Fong, Boudreaux Set for May Runoff to Fill Kevin McCarthy’s Vacant Seat
By Andrew Moran
California State Assemblyman Vince Fong and Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux won the special election primary race to fill former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s 20th congressional district seat.
Mr. Fong, who was endorsed by Mr. McCarthy and former President Donald Trump, received 42 percent of the vote. Mr. Boudreaux scored 24 percent.
Democrat Marisa Wood ranked third in the primary with 21 percent.
The two men, who placed first and second in the regular March 5 primary, will participate in a special general election runoff on May 21.
In California’s primary system, all candidates appear on the same ballot. The top two candidates advance to the special general election unless one garners more than 50 percent of the vote.
Mr. Fong received two endorsements from former President Trump.
“I am proud to join California’s Republican Congressional Delegation and give Vince Fong my complete and total endorsement!” President Trump wrote in a March 17 Truth Social message.
Mr. McCarthy, who resigned from Congress after serving for nearly two decades, said he trusted him to “continue the fight for common-sense and conservative values in Washington, D.C.”
‘We’ll Let Process Play Out’: Burke Speaks in Close Cook County State’s Attorney Primary
By Nathan Worcester
Eileen O’Neill Burke, a retired judge, is narrowly leading her opponent, Clayton Harris III, in the Cook County State’s Attorney race. With 85 percent of the votes in, she was up by a little more than 2 percent.
Addressing supporters on the evening of March 19, she said, “We will let the democratic process play out” as the tight contest continues.
“We will be patient,” she said.
Polls Close in California
Polls have closed in California’s special primary election in CD-20 in a race to fill the remainder of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s term.
Illinois Rep. Chuy Garcia Beats Raymond Lopez in Democrat Primary
By Nathan Worcester
Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia of Illinois’s 4th District readily defeated Chicago Ald. Ray Lopez, defending his seat during a night that also saw a victory for incumbent Rep. Danny K. Davis (D-Ill.).
The Associated Press called the race at 7:52 p.m. local time. With 58 percent of the vote counted, as of about two hours later, he had 69.1 percent of the total to 30.9 percent for Mr. Lopez.
Mr. Garcia has raised large sums from the Teamsters, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), and other Democratic mainstays. Mr. Lopez has gained a reputation as a law-and-order Democrat, appearing on Fox News and in similar media oriented toward conservative audiences.
It’s a victory for the left half of Chicago’s Democratic establishment.
Joe McGraw Wins 17th District GOP Primary in Illinois
By Nathan Worcester
Judge Joe McGraw has defeated Scott Crowl in the GOP’s primary for the 17th District of Illinois, potentially setting up an interesting showdown in the upcoming general election this fall in a competitive Midwestern district.
Judge McGraw will be facing the Democratic incumbent, Rep. Eric Sorensen, who went unchallenged in his primary.
The Associated Press called the GOP race at 10:14 p.m. ET.
Michael Rulli Wins GOP Primary in Special Election in Ohio’s 6th Congressional District
By Jackson Richman
Ohio state Sen. Michael Rulli won the GOP primary in the special election and general election to succeed Rep. Bill Johnson (R-Ohio), who left Congress in January to become the president of Youngstown State University. He defeated state Rep. Reggie Stoltzfus and Dr. Rick Tsai.
He will face businessman and U.S. Air Force veteran Michael Kripchak in the June 11 special election and in November.
Mr. Rulli is all but guaranteed to succeed Mr. Johnson as the district is solidly Republican.
Bernie Moreno Delivers Victory Speech After winning Ohio GOP Senate Primary
By Jeff Louderback
Minutes after the Associated Press called the Ohio GOP Senate primary for entrepreneur Bernie Moreno, the Colombia-born businessman who gained his wealth as a luxury car dealer and blockchain technology firm founder received a phone call from former President Donald Trump.
Mr. Moreno received the coveted Trump endorsement last December..
