Missouri, Michigan, Washington and Kansas primaries 2024: Cori Bush loses
The fields are set for Michigan's Senate and Missouri's governor contests.
Three months out from the big November election, around a third of all states had yet to hold (non-presidential) primaries. On Tuesday, Democrats and Republicans in Missouri, Michigan, Washington and Kansas went to the polls to pick which candidates will appear on their ballots in the fall.
The electoral fate of a couple endangered House incumbents hung in the balance on this packed primary day. In Missouri, a progressive "Squad" member was defeated by centrist forces, and in Washington, one of only two remaining House Republicans who voted to impeach President Donald Trump was challenged by not one but two Trump-endorsed opponents from his right.
Meanwhile, both parties locked in their nominees for Michigan’s critical Senate race, and the outcomes of Republican primary contests are likely to determine Missouri’s next governor and attorney general. In battleground House districts, the fields were set for competitive fall contests, while in safe red and blue districts, ideological lines were drawn as candidates duke it out in primaries tantamount to election.
As usual, 538 reporters and contributors broke down the election results as they came in with live updates, analysis and commentary. Check out our full live blog below!
Latest headlines:
- McDonald Rivet projected winner in Michigan's 8th District Democratic primary
- Marlinga secures a rematch in Michigan's 10th
- Hudson projected to win GOP primary in Michigan's 3rd District
- Will Washington's 6th District get a bipartisan matchup or two Democrats in November?
- Baumgartner advances in Washington's 5th District
Final thought: Trump mostly gets the GOP winners he wanted
Trump endorsed 25 Republican candidates in 22 races today, and as things stand, the only contenders who lost or look to be in trouble are in the two races where he endorsed more than one candidate: Missouri's gubernatorial primary and the top-two race in Washington's 4th District.
In Missouri, Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe won the Republican primary for governor with close to 40 percent of the vote, according to the AP, defeating two other candidates who also received Trump's blessing. In Washington, we don't have a projection in the 4th District yet, but former NASCAR driver Jerrold Sessler leads with 30 percent over the 25 percent of Republican Rep. Dan Newhouse, who voted to impeach Trump in 2021 and is persona non grata to the former president. Veterans advocate Tiffany Smiley, whom Trump also endorsed, is in third with about 20 percent. While the presidential race looks to be on a knife's edge, the Republican Party continues to become more Trump's party every day.
—Geoffrey Skelley, 538
McDonald Rivet likely to win in Michigan's 8th District Democratic primary
State Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet came into today the favorite in this race, having raised $1.7 million, and secured an EMILYs List endorsement. While AP has not issued a projection, McDonald Rivet has a commanding lead with 43 percent of the expected vote in. She has 56% of the vote so far, likely an insurmountable lead for former Army Ranger Matt Collier (29 percent) to overcome. State Board of Education President Pamela Pugh has also garnered 16 percent of the vote.
—Meredith Conroy, 538 contributor
Final thought: Progressives take a step back
I won't get cute: The big news from tonight was Bush's loss in Missouri's 1st District. Along with Bowman's loss back in June, two big-name progressive representatives have now lost renomination this year, and the Squad has been pared back from (arguably) nine members to (arguably) seven. That's a big deal for a group that, for years, has seemed ascendant.
That said, a lot of people will blame the Israel-Hamas war for Bush's and Bowman's defeats. While that's valid on some level — AIPAC probably wouldn't have spent so much money against them if it weren't for the Israel issue — both campaigns were fought over more local, domestic concerns. So while these losses were setbacks for the progressive movement, I don't think they were referenda on Israel or anything.
—Nathaniel Rakich, 538
Getting ready to wrap up!
There are just a few key races yet to be projected in Washington state (and um ... Michigan's 13th District, where only 9 percent of the expected vote is in). Those votes will keep trickling in overnight, but we're getting ready to close up shop for now!
What are everyone's final thoughts or takeaways from today's results?
—Tia Yang, 538