In an election night that saw voters in Kentucky, Georgia, California, Oregon, and Idaho head to the polls, key judicial races and congressional matchups were decided that could have lasting effects.
In Georgia, a state Supreme Court challenge from former Democratic Rep. John Barrow, who has vocally supported abortion rights, was fended off by Justice Andrew Pinson.
Both Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee, who are both high-profile figures in the 2020 election interference case against former President Donald Trump, defeated their challengers to hold on to their positions.
Meanwhile, a couple of left-wing Democrats in Oregon’s congressional races did not fare well. Democrat Jamie McLeod-Skinner, who was considered a more progressive candidate, was defeated by state Rep. Janelle Bynum in the state’s 5th Congressional District. Rep. Pramila Jayapal’s (D-WA) sister Susheela Jayapal was also defeated in Oregon’s 3rd District.
In California, voters in the state’s 20th District finally have their GOP nominee after Republican Vince Fong defeated Mike Boudreaux to replace former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
At the top of Kentucky and Oregon’s ballots, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump sailed to victory in both state’s presidential primary races but contended with lingering protest votes.
Protest votes against both candidate’s nominations have continued to plague them. In Kentucky, the uncommitted vote secured more than 32,000 votes while Biden earned 131,400. In the deep-blue stronghold of Oregon, however, write-ins only garnered over 11,000 votes, while Biden won over 235,000 votes. While is not clear how many of the write-ins were cast as a protest vote, the number is not as high as seen in swing states such as Michigan and Wisconsin.
Trump, meanwhile, has seen his margins hurt by former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, who dropped out of the race more than two months ago. However, on Tuesday, Haley only appeared on Kentucky’s ballot and did not break double digits in what could be a sign of Trump’s strength in the deep-red stronghold.
Results
Kentucky
All six House districts were up for grabs in Kentucky, though most of the incumbents were not facing tough challenges for their seats. The state also held its presidential primaries.
Polls began to close at 6 p.m., but most closed at 7 p.m.
President
Biden and Trump won their primary races. The Associated Press called the race for Biden at 7 p.m., with Biden holding 71.3% of the votes with 98% of votes counted.
“Uncommitted” held 17.9%, while author Marianne Williamson had 6.1% and Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN) had 4.8%.
The “uncommitted” option on ballots has continued to cut into Biden’s vote totals, as efforts in multiple states have urged voters to vote “uncommitted” in a show of protest against Biden’s handling of the war in Gaza.
The Associated Press called the race for Trump at 7 p.m., with the former president holding 84.9% of the vote with 98% of votes counted. Haley, who has continued to earn notable chunks of voters in key states Trump will need to win over in November, only held 6.4%.
House
4th Congressional District
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) won his primary challenge from attorney Eric Deters, with the Associated Press calling the race at 7:11 p.m. Massie held 75.9% of the vote with 98% of votes counted.
The challenge from Deters, who is a vocal Trump supporter, came as Massie recently pushed to oust House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) from his position. Massie also backed Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) over Trump to be the GOP presidential nominee.
Georgien
The Peach State had 14 congressional districts with primaries on Tuesday, but only one was an open race, with Rep. Drew Ferguson (R-GA) retiring from the lower chamber. Also on Georgia’s ballot were key primaries for a state Supreme Court seat, Fulton County district attorney, and Fulton County Superior Court judge.
Polls closed at 7 p.m.
Fulton County district attorney
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who has gained national attention for leading the 2020 election interference case against Trump, survived a primary challenge from author Christian Wise Smith to oust her from her position.
The Associated Press called the race for Willis at 7:31 p.m. Willis held 87% of the vote with 95% counted.
Smith previously ran in 2020 but failed to make the runoff. Willis will face Republican Courtney Kramer in November.
Fulton County Superior Court judge
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee, who is overseeing the Trump election interference case, survived a challenge from civil rights lawyer and radio host Robert Patillo II.
The Associated Press called the race for McAfee, with the judge holding 83% of the vote with 95% counted.
State Supreme Court
Justice Andrew Pinson defeated challenger and former Democratic Rep. John Barrow, holding on to the seat he was appointed to in 2022 by Gov. Brian Kemp (R-GA). The Associated Press called the race for Pinson at 9:28 p.m. Pinson held 55% of 95% votes counted.
Barrow made abortion policy central to his campaign pitch, though the state court does not have candidates run under party labels. Barrow’s failure to unseat Pinson comes as Democrats nationwide have tried to use abortion to turn out their voting base.
House
2nd Congressional District
Republicans Wayne Johnson and Chuck Hand are heading for a runoff election on June 18 after neither candidate won the majority in the 2nd District’s GOP primary. Johnson held 44.5% of the vote, while Hand held 32.1%, with 96% counted.
Johnson and Hand are competing to go head-to-head with Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-GA), who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary, in November.