When state Sen. Matt Dolan, who President Trump called “a weak RINO (Republican In Name Only) surged in the polls after backing from Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and former Ohio Sen. Rob Portman, President Trump spoke at a rally for Mr. Moreno last weekend in suburban Dayton.
Mr. Moreno regained the lead over Mr. Dolan, and remained ahead of Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, in an Emerson College poll released on March 18.
In his victory speech, Mr. Moreno lauded the former president. He referenced a recent report that a super PAC aligned with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) poured more than $3 million into TV and digital ads propping him up. The theory, according to some Democrats, is that Mr. Moreno will be easier for incumbent Democrat Sen. Sherrod Brown to beat in November.
Mr. Moreno said he was proud that President Trump is backing him and said that, under Trump, the country had a safe and secure border, law and order, low interest rates and inflation, and a thriving economy.
Under President Joe Biden, “everything is worse.”
While Mr. Moreno said he welcomes more visits to Ohio from President Trump, he wonders if Mr. Brown will feel the same way about President Biden joining him on the campaign trail.
Mr. Brown has voted with President Biden 99 percent of the time, Mr. Moreno said, but the senator who was first elected to the post in 2007 “will fly out of here” if the likely Democrat presidential nominee travels to Ohio.
In his final remarks, Mr. Moreno said he will win the general election, Republicans will regain control of the U.S. Senate, President Trump will return to the White House, and the America First agenda will be done.
That will result in a safe and secure border, energy independence, accountability for government agencies, law and order, and the elimination of the Department of Education by the end of 2025, Mr. Moreno vowed.
Mr. Moreno also congratulated Mr. Dolan and Mr. LaRose, his opponents in a primary that turned nasty at times.
Like it did in 2022 when Mr. Vance prevailed in a contentious GOP primary, the Republican party will unite for the general election because “we have one mission, which is to get rid of Sherrod Brown.”
Derek Merrin Wins GOP Primary in Ohio’s 9th Congressional District
By Jackson Richman
Ohio state Rep. Derek Merrin won the GOP primary in Ohio’s Ninth Congressional District, according to the AP.
He will take on 21-term Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio), who has been in the House since 1983 and is the longest-serving female member of Congress ever.
Mr. Merrin, who was endorsed at the last minute by former President Donald Trump, defeated former state Rep. Craig Riedel and real estate owner and former mayor of Napoleon, Ohio, Steve Lankenau.
The race is a tossup.
Rep. Danny K. Davis Wins Democratic Primary
By Nathan Worcester
Danny K. Davis, the incumbent in the very Democratic 7th District of Illinois, has won his Democratic primary as of 9:05 p.m. ET, according to the Associated Press.
He praised incumbent President Joe Biden and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) in a victory speech.
“It’s great to win here in Illinois, but we’ve also got to win in Wisconsin–we’ve got to win in Michigan,” he said, predicting his party would “take the House back” and that he would be elevated to the chair of the Worker and Family Support Subcommittee of the powerful Ways and Means Committee.
He was out ahead of his opponents, including Chicago Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin and activist Kina Collins.
Michael Kripchak Wins Democrat Primary in Special Election in Ohio’s 6th Congressional District
By Jackson Richman
Businessman and U.S. Air Force veteran Michael Kripchak defeated cannabis entrepreneur Rylan Finze in the Democrat primary to succeed former Rep. Bill Johnson (R-Ohio), who left Congress in January to become the president of Youngstown State University.
Mr. Kripchak will be the Democrat nominee in both the June 11 special election and in November.
However, he has virtually no chance as the district is solidly Republican.
Bernie Moreno Supporters Await Candidate’s Victory Speech
By Jeff Louderback
The crowd roared at entrepreneur Bernie Moreno’s watch party and the requisite Kool & The Gang’s Celebration and other upbeat music followed when the Associated Press called the race.
The mood was quiet in the early stages as the race was neck-to-neck with state Sen. Matt Dolan.
Mr. Moreno is expected to deliver his victory speech soon.
