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!


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Missouri Democrats list abortion as the most important issue facing the state

Throughout the primary process, we've been checking in on how voters across the country are viewing the issues. In most cases, voters say that the economy is the most important issue, and Missouri is no different: in a mid-June survey from Emerson/The Hill, 34 percent of respondents said that the "economy (jobs, inflation, taxes)" was the most important issue facing the state. The next most important issue, "abortion access," was chosen by 12 percent of respondents, and "immigration" was chosen by 10 percent. No other issue was selected by more than 10 percent of respondents.

But, in what may be a first this year, the top issue for Democratic voters in the Show Me State was abortion access, chosen by 22 percent of Democratic respondents. This was followed by the economy at 21 percent and healthcare at 18 percent, with no other issue in double digits. Abortion is illegal in Missouri in almost all circumstances, including cases of rape and incest.

For Republicans in Missouri, on the other hand, only two issues were selected as most important by more than 10 percent of registered voters: the economy (45 percent) and immigration (16 percent). In stark contrast to Democrats, just 5 percent of Republicans listed abortion access as the top issue. But it was also important among independents, 12 percent of whom said it was their top issue (second only to the economy).

—Mary Radcliffe, 538


A candidate dropped a gubernatorial bid to run in Washington's 6th District … will it pay off?

The 6th District, covering Washington's Kitsap and Olympic Peninsulas and most of Tacoma, is home to an open primary after Democratic Rep. Derek Kilmer announced his retirement. Democrat Hilary Franz, the state's public lands commissioner, suspended a gubernatorial bid to run for this seat and snagged Kilmer's endorsement for her trouble. For a moment it seemed like Franz, who is leading in fundraising, was a shoo-in for the seat, but this has actually shaped up to be a competitive race.

Democratic state Sen. Emily Randall isn't far behind Franz in funds — she's raised over $1 million, close to Franz's $1.3 million — and has collected a stack of high-profile endorsements, including Sen. Patty Murray and former Gov. Christine Gregoire. This is a race worth keeping an eye on as voters might end up seeing double with a Democrat-versus-Democrat general election between two candidates who agree on nearly all the issues.

Kaleigh Rogers, 538


Polls are closed in Missouri, most of Michigan and Kansas

It's 8 p.m. Eastern, and polls just closed in Missouri as well as in most of Michigan and Kansas. (Polls close in an hour in parts of Michigan's Upper Peninsula and a handful of western counties in Kansas.)

We're tracking about a dozen key races in those three states, so results may start coming fast and furious between now and 11 p.m. Eastern, when the last polls close in Washington state. Watch this space!

—Tia Yang, 538


It's MAGA versus mainstream GOP in eastern Washington

A crowded primary emerged in eastern Washington's 5th District, after Republican Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers opted not to seek reelection. Six Republicans and five Democrats are running, including Spokane County Treasurer and former state Sen. Michael Baumgartner, a Republican who is leading the pack in fundraising. As of mid-July, Baumgartner had raised over $790,000, more than double the next highest fundraiser, Republican state Rep. Jacquelin Maycumber. At a debate in June, Baumgartner was one of the few Republicans on stage who said he believed Biden legitimately won in 2020, while Maycumber said she had "grave concerns" about the 2020 results.

With McMorris Rodgers retiring relatively late (she made her announcement in February), there hasn't been much time for candidates to build funds or momentum, meaning other than Baumgartner's financial edge, it's hard to identify a frontrunner in the race. In this red-leaning district, which gave Trump 53 percent of the vote in 2020, there's a chance two GOP candidates could advance to the general election, although there are a few credible Democrats running too, such as former State Department officer Carmela Conroy and gynecologist Bernadine Bank.

Kaleigh Rogers, 538