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
Checking in on Michigan anti-abortion candidates
A quick-check in on anti-abortion Republican primary candidates in Michigan: Many of these candidates are incumbents, and it's too early for most competitive races to be called, but the fact that Rogers is projected to win the nomination for Stabenow's Senate seat means that the anti-abortion physician, O'Donnell, has lost.
—Monica Potts, 538
Lucas Kunce to face Josh Hawley in Missouri
As expected, the AP projects Kunce to win the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in Missouri, where he currently leads state Senator Karla May by over 40 points. Kunce, a Marine Corps veteran, sought the Senate seat in Missouri in 2022, but lost in the primary.
However, Kunce faces an uphill battle against Hawley in November: The seat is rated as solidly red by the Cook Political Report. Hawley won his first race in 2018 by 5.8 points against popular incumbent Claire McCaskill, and he's likely to win by much more this time around.
—Mary Radcliffe, 538
It's not over for Onder in Missouri's 3rd
Expounding on what Monica said: Even though Schaefer has a 10-point lead on Onder right now in the Missouri 3rd GOP primary, I'd bet on Onder making up most, if not all, of that ground. That's because Schaefer's lead is built on his strength in the counties clustered around his home base of Columbia, Missouri. However, many counties not near Columbia have yet to report, including Onder's home area of St. Charles County. So the Trump-endorsed candidate may yet still win here.
—Nathaniel Rakich, 538
Slotkin flipped her seat in 2018
As Geoffrey just mentioned, the AP has projected that Elissa Slotkin will win the Democratic nomination for Senate in Michigan. She has backing from EMILYs List, which will help in November, given that that race is expected to be close. Slotkin is one of several Democratic women who flipped her district from red to blue in 2018, which was a record-setting year for Democratic women running and winning. She was also one of many "Obama alum" who ran and won that cycle.
—Meredith Conroy, 538 contributor