Trump picks win in 2 U.S. Senate primaries
President Trump backed two successful U.S. Senate nominees, in Pennsylvania and Nebraska, which were among four states holding primaries Tuesday.
The primaries began to settle swing-state Pennsylvania’s chaotic congressional landscape after a court fight ended with redrawn districts just three months ago.
Here’s a look at some of the races:
Trump’s picks prevail: Two of the president’s favored candidates, Lou Barletta in Pennsylvania and Deb Fischer in Nebraska, won their U.S. Senate primaries.
Barletta, a congressman, was heavily favored over state Rep. Jim Christiana to become the Republican challenger for Democratic Sen. Bob Casey, who is seeking a third term in November. Fischer, the incumbent, defeated four GOP challengers and will be the strong favorite to win re-election in deep-red Nebraska. Her Democratic opponent is Lincoln City Councilwoman Jane Raybould.
Barletta was a Trump supporter before the 2016 presidential nomination was settled. The loyalty won him Trump’s early support in the Senate race, as well as recorded telephone calls last weekend featuring the president backing Barletta “fully, strongly and proudly.”
Gains for women: Pennsylvania could send at least three women to Congress next year, breaking the all-male hold on the state’s 18-member U.S. House delegation.
Mary Gay Scanlon won a 10-way Democratic primary and Madeleine Dean won a three-way Democratic primary on Tuesday night for two suburban Philadelphia seats that are likely to flip to Democrats following a court-ordered redrawing of the state’s congressional district boundaries.
Meanwhile, Chrissy Houlahan is the uncontested Democratic nominee for another suburban Philadelphia seat where she’s heavily favored in November.
Incumbent falls: Mike Stack became the first holder of the Pennsylvania lieutenant governor’s office to lose in a primary election.
John Fetterman, the mayor of Braddock, won the five-way Democratic Party primary race for lieutenant governor, meaning he will run on a ticket with Gov. Tom Wolf in the fall.
Stack, a former Philadelphia state senator, has had a chilly relationship with Wolf in their first term together.
Centrist emerges in Oregon: State Rep. Knute Buehler has emerged from a crowded primary to capture the Republican nomination for Oregon governor.
Buehler, who ran for secretary of state in 2012, was the most centrist of the Republican frontrunners. He was among 10 GOP candidates in the primary.
However, Democratic Gov. Kate Brown remains the favorite to win in November.