Former President Donald Trump and establishment Republicans largely achieved their goals in Tuesday’s primaries across five states.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s efforts to unseat his detractors hit a roadblock as Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), one of the “Gaetz Eight” who voted to oust him, successfully fended off a primary challenge.
Despite substantial financial backing from McCarthy-affiliated groups, Mace secured a decisive victory with a nearly 30-point lead over her closest competitor, Catherine Templeton.
The upcoming primary in Virginia’s 5th District, featuring Rep. Bob Good, is the next test for McCarthy’s influence, though Good lacks Trump’s endorsement.
Candidates endorsed by Trump had a successful night, reflecting the former president’s ongoing sway within the GOP. In Nevada, Sam Brown, an Army veteran with Trump’s backing, won the GOP Senate nomination. Brown’s victory, aided by the National Republican Senatorial Committee, sets him up against Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen in a high-stakes general election.
In South Carolina, Rep. William Timmons, another Trump-endorsed candidate, narrowly defeated a right-wing primary challenge. Meanwhile, in Maine, Trump-supported Austin Theriault easily won his primary, positioning him against Democratic Rep.
Jared Golden in a critical congressional race. North Dakota also saw Trump-backed candidates, Rep. Kelly Armstrong and Public Service Commissioner Julie Fedorchak, win their respective races.
In a surprising turn, Democrat Michael Kripchak outperformed expectations in Ohio’s 6th Congressional District special election, reducing a nearly 29-point Republican margin from 2020 to just over 9 points.
This follows a pattern of Democratic overperformance in recent special elections, signaling potential momentum for the party heading into the general elections.
