U.S. House members facing primary challenges across the country
A slate of Republican U.S. House members in heavily Democratic California was facing primary challengers on Tuesday in races that will help determine control of Congress.
No incumbents appeared at risk of losing their primary, but the districts will be among the country’s marquee races in November. Two of the House members were trying to surmount challenges tied to former President Donald Trump: One voted to support the former president’s impeachment after the U.S. Capitol insurrection, while the other fought against it.
Elsewhere on Tuesday, former Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke was competing against several other Republicans for a chance to capture a new U.S. House district in western Montana. In Iowa, a trio of Republicans was jockeying to take on the state’s lone Democratic U.S. House member in a newly drawn district with a stronger GOP tilt. And in Mississippi, Republican U.S. Rep. Steven Palazzo was running for reelection after a congressional ethics watchdog raised questions about his campaign spending.
A look at key U.S. House races as polls began closing across the country Tuesday night:
California: Two Republican congressmen were facing challenges tied to Trump, but for different reasons.
In a Democratic-tilting district in the state’s Central Valley farm belt, Republican Rep. David Valadao is highlighting an independent streak while contending with GOP fallout for his vote to impeach Trump over the Jan. 6 insurrection. Republican Chris Mathys has made Valadao’s vote a centerpiece in his campaign to oust him.
In a Democratic-leaning district north of Los Angeles, three Democrats are vying for the chance to take on Republican Rep. Mike Garcia, who captured the seat in 2020. Garcia, a former Navy fighter pilot who was endorsed by Trump in 2020, joined House Republicans who rejected electoral votes from Arizona and Pennsylvania and opposed Trump’s impeachment after the Capitol insurrection. Two other Republicans were also on the ballot.
California uses a toptwo election format in which only the top two vote-getters advance to the November general election, regardless of party.
Montana: The state gained a second congressional district this year thanks to its growing population, and Zinke, an Interior Department secretary under Trump, is one of five Republicans on the primary ballot for the open seat.
His primary opponents include former state Sen. Al “Doc” Olszewski, an orthopedic surgeon and hard-line conservative who has tried to paint Zinke as a “liberal insider.” Three Democrats are vying for their party’s nomination: public health advocate Cora Neumann, Olympic rower and attorney Monica Tranel and former state Rep. Tom Winter.
Iowa: Three Republicans were competing for a chance to run against two-term Democratic
Rep. Cindy Axne in a newly drawn Iowa district that could be more favorable for the GOP.
Among the Republicans, state Sen. Zach Nunn was the best known of her challengers. He’s an Air Force pilot who has served in the Legislature since 2014 and has worked to cut taxes. He’s running against Nicole Hasso, a financial services worker, and Gary Leffler, who works in the construction industry.
Mississippi: First elected in 2010, Republican Rep. Steven Palazzo was facing his largestever primary field after a congressional ethics watchdog raised questions about his campaign spending. His six opponents included a sheriff, Mike Ezell, and a state senator, Brice Wiggins. If no candidate wins a majority of votes, a runoff will be June 28.
South Dakota: GOP Rep. Dusty Johnson, a member of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, was facing a challenge from his political right from GOP state lawmaker Taffy Howard for the state’s lone House seat. She has echoed Trump’s discredited claims of widespread voter fraud and criticized Johnson for voting to certify the results of the 2020 presidential election. Johnson, however, has maintained a wide fundraising edge. No Democrats are running, so the winner of the GOP primary will likely take the seat.