Kevin Coughlin Wins GOP Primary in Ohio’s 13th Congressional District
By Jackson Richman
Former Ohio state Sen. Kevin Coughlin has won the GOP primary in Ohio’s 13th Congressional District, projects the AP, defeating U.S. Marine veteran and businessman Chris Banweg and imaging technician Richard Morckel, who also ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 2016 and 2020.
Mr. Banweg was endorsed by Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), while Mr. Coughlin was backed by Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio)—a split of staunch Trump supporters.
In an interview with The Epoch Times on March 19, Mr. Coughlin said he has the electability factor to unseat incumbent Rep. Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Ohio).
Madison Gilbert, a Republican, lost to Ms. Sykes in 2022 as she got 47.3 percent of the vote and Ms. Sykes got 52.7 percent. Mr. Coughlin cited Ms. Gilbert’s inexperience, having never previously run for office, as well as a lack of name recognition and relationship with the district’s voters as reasons for her loss.
In contrast, Mr. Coughlin said he has the brand in the district, having represented the area in the Ohio State Senate. Previously, he served in the Ohio House of Representatives. His career in the state legislature spanned 13 years.
Mr. Coughlin said his biggest issues are border security, the economy, and fiscal responsibility. When it comes to issues, he stated that he explains them in a straightforward manner as opposed to using standard talking points.
Additionally, Mr. Coughlin touted his experience of getting things done in the state legislature, where he served between 1997 and 2010, even if it meant going against his own party.
At the end of the day, Ms. Sykes is far-left and votes in accordance with Democrat leadership, he said.
Moreno Wins Ohio GOP Senate Primary
By Jeff Louderback
Trump-endorsed entrepreneur Bernie Moreno has defeated State Sen. Matt Dolan, and Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose to win the Ohio Senate GOP primary to take on Democrat Sen. Sherrod Brown, AP projects.
AP called the race at 8:37 p.m. ET.
Moreno Watch Party Gears Up
Supporters of Senate primary candidates Bernie Moreno, Matt Dolan, and Frank LaRose were gathering at watch parties to wait for results.
The Epoch Times Is covering Mr. Moreno’s event in Westlake, a Cleveland suburb.
State Sen. Dolan’s gathering is a half-hour away in Independence, while Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose’s watch party is in Columbus.
Fueled by a rally led by former President Donald Trump in suburban Dayton last weekend, Mr. Moreno reclaimed the lead in an Emerson College poll, followed by Mr. Dolan and Mr. LaRose.
Polls Close in Illinois
Polls in the Land of Lincoln closed at 7 p.m. Central Time. Results of primaries and referenda throughout the state, including closely watched contests for Cook County State’s Attorney and the “Bring Chicago Home” referendum, were beginning to come in.
Meanwhile, on the West Side of Chicago, an election night celebration for incumbent Rep. Danny K. Davis (D-Ill.) was just getting started.
Mr. Davis is facing a challenge from several candidates, including Chicago Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin and Kina Collins, a community activist.
Polls Close in Ohio
Polls in Ohio closed at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Under 17 Percent Voter Turnout in Chicago So Far
The March 19 primaries in Chicago didn’t engender as much excitement in national media as previous primaries, in large part because Republicans and Democrats have more or less settled on their respective nominees.
The latest voter turnout data show low participation in the contest, though participation has trended up as the workday comes to a close.
As of 5 p.m., the Windy City had seen just 16.94 percent voter turnout.
The highest turnout was among adults 65 to 74. The city recorded 22.8 percent turnout in that age group.
Ballots per hour started slow, at 3,043 between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. They trended up throughout the day, reaching 19,242 between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. Polls close in less than two hours.
Melania Trump Makes Rare 2024 Election Appearance Alongside Her Husband
By Andrew Moran
Former President Donald Trump and his wife, Melania, cast their ballots in Florida’s Republican primary on Tuesday.
When asked by a reporter if the former first lady plans to join her husband on the 2024 election campaign trail, Ms. Trump responded: “Stay tuned.”
