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

In the Pennsylvania gubernatorial Republican primary, ABC News projects state Sen. Doug Mastriano will win, beating out his closest primary rival, former Rep. Lou Barletta.

Mastriano, a retired Army colonel and long proponent of "the big lie," gained former President Donald Trump's endorsement only three days ago. Mastriano attended Trump’s Jan. 6 rally in Washington and falsely claimed in December 2020 that "cheating and fraud happened in our state." As a state senator, he also attempted to launch a forensic "audit" of the state’s election results, similar to the partisan inquisition that took place in Arizona. It failed to find any evidence of widespread fraud.

The race is especially significant since the governor of Pennsylvania gets to name the secretary of state -- the state's chief election official, charged with overseeing elections.

The House Jan. 6 committee has subpoenaed Mastriano, given that he was in communication with Trump on Jan. 6, but neither he nor the committee has confirmed whether he complied with the order.

Attorney General Josh Shapiro, running unopposed for the Democratic nomination for governor, has called Mastriano "the most extreme and dangerous GOP candidate." The two will face off in November.

Gisele Fetterman, wife of Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, spoke to supporters at an election night party in Pittsburgh following her husband's projection to win the Democratic primary for Senate as he recovers from a stroke in the hospital.

She opened by "addressing the elephant in the room," which is that "my husband John Fetterman is not in the room," and said Fetterman would be "back on his feet in no time."

"This race we’re running is a race for the future," she said to a warm audience. "It’s a race for every job that has been lost, every factory that has been closed, every cost that has been rising, every worker that can’t keep up. It’s a race for a better Pennsylvania."

She also mentioned two issues her husband raises at almost every stop: a commitment to legalizing marijuana and to eliminating the Senate filibuster.

President Joe Biden didn’t endorse in the race, but the son of Pennsylvania celebrated John Fetterman's win in the state's Senate Democratic primary on Tuesday.

"John Fetterman understands that working class families in Pennsylvania and across the country have been dealt out for far too long. It’s time to deal them back in, and electing John to the United States Senate would be a big step forward for Pennsylvania’s working people," the president wrote.

-ABC News Political Director Rick Klein

In North Carolina’s 4th Congressional District, ABC News projects state Sen. Valerie Foushee will win the House Democratic primary.

Foushee defeated eight other candidates vying for the nomination, including "American Idol" star Clay Aiken. Aiken launched his bid in January, citing white supremacy and racism as reasons for his second congressional bid.

She also defeated Nida Allam, a 28-year-old county official who is Muslim and who got wide support from the Bernie Sanders-Elizabeth Warren wing of the party. Sanders on Tuesday called out national groups who spent a large amount of money trying to sink Allam’s candidacy.

The safely Democratic district has been held by Rep. David Price for nearly 35 years. Price announced in October 2021 that he is retiring at the end of this term.