Another member of a “caucus” of progressive lawmakers is fighting for political survival in Tuesday’s primaries that will once again test former President Donald Trump’s approval ratings, including in Michigan’s key battleground state Senate race.
Rep. Cory Bush’s Missouri Democratic primary is one of the most expensive and hotly contested races in four states — Missouri, Washington, Michigan and Kansas — where voters choose their party’s candidates in congressional and state races on Tuesday.
Four years after unseating longtime incumbent William Lacey Clay Jr. in the heavily Democratic 1st District, Bush is looking to win a race that exposes the party’s divisions over Israel.
He has faced attacks from the United Democracy Project, a super PAC affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a pro-Israel lobbying group. The super PAC also spent millions to defeat “caucus” member Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., in the June primary.
‘Squad’ member Cory Bush puts Israel in the spotlight with the Democratic primary
The pro-Israel super PAC also worked to bolster Bush’s opponent, St. Louis District Attorney Wesley Bell, who initially ran for Senate but decided to run against Bush weeks after the October 7 Hamas attacks.
And Bush isn’t the only House member on the defensive Tuesday.
Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash., who drew Trump’s ire for impeachment after the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot, wants to advance in the primary again.
Newhouse, along with David Valadao of California, is one of two Republicans who support impeachment. Eight other Republicans either retired or lost to primary challengers backed by Trump two years ago.
Valadao and Newhouse benefited from their state’s first two primary systems, in which all candidates compete on the same primary ballot and the top two vote-getters, regardless of party affiliation, advance to November.
Trump first confirmed Navy veteran Jerrod Sessler In the race against Newhouse. But on Sunday, he also expressed his support for former nurse Tiffany Smiley, who topped the rest of the airwaves, according to ad tracking firm AdImpact. Smiley also received support from a supportive super PAC. In the meantime, American Leads Inc., a group that backs two other GOP lawmakers facing primaries, has spent money on ads endorsing Newhouse.
A third House member – Democrat Sri Thanedar – is defending in the primary election in Michigan’s 13th District. She faces two intra-party challengers who have been vying for the seat she has held for nearly two years: Detroit City Councilwoman Mary Waters, endorsed by Mayor Mike Duggan, and attorney Shakira Lynn Hawkins.
Michigan battles take shape
Tuesday’s primaries will also determine matchups in a number of competitive races in Michigan, a presidential swing state that is home to one of the best Senate races of the year.
The Democrat is Senator Debbie Stabenow is not a candidate for a fifth termand both party establishments have rallied around candidates to replace him.
There is Trump endorsed former Rep. Mike Rogerswas once a harsh critic of him. But Rogers is seen as one of the great recruiting victories of the National Republican Senatorial Committee era, giving the GOP a candidate with a history of electoral success and appeal to independent voters.
Other potentially powerful candidates, including former Detroit Police Chief James Craig, former Rep. Peter Meijer and wealthy businessman Sandy Pensler, have all ended their campaigns. That leaves former MP Justin Amash He left the Republican Party in 2019 After growing “frustrated” and “intimidated” by the GOP as Rogers’ top competition.
On the Democratic side, Rep. Elissa Slotkin appears to be the party’s front-runner, given the support of key party leaders and labor organizations. He faces a challenge from political newcomer and actor Hill Harper, known for his work on ABC’s The Good Doctor.
Tuesday’s primaries will also determine matchups in a number of competitive House races, including multiple races in Michigan.
In Michigan’s 3rd District Democratic House Hillary Scholten has been facing numerous challenges in the seat she has held for nearly two years.
Scholte has the benefit of being in office against his Democratic challenger, Salim El-Shatel former small business ownerFormer substitute teacher and real estate agent who graduated from Michigan State University in 2015.
On the GOP side, attorney Paul Hudson and financial adviser Michael Markey are running to face the Democratic winner in November. So far, Trump has not participated in the Republican primary race.
Scholten narrowly defeated Republican John Gibbs 13 percent in the 2022 general electionSeat flipping for Democrats.
It should be noted that on July 11, Scholten joined the chorus of congressional Democrats calling on President Joe Biden to drop out of the presidential race, praising his leadership and encouraging him to pass the torch. He attended a surrogate event for Vice President Kamala Harris in Grand Rapids late last month.
West Michigan’s 3rd District covers much of the Grand Rapids area and is home to the Kent County battleground state, which nearly swung for Biden. 6 points in 2020. (Biden won the entire state by less than 3 points.)
There are also competitive primaries on both sides of the aisle in Michigan’s 8th Congressional District, where Democratic Rep. Dan Kildee is not seeking re-election.
Among the Republican candidates are Paul Junge, a former criminal prosecutor and TV news anchor who worked in the Trump administration and received Trump’s support; Mary Draves, former Dow Chemical executive; and truck driver Anthony Hudson. Former Flint Mayor Matt Collier, state Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet and state Board of Education President Pamela Pugh are vying for the Democratic nomination.
The general elections held there are seen as a breakthrough.
The race will also take place in Michigan’s competitive 7th District to replace Slotkin. The parties have coalesced around two former state senators: Republican Tom Barrett, who lost a close race to Slotkin two years ago, and Democrat Curtis Hertel.
More Trump tests
Trump’s endorsement will be tested in several other races on Tuesday.
Trump has backed multiple candidates in the Missouri governor’s race, endorsing three of the Republican primary candidates: Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe and state Sen. Bill Eigel.
With the state leaning to the right, the winner of the GOP primary is expected to win the governor’s race in November. Tuesday’s primary will also determine a battle in the state Senate race, with Marine veteran Lucas Kunce making another run against GOP Sen. Josh Hawley after losing in the 2022 Democratic primary.
Further down the ballot, Trump endorsed former state Sen. Bob Oender to replace retiring GOP Rep. Blaine Leutkemeyer in the deep-red 3rd District.
It attracted millions of dollars in initial foreign spending. The conservative Growth Action Club backed the leader, two establishment groups active in other GOP primariesConservatives for American Excellence and America Leads Action Inc. ran ads attacking him.
But in Kansas’ solidly Republican 2nd District, Trump and Conservatives for American Excellence are on the same side in Tuesday’s primary to replace retiring GOP Rep. Jake LaTurner. Both countries support former Attorney General Derek Schmidt.
Kansas Republicans will also nominate a candidate to challenge Democratic Rep. Sharice Davids in the more competitive 3rd District, which Trump did not consider.
Trump took sides in Washington’s 3rd District, where Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Washington, has been a top Republican target as one of five Democrats representing the district, which Trump won in 2020. He supported controversial Army veteran Joe Kent.
Kent lost by less than 1 percent in 2022 as Gluesenkamp faced Perez. allegations of association with extremist groups. Kent faces Camas City Councilwoman Leslie Lewallen in the primary. He He argued that Kent would lose again if he is the GOP nominee.
Polls close in Michigan and Missouri at 8:00 p.m., and in Kansas at 9:00 p.m. Washington elections are conducted entirely by mail, and ballots must be mailed or boxed by 11:00 p.m. ET on or before election day.