Ms. Trump has not appeared at recent rallies, victory speeches, or during court appearances. She did appear at her husband’s presidential campaign launch in November 2022.
Last month, Fox News personality Laura Ingraham asked President Trump about his wife being largely absent from the campaign trail. He explained that she is a “private person” who prefers to concentrate on their family.
“You know, a lot of first ladies would go out. They want to be everywhere. They get angry at their husband because he’s not introducing them,” President Trump said. “If I didn’t introduce Melania, she’d be very happy about it. She’s just a different kind of a person.”
Reports have suggested she is focusing on raising their son, Barron, before he goes to college, and spending more time with her widower father, Viktor Knavs.
Meanwhile, 125 delegates will be up for grabs during today’s GOP presidential primary contest.
Ohio America First Candidate Issues Retraction to Concession Announcement
By Andrew Moran
Derek Myers, the America First candidate for Ohio’s second congressional primary race, confirmed that a statement conceding the election was sent out in error.
Mr. Myers, a Republican vying for the GOP nomination against 10 other candidates, had conceded the primary and congratulated the “Congressman-Elect” despite the fact there were still hours to go until the polls closed.
But the campaign made a mistake and hit the “send now” button rather than the “draft” button, according to a fresh announcement.
“Two emails were prepared for this evening: one declaring a victory and one conceding the race. The concession email was sent in error as it was being loaded into the media distribution portal as a draft in the event of a loss. Accidentally, the ‘send now’ button was clicked instead of ‘draft,'” said Mr. Myers in a follow-up statement.
“The winning email was also drafted but was not sent in error, thankfully,” he added. “Anyone who works in communications knows it’s not uncommon to have speeches and releases prepared in the event of each outcome, especially on such an impotent [sic] night. It’s simply good strategy.”
After the results are in, the media will receive a release “declaring a victory or concession,” Mr. Myers said.
The winner will compete against Democrat Samantha Meadows in November and replace retiring Rep. Brad Wenstrup.
America First Ohio Candidate Issues Concession Statement Hours Before Polls Close
By Andrew Moran
Derek Myers, an America First candidate, conceded defeat in Ohio’s second congressional district race for the Republican nomination. Eleven candidates were seeking the GOP nod after Rep. Brad Wenstrup announced intentions to retire.
Despite the voting process still ongoing, Mr. Myers offered his congratulations to the “Congressman-Elect” at a private watch party in Chillicothe, where he was surrounded by 100 of his closest friends and supporters.
“Tonight did not go as we had hoped, but as we know, this race is decided in the primary. I want to give my congratulations to the Congressman-Elect,” Mr. Myers said in a statement. “I’m looking forward to uniting behind him and working with him to get President Trump reelected to the White House and evicting Joe Biden.”
He added that he is in his 30s and has plenty of years left to rejoin Ohio politics.
“I’m looking forward to staying in the arena of Ohio politics and working with all Republicans to make Ohio great again,” he stated.
In a follow-up statement, the campaign retracted the announcement and confirmed that it was “sent in error due to a technical issue.”
Polls close at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Democrat Voters Back Sen. Sherrod Brown
By Jeff Louderback
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, state Sen. Matt Dolan, and entrepreneur Bernie Moreno have been at odds with each other for several months in their quest to win the Ohio Republican U.S. Senate primary. The three men share a common theme; however, and that is to “retire Sherrod Brown.”
Mr. Brown, a Democrat, was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2007 in a deep red state that President Donald Trump won by eight points in 2016 and 2020.
National and Ohio Republicans believe Mr. Brown is vulnerable because he has frequently supported the policies of President Joe Biden at a time when the president has low approval ratings amid the southern border crisis, a sluggish economy, and questions about his physical and mental fitness to serve.
At a polling location in Avon, a Cleveland suburb, several Democrats told The Epoch Times that they cast their vote for Mr. Brown, even though he is unopposed in the primary. They also expressed their support for President Biden.
