Primary elections held across Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Carolina, and Connecticut on Tuesday night delivered a series of surprising results, including the defeat of a progressive candidate in Wisconsin, the ousting of a long-serving congressman in Connecticut, and a Trump-endorsed candidate's loss in Minnesota.
In Wisconsin, state legislator Francesca Hong suffered an unexpected loss in the Democratic gubernatorial primary, despite polls showing her with a significant lead over her closest rival. Hong, who had previously voiced controversial opinions about Thanksgiving, calling it a "colonizer holiday" in a 2020 social media post, became a focal point of the race. She later attempted to clarify her stance, stating Thanksgiving is her favorite holiday, but the controversy persisted. Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley ultimately re-entered the race and secured the support of Democratic party leaders.
South Carolina saw a special GOP primary to fill the Senate seat vacated by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham. Darline Graham Nordone, the sister of the late senator and endorsed by former President Donald Trump, advanced to an Aug. 25 runoff election against Rep. Ralph Norman. Neither candidate secured the majority needed to avoid a runoff, with Nordone receiving 32.7% of the vote to Norman's 24.6%. The winner will face Democratic pediatrician Annie Andrews in the general election.
Minnesota's gubernatorial race will feature a first-time female governor, regardless of the general election outcome. State House Speaker Lisa DeMuth secured the Republican nomination, while Sen. Amy Klobuchar won the Democratic primary. DeMuth campaigned on a platform focused on combating fraud, particularly in light of recent multi-billion dollar social service scams. She criticized Klobuchar's past focus on Washington D.C. over state issues. The general election in November is expected to be a favorable contest for Klobuchar, who aims to maintain the Democratic party's hold on the governorship.
Elsewhere in Minnesota, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, a progressive endorsed by figures like Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Ilhan Omar, defeated centrist Rep. Angie Craig in the primary to replace retiring Sen. Tina Smith. Flanagan will face Republican nominee Michele Tafoya, a former NFL sideline reporter, in the general election.
MyPillow founder Mike Lindell, who received an endorsement from former President Trump, lost the Republican gubernatorial primary in Minnesota by 11 percentage points. Trump had urged voters to support Lindell, citing his work in promoting claims of election fraud. Lindell has reportedly not conceded, citing "anomalies" in the results.
Connecticut's 1st Congressional District saw the defeat of Rep. John Larson, who had served in the House of Representatives since 1999. Larson, 78, lost his primary to former Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin, who secured a 21.6 percentage point lead. Bronin's campaign received a significant boost from the Connecticut Democratic Party's endorsement. Concerns about Larson's health and age had been raised following an incident on the House floor last year.