For better or worse, the 2024 primary campaign comes to a close tonight, albeit a fairly anti-climactic finale. Once again, we are partnering with our friends at Decision Desk HQ to provide real-time vote results after polls close, which will happen at various times tonight. The widgets below will list those times, and will automatically update. Please note: The House primaries are all available in a single widget for each state; you will need to use the drop-down box to choose the race you want.
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The presidential races have been pro forma for months now; both major parties have settled on the rematch of 2020, and both have dug their heels in on those choices. At the end of tonight, don't expect any significant number of delegates to go to anyone other than Donald Trump or Joe Biden.
Still, each of the states have other stakes at risk today as well, some of which have national import. Montana has the most at risk, but let's start with ...
New Jersey
The Garden State has two Menendez stories today. First up is the primary to nominate a challenger to Bob Menendez' Senate seat. That appears to be an easy win for House Dem Andy Kim, but Republicans have a more competitive fight between Curtis Bashaw and Christine Serrano Glassner. Glassner has the Trump endorsement but Bashaw has outspent Glassner by more than 2:1.
The other Menendez story is Gold Bar Bob's son Bob, the current incumbent Dem in NJ-08. Hoboken mayor Ravinder Bhalla may knock out the other Menendez tonight, so that's worth watching as well. Will the proto-dynasty come to an ignominious end tonight?
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Montana
There are at least a couple of races to watch here, and the Dem presidential primary isn't among them. Neither are the two Senate primaries; incumbent Dem Jon Tester and anointed GOP challenger Tim Sheehy are running nearly uncontested. Incumbent GOP governor Greg Gianforte should win his primary against state representative Tanner Smith, but it may not be a complete walkover. Ryan Busse may have less problem winning the Dem nomination against Jim Hunt, who barely raised enough money to get on the ballot.
The other race to watch is MT-02, where Matt Rosendale's retirement has set up an intensely competitive GOP primary. Former House Republican Denny Rehberg wants his seat back, but state auditor Troy Downing is favored, while Elsie Arntzen is running a Freedom Caucus-endorsed campaign. That and a handful of other candidates could spell a long night for the GOP.
New Mexico
Nothing of too much note in this primary, except a low-key primary fight between Republicans in NM-01. Dems hold the seat now and have a D+5 advantage in the district. That understates the voting advantage that Dems get in this district, so don't expect a lot of excitement from this contest. There are primaries for the Senate seat held by Martin Heinrich, but he's not expected to be at risk in November. Nella Domenici hopes to change that by leveraging the family name in New Mexico, but neither are facing a challenge to the nomination.
Iowa
Iowa has already held its presidential caucuses, so all of the attention here will be on two House primaries. Democrats are targeting Zach Nunn in IA-03, a barely Republican district (R+3). Lanon Baccam, a former aide to Tom Vilsack, and Melissa Vine will square off tonight for the Democrat nomination to challenge Nunn. In IA-04, eyes will be on the GOP primary, where the incumbent Republican Randy Feenstra is being challenged by former CIA officer Kevin Virgil. Former GOP rep Steve King is backing Virgil ... for better or worse.
Washington DC
The Swamp holds its Democrat presidential primary today, as well as its de facto House election in the Democrat primary. Eighteen-term incumbent Eleanor Holmes Norton wants a 18th term at 86 years of age (technically as a 'delegate' as the position has no vote), and faces off against her 2022 opponent Kelly Mikel Williams. Williams got six percent of the vote two years ago, so the only real drama here is whether he can break into double digits by pointing out that Norton's been in office since before the World Wide Web.
South Dakota: Just the presidential primaries and some unremarkable House primaries. No dogs will be harmed in the production of this primary. I kid, I kid ...
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