Joseph Anter said he is a Democrat who is “an anti-Trumper” because “I don’t like what he’s done and what he’s about.”
Mr. Anter told The Epoch Times that If Mr. Moreno wins the GOP primary, he could be difficult to beat in the general election because he is backed by President Trump and Ohio leans Republican.
“I still think Sherrod Brown is going to win. Ohioans know who he is, and he has a good track record, especially with labor,” Mr. Anter said.
“I tend to vote for the person, and not the party, whether that person is Republican or Democrat. But no matter who’s running against Trump, I will vote the other way,” he said, adding that he will vote for Mr. Brown in the general election, too, and that he approves of President Biden’s job performance.
Moments after those comments, Mr. Anter’s open car door was blown shut by a gust of wind, prompting him to laugh and say, “That was him [Trump].”
Mr. Brown served in the Ohio Legislature from 1974 to 1982 before becoming Ohio’s Secretary of State. In 1992, he was elected to Congress as a U.S. Representative. In 2006, he defeated current Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine to begin his tenure in the Senate. He is seeking his fourth term in that chamber in 2024.
Ohio has a Republican supermajority in the state legislature. Mr.DeWine was elected to his second term in 2022, as was Mr. LaRose and Republican Attorney General Dave Yost.
Sen. J.D. Vance, a Trump-backed Republican who had never held public office before he was elected in 2022, is in his freshman term.
Democrats are hopeful that Mr. Brown can remain in office so they can maintain control of the Senate.
Terry Carney, a Democrat, also voted for Mr. Brown and believes he will be reelected in November.
“He’s done a great job for Ohio. He supports working-class people,” Ms. Carney told The Epoch Times.
About President Biden, she said she admires his leadership skills.
“He’s a good guy. He cares about the country, and he has my vote,” Ms. Carney said.
Sen. J.D. Vance Offers Bernie Moreno Election Day Advice
By Jeff Louderback
J.D. Vance remembers the feeling like it was yesterday. Now in the second year of his freshman term as an Ohio Republican U.S. Senator, Mr. Vance woke up on primary election day 2022 uncertain about whether his campaign would reach an abrupt halt or continue into the general election.
Bolstered by a late endorsement by former President Donald Trump before the GOP primary that year, Mr. Vance defeated a crowded field of candidates and then decisively topped Democrat U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan in the general election.
On March 19, Mr. Vance joined Bernie Moreno at the Cuyahoga County Republican Party headquarters where Mr. Moreno thanked campaign staffers and volunteers. Like Mr. Vance, Mr. Moreno hopes that backing from President Trump will help propel him to victory in the primary and onto the ultimate objective—“retiring” longtime Democrat Sen. Sherrod Brown.
“I feel very good about today. I told Bernie that I have a superstition that I started during my own campaign where I buy a scratch-off lottery ticket. I told myself that if I win on the lottery ticket, I’m gonna win the election,” Mr. Vance said.
“I bought a scratch-off before my primary, my general election, and yesterday. I won all three times,” Mr. Vance said with a grin.
Mr. Vance encouraged the staffers and volunteers to keep moving forward, “get in the end zone and don’t stop at the one-yard line” on primary election day.
Then he offered advice to Mr. Moreno.
“For a candidate, at least in my experience, today is the worst day possible. I don’t know what you’re going to do today. Try to watch a movie, hang out with your wife. After 6 or 7 o’clock, there’s really nothing more you can do at that point,” Mr. Vance said.
“Tomorrow, the real race starts. I think tonight’s going to be a fun night (at the watch party),” he added.
Man Collects Signatures to Get Initiative on November Ballot to Challenge Redistricting
By Jackson Richman
Mike stood outside Whittier Elementary School, one of the polling locations in the swing area of Lucas County in Ohio’s Ninth Congressional District, in cold and windy conditions, holding clipboards of petitions to collect signatures to get an initiative on the general election ballot that would challenge what he lamented is a gerrymandered map that favors Republicans—though he criticized Democrats too for engaging in gerrymandering.
