Election updates: Mixed results for Trump-backed candidates in GOP primaries

Dr. Oz's Pennsylvania primary was too close to project Tuesday night.

Last Updated: May 18, 2022, 10:25 AM EDT

Voters were heading to the polls Tuesday for primary elections in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Kentucky, Idaho and Oregon amid a midterm season that will test the endorsement power of both President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.

While Trump wasn't successful across the board, at least 22 of his 25 endorsed candidates for Senate, House and governor (mostly in noncompetitive races) won Tuesday night, according to FiveThirtyEight.

Latest Developments:

Here is how the news is developing today. All times Eastern. Check back for updates.
May 17, 2022, 8:00 PM EDT

Pennsylvania polls close

Polls are now closed in Pennsylvania, which is home to one of the most competitive primaries of the night featuring celebrity Dr. Mehmet Oz.

Oz shook up the Republican primary for Senate after launching his campaign late last year, winning former President Donald Trump’s endorsement over businessman David McCormick. But it’s been another candidate, conservative commentator Kathy Barnette, making headlines in the final weeks of the race as she experiences a sudden surge.

Trump said of Barnette last week that she will "never be able to win the general election against the radical left Democrats." Her momentum in the polls has jeopardized his second attempt to influence the race -- he endorsed Oz after Sean Parnell, his initial pick, dropped out of the race.

Pennsylvania Republican U.S. Senate candidate Dr. Mehmet Oz and his wife Lisa Oz arrive to cast their vote, in Bryn Athyn, Pa., May 17, 2022.
Hannah Beier/Reuters

Leading candidates for the Democratic nomination include Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, Rep. Conor Lamb and state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta.

Another race to watch will be the gubernatorial primary. Attorney General Josh Shapiro is running unopposed for the Democratic nomination to take over for term-limited Gov. Tom Wolf, while several Republicans are looking for the opportunity to flip control of the governor’s mansion.

May 17, 2022, 7:51 PM EDT

Cheri Beasley projected to win in North Carolina Dem Senate primary

In the North Carolina Democratic Senate Primary, ABC News projects that former North Carolina Supreme Court Justice Cheri Beasley will win.

North Carolina presents a key opportunity for Democrats to possibly pick up another seat in the chamber as Republican Sen. Richard Burr retires this year.

Beasley was seen as the presumptive front-runner for the Democratic nomination.

On the Republican side, incumbent Rep. Ted Budd, carrying former President Donald Trump's endorsement, is hoping to beat two standouts in the GOP field: Former Rep. Mark Walker and former Gov. Pat McCrory. Tuesday presents a telling test of Trump's endorsement power across state lines, as he also aims for Dr. Mehmet Oz to win the Republican primary race for Pennsylvania's open Senate seat.

May 17, 2022, 7:32 PM EDT

Polls close in North Carolina

Polls have officially closed in North Carolina, where voters are picking their party’s nominees for the Senate and House elections.

The battleground state presents a key opportunity for Democrats to possibly pick up another seat in the chamber as Republican Sen. Richard Burr retires this year. Former North Carolina Supreme Court Justice Cheri Beasley is seen as the presumptive frontrunner for the Democratic nomination, while there are three standouts in the Republican field: Rep. Ted Budd, former Rep. Mark Walker and former Gov. Pat McCrory. Budd was endorsed by Trump earlier this year.

PHOTO: Rep. Madison Cawthorn speaks at a rally  in Selma, N.C., April 9, 2022.
Rep. Madison Cawthorn speaks at a rally in Selma, N.C., April 9, 2022.
Chris Seward/AP, FILE

Another test of Trump’s influence will be in North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District and 13th Congressional District, where he’s backed two 26-year-olds: Rep. Madison Cawthorn, widely known across the country for his scandals and irreverent attitude, and Bo Hines, a former college football star with little name recognition running in a district he doesn’t live in.

Candidates will need to receive more than 30% of the vote to become the party’s nominee or face a runoff election on July 26.

May 17, 2022, 7:21 PM EDT

Pennsylvania county reports voting issue

The Lancaster County Board of Elections on Tuesday reported issues with its mail-in ballots, stating that a mistake by a vendor left it unable to scan thousands of ballots because it printed them with the wrong identification codes.

County officials called the error "unacceptable."

"About 22,000 mail ballots were printed by the print vendor with the incorrect code and could not be read by the county’s scanners," the secretary of state's office told ABC News. "County election officials will re-mark the ballots by hand and then scan them. This is allowed under [Pennsylvania] law. It is likely to take county officials a few days."

It’s unclear how the glitch will impact the election. Polls close at 8 p.m. ET in the state, where voters are choosing their party’s nominees for Senate and governor.

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