Voters in six states, including Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Connecticut, cast ballots in primary elections on Tuesday. The results featured a mix of outcomes for candidates endorsed by President Trump and victories for several progressive and younger Democratic challengers. In Wisconsin, Republican Representative Tom Tiffany won his party’s gubernatorial nomination, while in Minnesota, Republican House Speaker Lisa Demuth defeated a Trump-backed challenger.
On the Democratic side, the primaries reflected internal debates over immigration policy and leadership. In Minnesota, Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan defeated Representative Angie Craig for the U.S. Senate nomination, a race characterized by disagreement over federal immigration enforcement. In Connecticut, 14-term Representative John Larson was defeated by former Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin, who is 47, continuing a trend of younger candidates challenging longtime incumbents.
In South Carolina, Senator Darline Graham, who was appointed to her seat in July and received an endorsement from President Trump, finished first in a crowded Republican primary field with approximately one-third of the vote. Because no candidate secured a majority, she will face Representative Ralph Norman, a member of the House Freedom Caucus, in an August 25 special primary runoff. Norman received endorsements from Republican Senators Mike Lee and Rick Scott.
The scale of the generational shift in the Democratic Party is reflected in national fundraising data, with more than 80 Gen Z and millennial candidates running to challenge or succeed House Democrats aged 65 and older this cycle. This is a significant increase from the 24 under-50 candidates who ran in the previous cycle. In Connecticut's 1st Congressional District, the primary result means a transition for a seat held by the 78-year-old Larson for 14 terms. Voters in these districts will notice new names on their ballots and potentially different legislative priorities as younger nominees like the 47-year-old Bronin replace longtime incumbents.
The mixed performance of Trump-endorsed candidates provides a baseline for the president's influence within the Republican Party heading into the midterms. While his picks won in Wisconsin and South Carolina, his endorsed candidate for Minnesota governor, Mike Lindell, lost to Lisa Demuth. This loss occurs as Minnesota Republicans attempt to win a gubernatorial race for the first time in 20 years. Looking ahead, the next key date is August 25, when South Carolina Republicans will return to the polls for the Senate special primary runoff between Graham and Norman. The winners of all Tuesday primaries will now move to the general election on the first Tuesday in November.