Maryland, West Virginia and Nebraska primaries 2024: Alsobrooks beats Trone, GOP incumbents survive
538 tracked over 10 competitive primaries for Senate, House and governor.
Tuesday, May 14 was another busy primary day, as voters in three states decided who would be on their general election ballots this fall. In Maryland, Democrats nominated women in two safely Democratic congressional seats, including Angela Alsobrooks, who is poised to become only the third Black woman ever elected to the Senate. In West Virginia and Nebraska, incumbent Republican representatives fended off far-right challengers.
538 reporters and contributors broke down the election results as they came in with live updates, analysis and commentary. Read our full live blog below.
Latest headlines:
Bacon projected to win in Nebraska
Another primary challenge to a sitting Republican representative has fallen short. ABC News reports that Bacon is projected to win the Republican primary in Nebraska’s 2nd District. With 37 percent of the expected vote in, he is defeating Frei, his right-wing challenger, 70 percent to 30 percent.
—Nathaniel Rakich, 538
Miller will get the chance to hold onto her seat in West Virginia's 1st
ABC News is reporting that Miller is projected to win the GOP primary against her challenger, Evans. She has 64 percent of the vote with a little more than a third of the expected vote reporting.
Miller has stood by Trump and even voted to overturn the 2020 election results, but that didn't stop Evans from calling her a "commie RINO." The primary was more evidence that state Republican Parties have been tearing themselves apart over issues like loyalty to Trump and the 2020 election results, even as there are only small differences between candidates.
—Monica Potts, 538
More Moores in Congress
ABC News reports that Riley Moore, the state treasurer, will win the GOP nomination in West Virginia's 2nd District. He'll be a shoo-in for the general election this fall and will take his seat alongside his aunt, Shelley Moore Capito, who is set to be the state's senior senator at the beginning of next Congress.
—Jacob Rubashkin, Inside Elections
Johnny O has a fortuitous last initial
This Olszewski ad might be my favorite of the cycle so far. He’s shamelessly capitalizing off the success of the American League East-leading Baltimore Orioles — nicknamed the O’s — one of the most exciting young teams in baseball.
—Nathaniel Rakich, 538
Democratic women we're watching
According to the Center for American Women in Politics, in states where filing deadlines have passed as of April 26, 36 percent of Democratic candidates for House races and 32 percent for Senate races are women. Today in Maryland, the share is a little lower: 32 percent of Democrats running for House and two out of 10 Senate candidates are women.
That said, women are competitive in a couple of Maryland's most critical primaries — which happen to be pretty crowded. A slew of Democratic departures — in the 2nd, 3rd and 6th Congressional Districts, as well as the Senate — have contributed to a wave of hopeful nominees, including Elfreth in the 3rd District and Alsobrooks for Senate. EMILY's List, the Democratic powerhouse that supports women at the crucial primary stage, has put its muscle behind Alsobrooks with a $2 million ad buy. But, despite typically investing in pro-choice women running in competitive districts, the group hasn't made an endorsement in Elfreth's race.
Meanwhile, in West Virginia, there are no Democratic women on the ballot today, while in Nebraska, there is just one running: state Sen. Carol Blood is running unopposed in the 1st District. If the incumbent Republican, Rep. Mike Flood, wins his primary, it will be Blood versus Flood, a most ominous general election match-up. But she will likely lose this, ahem, blood-red district in November.
—Meredith Conroy, 538 contributor