidly Republican state.
Oregon
Oregon’s closed primaries limit voters to their party’s ballot. Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek faces nine Democratic challengers; 14 Republicans are competing for the chance to face her, including former NBA player Chris Dudley. Sen. Jeff Merkley faces one Democratic primary challenger while seven Republicans seek the GOP Senate nomination. Voters will also see a ballot measure on raising the gas tax to fund infrastructure projects.
Bottom line
Tuesday’s primaries include several nationally consequential contests: an expensive intraparty fight in Kentucky that tests Trump’s influence, high-dollar, high-profile races in Georgia for governor and Senate, targeted House battlegrounds in Pennsylvania, and map-related complications in Alabama that delay some House contests until August. Races in Idaho and Oregon and statewide ballot measures round out a busy primary day that will help shape November’s battlefield.
Contributors to the reporting include Nikole Killion, Patrick Maguire, Aaron Navarro and Ibrahim Aksoy.