He said that gerrymandering allows politicians to “cheat their way back into office by rewriting districts where their supporters are.”
Mike called for the districts to be evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans.
However, as of this writing, he has collected just a few signatures as he will need 480,000 signatures to get the initiative on the ballot.
Democrat Voter Concerned About Border Security
By Jackson Richman
After voting at Shoreland Elementary School, Crystal, a Democrat voter, said she cast her ballot for incumbent Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio).
She said that Ms. Kaptur has done well for veterans in addition to other issues.
Healthcare and security are the top issues for her, the latter of which has been a concern of mainly the GOP.
“Look at it this way, immigrants have been coming in for … many years, and I think it’s just gotten a little more extreme in the last couple of years than it has prior,” she said. “I think we need to stop it or either slow it down one or the other.”
Matt Dolan Greets Voters at His Hometown Poll Before Daybreak
By Jeff Louderback
On a dark and frigid morning before daybreak, state Senator and GOP U.S. Senate candidate Matt Dolan greeted voters outside Chagrin Falls High School.
A Cleveland suburb, Chagrin Falls is where Mr. Dolan lives, and after a long campaign that has included visits to all of Ohio’s 88 counties, he was happy to open primary election day in his hometown.
Some people, including Mr. Dolan’s opponent, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, have said that voter turnout could be low because President Donald Trump has already clinched the Republican Party nomination.
Few voters arrived at the Chagrin Falls High School polling location in the first half-hour after opening. Mr. Dolan said hello to one woman and thanked her for voting. She cordially responded, “You live not far from me” before walking inside to escape the cold.
Mr. Dolan planned to visit multiple polling spots across northeast Ohio before attending his watch party in Independence, another Cleveland suburb.
What to Know About Lucas County that Could Unseat Longest-Serving Congresswoman
By Jackson Richman, Reporting from Toledo, Ohio
Lucas County could determine if the GOP can finally flip the state’s Ohio Ninth Congressional District, whose seat is occupied by Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio), the longest-serving congresswoman ever.
This county is broken down almost evenly between Democrats and Republicans with most voters as independents.
Therefore, independents will likely swing this election—a point made by one of the candidates, Steve Lankenau.
What the voter turnout has been, however, is unknown and will be posted at certain times.
A decent stream of voters have filed into Shoreland Elementary School to cast their ballot.
Cold Weather in Ohio
By Jackson Richman
It is 31 degrees in Toledo and cold in the state in general as voters go to the polls.
Whether the weather will significantly impact voter turnout is to be determined, but conditions last night included a snowstorm and icy roads.
Frank LaRose Returns to His Roots on Election Day Eve
By Jeff Louderback
Ohio Secretary of State and GOP U.S. Senate candidate Frank LaRose returned to his hometown of Copley outside of Akron for an Election eve rally at the farm where he worked as a teenager.
Mr. LaRose told a crowd of supporters that included his mom and brother that he bailed hay and performed other tasks at Bender’s Farm from the time he was 13 all the way to the night before he departed for Army basic training.
A wood frame on one side of a door in the barn where the March 18 rally was held included hand-carved etchings marking the height of kids who worked there over the years. “Rambo” can be seen near the top of the wood frame. That was Mr. LaRose’s nickname.
“They called me that because I was willing to do whatever was needed,” Mr. LaRose told The Epoch Times.
If elected, Mr. LaRose would become the first Green Beret to serve in the Senate.
Mr. LaRose politely excused himself after a lengthy talk with The Epoch Times at the rally. It was getting late, and he was slated to arrive at the Secretary of State’s office at 5:30 a.m. on Election Day.
‘I have an election to run,” Mr. LaRose said with a grin. He has doubled as Secretary of State and running in a high-stakes U.S. Senate campaign for around a year.
“I sleep when I can,” he added.
