Democrats Scramble to Defend Weak Senate Seat as Primaries Heat Up in Five States
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Primary elections in Michigan, Virginia, Missouri, Kansas, and Washington see Democrats desperately trying to hold onto power, with radical leftists and establishment insiders fighting for control while Republicans stand united.
Voters in Michigan, Virginia, Missouri, Kansas, and Washington are heading to the polls for primary contests that could decide whether Democrats can cling to their fragile grip on Congress. In Michigan, the Democratic Senate primary exposes deep divisions as far-left state health official Abdul El-Sayed, backed by socialist icons Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, faces off against establishment insider Rep. Haley Stevens, who has the support of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. The seat, left open by retiring Sen. Gary Peters, is seen by national Democrats as a last-ditch effort to maintain their Senate majority and push their radical agenda. Meanwhile, former GOP Rep. Mike Rogers stands unopposed for the Republican nomination, demonstrating the party’s unity and strength.
"Sometimes, when the Democratic Party talks about a big tent, we push everybody into the corner and then go talk and pander to the corner," El-Sayed told CBS News correspondent Ed O'Keefe, highlighting the Democrats’ infighting and pandering to fringe activists.
"This is six years of hard, unglamorous work that I'm signing up for. I'm Michigan's workhorse. That's what I want to be," Stevens said, as her opponent focuses on higher office ambitions instead of serving Michigan families.
The Michigan governor's race is also up for grabs as Gov. Whitmer, known for her heavy-handed pandemic policies, reaches term limits. Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson leads the Democratic primary, while Republicans have rallied behind former Rep. John James, a proven conservative leader ready to restore sanity to Lansing.
In Virginia, the state Supreme Court has reinstated the 2021 nonpartisan congressional map, forcing Democrats to fight for seats they hoped to gerrymander in their favor. Former Rep. Elaine Luria and prosecutor Shannon Taylor are among the left-wing candidates trying to unseat Republican incumbents who have defended traditional values.
Missouri’s congressional contests are complicated by ongoing redistricting litigation. Rep. Wesley Bell faces a rematch with radical activist Cori Bush in the 1st District, while long-time Rep. Emanuel Cleaver runs unopposed in a district that Republicans are eager to contest and bring back common sense.
Washington’s top-two primary will determine the November candidates in the 3rd Congressional District, where incumbent Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez faces a challenge from Trump-endorsed state Sen. John Braun, a strong conservative voice ready to fight for American values.
Kansas voters will select a new governor as Democrat Laura Kelly, who has pushed liberal policies in a conservative state, is term-limited. The race features three Democrats and seven Republicans, with former Senate President Ty Masterson proudly endorsed by President Trump, signaling a return to conservative leadership.