Tuesday’s primaries supplied contemporary assessments of the Democratic Social gathering’s route, the affect of President Donald Trump’s endorsements and the Republican Social gathering’s future.
Listed below are takeaways from Tuesday’s primaries:
Centrist David Crowley narrowly defeats Democratic Socialist Francesca Hong
Milwaukee County Government David Crowley, a centrist Democrat, narrowly received the Democratic major in a serious upset within the race for governor, the Related Press tasks. He defeated Wisconsin assemblywoman Francesca Hong, a democratic socialist, in what grew to become a high-stakes check for progressives who pinned their hopes on profitable a serious social gathering nomination in a vital battleground state.
A former state lawmaker, Crowley pitched himself because the candidate best-positioned to defeat Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany, endorsed by President Donald Trump, in November. He campaigned on his government expertise operating the state’s most populous county.
It is the ultimate shakeup in what grew to become a messy major and a serious comeback for Crowley, who had stop the race on July 8 as his marketing campaign struggled to achieve traction. However with Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez’s exit days later, it set off a scramble for Democrats to coalesce round a average opponent to Hong. He rejoined the race on July 17, bolstered by late assist from outgoing Democratic Gov. Tony Evers.
Democratic Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate David Crowley greets supporters at a marketing campaign rally, August 10, 2026 in Milwaukee.
Scott Olson/Getty Photos
The sitting governor campaigned with Crowley within the ultimate dash to the first because the social gathering scrambled to unite round a substitute for Hong. Some Democrats expressed considerations her positions had been too excessive and she or he would wrestle to win on purple turf in a basic election towards Tiffany.
Crowley’s slender victory additionally means that division over the social gathering’s route — and the break up over assist for progressives or extra average candidates this midterm cycle — stays ever sturdy.
It follows a handful of electoral victories for progressives in congressional primaries in Colorado and New York and, most lately, in Michigan’s closely-watched Democratic major for the U.S. Senate.
Hong branded herself as a fighter for the working class, advocated for common childcare and referred to as to abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement. She argued voters had been prepared for “transformational change.”
Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong speaks to supporters throughout an election-night social gathering, August 11, 2026 in Madison, Wisconsin.
Scott Olson/Getty Photos
She campaigned closely on a yearlong pause on building of AI knowledge facilities, whereas Crowley advocated for extra guardrails in place.
But within the waning days of the race, Hong’s marketing campaign was dogged by elevated scrutiny over a few of her previous social media posts — together with calling Thanksgiving a “colonizer vacation” — that drew criticism from her opponents. She lately considerably appeared to distance herself from the nationwide platform of the Democratic Socialists of America however confronted pushback from members of each events for her earlier positions. She had referred to as for defunding and finally abolishing the police however later made clear she wouldn’t achieve this as governor.
Hong additionally campaigned with the controversial leftist streamer Hasan Piker and Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar forward of the first. However the main figures within the democratic socialist motion, Vermont U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and New York U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, didn’t endorse Hong.
If elected, Crowley would turn into the primary Black governor of Wisconsin. He’ll face off towards Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany, backed by Trump, in November.
-ABC Information’ Gaby Vinick
South Carolina outcomes elevate questions on Trump’s endorsement
The ends in Tuesday’s particular Republican major for U.S. Senate in South Carolina are considerably inconclusive, as voters won’t know for sure who will take the late Sen. Lindsey Graham’s spot on the November poll till after an Aug. 25 runoff. However they do replicate broader questions over the way forward for the Republican Social gathering, together with the facility of President Donald Trump’s endorsement and the late senator’s legacy.
The matchup is about between Sen. Darline Graham, Trump’s endorsed choose and Lindsey Graham’s sister, who was appointed to complete his time period and has vowed to proceed his legacy, and the conservative stalwart Rep. Ralph Norman, an ally of the president who launched a bid for the Senate seat regardless of Trump endorsing Graham.
Sen. Darline Graham speaks with reporters after advancing to a particular GOP Senate major runoff to switch Sen. Lindsey Graham, Aug. 11, 2026, in Columbia, S.C.
Meg Kinnard/AP Picture
The outcomes are a combined outcome for Trump’s endorsement, since Graham didn’t win outright, though the very compressed election timeline and the 10-candidate discipline probably additionally contributed to there being no outright winner.
Different components could possibly be at play as effectively within the runoff associated to Trump: Norman endorsed Nikki Haley for president over Trump within the 2024 GOP major, one thing that would damage him within the runoff, even when he runs on his deeply conservative report in Congress.
-ABC Information’ Oren Oppenheim and Ben Siegel
Regardless of Trump’s endorsement, Lindell comes up quick
Mike Lindell, the previous CEO of MyPillow who rose to prominence in President Donald Trump’s circle as a serious election denier, completed second within the Republican governor’s major in Minnesota regardless of an endorsement from the president.
Lindell grew up in Minnesota however moved out of the state a number of years in the past and voter data confirmed him registered in Texas as late as this summer season.
Mike Lindell, a Republican candidate for Minnesota governor, speaks throughout a Minnesota Governor Candidate Discussion board in Morgan, Minn., Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026. (AP Picture/Ellen Schmidt)
Ellen Schmidt/AP Picture
Republican voters seem to have opted for electability over Trump loyalty in selecting state Home Speaker Lisa Demuth, a extra average centrist within the traditionally blue state who faces an uphill battle in November — no Republican has been elected governor in Minnesota in 20 years.
Lindell is the third Trump-backed governor candidate to lose this cycle after the president’s picks in each Iowa and Georgia misplaced.
-ABC Information’ Diana Paulsen
