A string of high-profile primaries across six states on Tuesday produced several notable results that could shape both parties heading into the midterms and beyond — especially the continuing influence of former President Donald Trump and the early positioning for 2028.
Trump’s sway was on display in Kentucky, where Rep. Thomas Massie, a long-standing maverick Republican, lost his primary. Massie had clashed with Trump over several issues — from pushing to release Jeffrey Epstein-related files to voting against major GOP tax legislation and opposing the Iran war — and the former president repeatedly attacked him while endorsing Massie’s challenger, Ed Gallrein. The race attracted massive spending, becoming the most expensive House primary on record with more than $32 million in ad buys. Despite Massie’s insistence he was running on principle, the Trump-backed campaign prevailed.
But the former president didn’t have uniform success. In Georgia’s Republican gubernatorial primary, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, who had Trump’s backing, failed to win outright and now faces billionaire businessman Rick Jackson in a June 16 runoff. Jackson, who entered the race late, has cast himself as an anti-establishment alternative to Jones, setting up a competitive rematch in a state where Trump’s endorsement is influential but not always decisive.
Tuesday also mattered for figures being discussed as potential 2028 presidential contenders. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro — often mentioned as a possible future candidate — scored a win in his home state after the four House candidates he endorsed in battleground districts were projected to win (one was unopposed). Those victories could strengthen Shapiro’s national profile, even as he still must run the general election for governor against Republican state Treasurer Stacy Garrity and Democrats face a difficult road to flip all targeted seats.
In Georgia’s Senate picture, Gov. Brian Kemp — another name floated for 2028 — helped shape the GOP primary by backing former football coach Derek Dooley. Kemp’s support, including calls to donors and millions from his PAC, elevated Dooley into contention; ABC News projected Dooley and Rep. Mike Collins would advance to a runoff in what has become one of the most-watched Senate contests. Kemp has had a fraught relationship with Trump since 2020, but his influence in Georgia remains strong after surviving a Trump-backed primary challenger in his 2022 reelection.
The primaries underscored a few broader themes: endorsements, especially from Trump, still matter and can be decisive in many races, but they are not an automatic ticket to victory everywhere; state governors remain important kingmakers and can burnish their national profiles by shepherding allies to victory; and costly, high-stakes primaries are increasingly common in competitive districts.
Taken together, Tuesday’s outcomes reshaped several key matchups for the midterms and offered an early look at power dynamics that will influence Republican and Democratic strategies — and potential presidential ambitions — heading into 2028.