What to Know about Today’s Primaries
By Jacob Burg
While former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden have each secured enough delegates to be named their party’s presumptive nominees for the 2024 presidential election, there are several key races to watch in the March 19 primary elections, one of which might affect which party controls the Senate next year.
Ohio
The first state up is Ohio, where polls will close at 7:30 p.m. ET with races in the Senate and the 2nd, 6th, 9th, and 13th congressional districts.
If Republicans can flip Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown’s seat in Ohio, a state Trump won in 2016 and 2020, they will only need one additional seat to take control of the Senate in 2025. The Republicans running for Mr. Brown’s seat are Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, Ohio state Sen. Matt Dolan, and businessman Bernie Moreno who was recently endorsed by President Trump and is leading in the polls with 28 percent.
Mr. Dolan is trailing with 25 percent and LaRose is in last place with 20 percent, according to 538’s polling average.
Republicans are also closely watching Ohio’s 9th district race after Air Force veteran J.R. Majewski first announced he would run again following his 2022 defeat to incumbent Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur, but then withdrew from the race for the second time several weeks ago.
Instead, the GOP match will be between Ohio state Rep. Derek Merrin and former Ohio state Rep. Craig Riedel, who was endorsed by House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Majority Whip Tom Emmer. Speaker Mike Johnson endorsed Mr. Merrin.
In Ohio’s 13th district, Democratic Rep. Emilia Sykes will face either former Ohio state Sen. Kevin Coughlin or Hudson City Councilor Chris Banweg in November.
However, the 2nd district already has a Republican in retiring Rep. Brad Wenstrup, where 11 other Republicans will face off to replace Mr. Wenstrup. Five of the standouts in the race are concrete businessman David Taylor, hiring agency owner Larry Kiddd, Tim O’Hara who owns Dunkin’ Donuts and LaRosa’s Pizzeria franchises, Ohio state Sen. Niraj Antani, and Ohio state Sen. Shane Wilkin.
A special election and regular primary election will be held for the 6th district after former GOP Rep. Bill Johnson resigned in January, and Ohio state Sen. Michael Rulli and Ohio state Rep. Reggie Stoltzfus are both vying for the seat.
Democrats are also hoping to flip Ohio’s state Supreme Court, as they defend two seats on the court and try to flip a third.
Illinois
Polls will then close at 8 p.m. ET in Illinois, where races will be held for the 7th and 12th congressional districts.
Democratic Rep. Danny Davis, 82, has a tough primary in 2024 after being in office since 1997. His standout challenger is Kina Collins, a gun-control activist and community organizer who came up short 7 points to replace Mr. Davis in the 2022 primary elections. Mr. Davis was endorsed by Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle.
He has a 21-point advantage over Ms. Collins in the most recent poll from FiveThirtyEight.
However, Mr. Davis is not the only incumbent facing a primary challenge this year. Republican Rep. Mike Bost of Illinois’s 12th district will face off against Illinois state Sen. Darren Bailey, who ran for governor in 2022. Both candidates received endorsements from President Trump in their respective 2022 races, but this year Mr. Bost received the coveted endorsement from the former president.
California
Lastly, California has a race in its 20th congressional district, where polls will close at 11 p.m. ET.
After former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy was ousted from his position last year by eight Republicans led by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), Mr. McCarthy announced his retirement from Congress in December 2023.
Now there is a special election to determine who will serve the rest of the former speaker’s term. The front-runner in the race is Republican Assemblymember Vince Fong, who was endorsed by Mr. McCarthy and President Trump, but he will have to beat Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux and Democrat Marisa Wood in the special election.
Mr. Fong won the Super Tuesday primary for the new term of Mr. McCarthy’s seat which begins in January 2025. He will likely face Mr. Boudreaux in November unless he is disqualified from the race after California’s Secretary of State challenged a court ruling that allowed Mr. Fong to vie for a seat in Congress while still being on the ballot for reelection to the state Assembly.
From The Epoch Times
