Eight states are holding primary or runoff elections on Tuesday, the first elections since the Supreme Court overturned the landmark case Roe v. Wade.
In Colorado’s 3rd House District, controversial conservative freshman Rep. Lauren Boebert is facing a primary challenge from Don Coram, who is running as a moderate alternative. Boebert has former President Donald Trump’s endorsement.
Trump is looming large over the race to be Colorado’s top elections official. The current Secretary of State, Jena Griswold, a Democrat, is unopposed in her primary. But three Republicans are vying to take her on in November. When asked by the Colorado Sun if the 2020 election was “stolen,” one of the candidates, Tina Peters answered yes.
“This is a personal opinion based on the evidence that I have seen and gone through and based on what I know from our reports. I do believe there may have been enough fraud that it turned the election,” she told the newspaper.
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Peters was indicted earlier this year in a security breach of her county’s election system. She has also been barred by a judge from overseeing the 2022 elections in Mesa County partly because of the breach,
One of her opponents, Mike O’Donnell, told the Colorado Sun he couldn’t “say yes or no” to the question of whether the 2020 election was stolen. Pam Anderson, a former Jefferson County clerk and recorder and the former executive director of the Colorado County Clerks Association, was the only GOP candidate to answer no.
In Illinois, redistricting has spawned some incumbent vs. incumbent races. In Illinois’ 6th District, Rep. Sean Casten, whose teenage daughter died earlier this month, is facing a primary challenge from Rep. Marie Newman. Both have represented only portions of the newly-drawn 6th District, which is considered solidly blue.
In Illinois’ 15th District, Rep. Mary Miller has Trump’s backing in the race against another incumbent, Rep. Rodney Davis. Davis, who was one of 35 Republicans to vote to create a commission to investigate the Jan. 6 attack.
Over the weekend, Miller said at a rally – flanked by Trump – that the decision to overturn Roe was a “victory for White life by the Supreme Court.” Her campaign said she misread the prepared remarks.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is expected to win his primary Tuesday, but there are six Republicans vying to take him on in November. Trump endorsed Darren Bailey at the rally with Miller on Saturday.
A poll by the Chicago Sun-Times/WBEZ showed Richard Irvin, the mayor of Aurora, down 15 points in the Republican primary to Bailey. This poll was released before Bailey received Trump’s endorsement.
In New York, incumbent Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, has two primary challengers: Rep. Tom Suozzi and New York City public advocate Jumanee Williams.
Republican Rep. Lee Zeldin, from eastern Long Island, has long been considered the frontrunner in the Republican race. He faces three challengers, Rob Astrorino, Harry WIlson and Andrew Giuliani, the son of Trump ally Rudy Giuliani. Trump hasn’t endorsed in the race.
In Utah, two-term Republican Sen. Mike Lee, one of Trump’s closest allies, is facing two primary challengers, former state lawmaker Becky Edwards and businesswoman Ally Isom. Neither voted for Trump, according to The Associated Press.
