Primary elections held Tuesday across several states revealed a divided Democratic Party, with progressives achieving significant victories in Minnesota and New York while the party's center-left establishment secured a crucial win in Wisconsin. President Donald Trump's endorsements also faced a mixed reception in Republican contests.
In Wisconsin, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley narrowly defeated state Rep. Francesca Hong, a Democratic socialist, in the gubernatorial primary. Hong, who had garnered support from national progressive figures like Reps. Ilhan Omar and Ro Khanna, ran on a platform that included guaranteed paid leave and raising the state's minimum wage to $20 per hour. She had previously faced scrutiny for past social media posts advocating to defund the police and calling to "cancel Thanksgiving." Crowley, backed by retiring Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, will now face Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany in the general election.
The fight for the ideological future of the Democratic Party also saw progressive wins in the Senate races. In Minnesota, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan decisively won the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate, defeating Rep. Angie Craig by approximately 20 points. Flanagan, endorsed by progressive leaders like Sen. Bernie Sanders, has stated she would not support Sen. Chuck Schumer remaining as Democratic leader in the Senate. This marks the second consecutive primary setback for Schumer, following a similar outcome in Michigan the previous week.
Meanwhile, the generational battle within the Democratic Party claimed another incumbent. In Connecticut, Rep. John Larson, who has served in Congress since the 1990s, was defeated in his Democratic primary by former Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin. Bronin, 47, is three decades younger than the 78-year-old Larson, reflecting a broader trend of Democratic voters seeking younger leaders.
President Trump's influence in Republican primaries yielded mixed results. In South Carolina's special Republican Senate primary, appointed Sen. Darline Graham, who received Trump's endorsement, secured the most votes but will face a runoff against Rep. Ralph Norman. Trump had also endorsed Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette for the GOP gubernatorial nomination in South Carolina, but she lost her runoff contest.
However, Trump also experienced an endorsement setback in Minnesota. Mike Lindell, founder of MyPillow and a vocal Trump ally, lost the Republican gubernatorial primary to state House Speaker Lisa Demuth. Demuth won the nomination to challenge the incumbent Democratic governor.
This election cycle has highlighted ongoing tensions between progressive and centrist factions within the Democratic Party, alongside the continued sway of former President Trump over the Republican base.