3rd Congressional District
Georgia’s 3rd District is the state’s only open seat, with Ferguson retiring after four terms.
Republicans Brian Jack, who was a former Trump aide, and Mike Dugan are headed for a runoff election after neither candidate received the majority in the race. Jack held 46.7% of the vote with 98% counted, while Dugan held 24.9%.
In the Democratic primary, Maura Keller defeated Democrat Val Almonord. Keller held 53% with 98% of votes counted, while Almonord held 47%.
6th Congressional District
Rep. Lucy McBath (D-GA), who represents Georgia’s 7th District, won the Democratic primary in Georgia’s 6th District after redistricting effectively erased her seat. The Associated Press called the race for McBath at 7:36 p.m., with McBath holding 84.8% with 98% counted.
McBath faced two other Democrats: Cobb County Commissioner Jerica Richardson and state Rep. Mandisha A. Thomas.
On the Republican side, Rep. Rich McCormick (R-GA) ran unopposed.
13th Congressional District
Republican Jonathan Chavez won the GOP primary in Georgia’s 13th District, beating Johsie Cruz Fletcher for the Republican nomination. The Associated Press called the race for Chavez at 9:32 p.m., with Chavez holding 69.6% of the vote with 45% of votes counted.
Rep. David Scott (D-GA) handily defeated six challengers in the Democratic primary for the 13th Congressional District. The Associated Press called the race at 9:46 p.m., more than two hours after polls closed. Scott won 57.4% of the vote with 97% of the ballots counted.
14th Congressional District
Democrats Shawn Harris and Clarence Blalock are headed for a runoff election in Georgia’s 14th Congressional District after both candidates failed to secure the majority of the vote. Harris held 38%, while Blalock held 38.8%, with 97% of votes counted. Runoff elections will be held on June 18.
The winner of the runoff election will face Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) in November. The 14th District is solidly red, with Greene favored to win in November.
Oregon
All six of Oregon’s House seats are up for grabs in November. Oregon also held its presidential primary races.
All polls closed at 11 p.m. Eastern time, with the exception of Malheur County.
President
Biden won Oregon’s Democratic primary, with the Associated Press calling the race at 11:03 p.m. Eastern time. Biden held 88.8% of the vote with 56% counted.
While there was no “uncommitted” option on Oregon’s ballot, the group UnCommitted Oregon urged voters to use the ballot’s write-in option instead. Write-ins held 4.3%, while author Marianne Williamson held 6.9%
The uncommitted vote has hounded the president as voters unhappy with his handling of the war in Gaza have used the option to protest.
Trump ran unopposed in Oregon’s GOP primary.
House
3rd Congressional District
In Oregon’s 3rd District, the retirement of Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) sparked a competitive Democratic primary to replace him that included Susheela Jayapal, the sister of Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA).
State Rep. Maxine Dexter handily defeated Jayapal, however, holding 51.3% of the vote with 69% of votes counted. Jayapal held 28.2%, while Gresham City Councilor Eddy Morales held 14.3%.
Republican Joanna Harbour won the GOP primary, with the Associated Press calling the race at 1:17 a.m. Eastern time Wednesday morning. Harbour had 54.3% of votes with 66% counted.
5th Congressional District
State Rep. Janelle Bynum defeated progressive Jamie McLeod-Skinner in Oregon’s 5th District’s Democratic primary, with the Associated Press calling the race at 11:38 p.m. Eastern time.
Bynum held 69.8% of the vote with 64% counted, while McLeod-Skinner held 30.2%.
Bynum will now face incumbent Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-OR) in November. The race could decide control of the House.
California
20th District Special Election
Republican Vince Fong defeated Mike Boudreaux, 60.1% to 39.9% with 87% of votes counted, in California’s special election for the 20th District to replace former GOP House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. The Associated Press called the race at 11:17 p.m. Eastern time.
Fong, who was McCarthy’s pick to replace him, will finish McCarthy’s term and will battle for the seat again in November in the general election.
Idaho
2nd Congressional District
Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID), who is seeking a 14th term in Idaho, won the GOP primary in the 2nd District. The Associated Press called the race at 12:07 a.m. Eastern time on Wednesday, with Simpson holding 56% of the vote with 89% counted.
Two Republicans tried to oust Simpson: financial adviser Scott Cleveland and former teacher and information technology professional Sean Higgins.
Most polls closed at 10 p.m. Some polls closed at 11 p.m.
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Yet to be called
Oregon
District attorney
District Attorney Mike Schmidt, who serves the Portland area, is facing a challenge from Nathan Vasquez, a prosecutor in the office for over two decades who has pledged to be tough on crime.
Schmidt, who is considered more left-leaning though the position does not adhere to partisan labels, first took office in 2020 around the time of the killing of George Floyd in Minnesota sparked nationwide protests.
