5 races to watch in Connecticut, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Vermont primaries

Voting concludes Tuesday for primaries in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Vermont and Connecticut ahead of the Democratic National Convention, which begins next week.

Several Senate races are crystallizing in Wisconsin and Minnesota as Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) vie for another term in the upper chamber. Meanwhile, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), one of the last progressives facing a primary challenge this cycle, is gearing up for a rematch against a challenger who almost unseated her in 2022.

Here are five races to watch in Tuesday’s primaries: 

Omar faces rematch

Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), one of the members of the progressive “squad,” is facing a familiar rematch against Don Samuels, a former Minneapolis City Council member, among several other contenders. Although she was nearly ousted by Samuels last cycle when the two went head-to-head, the Minnesota progressive looks better situated to defeat Samuels this cycle.

During the last fundraising quarter, between April and July, Omar had raised $1.6 million, while Samuels had raised roughly $535,000. 

Unlike last time, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s (AIPAC) political group has not waded into Omar’s primary this cycle. The Cook Political Report noted Omar has also outspent Samuels in advertising. 

The seat went heavily for President Biden in 2020, meaning Omar is seen as the favorite to keep the seat if she prevails in her Tuesday primary. 

GOP coronates Hovde in Wisconsin

Republicans, including the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), have coalesced around businessman Eric Hovde as their candidate to take on Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) this November. 

Tuesday’s primary will largely be a formality, with Hovde only facing two long-shot candidates. Former Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) and Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.) were two prominent Republicans who ended up passing on potential bids to take on Baldwin. 

So far, polling shows Baldwin in a strong position to beat Hovde in November. An aggregate of Wisconsin surveys from Decision Desk HQ and The Hill shows Baldwin leading Hovde 51 percent to 44 percent. 

The nonpartisan election handicapper Cook Political Report rates Baldwin’s seat “lean Democrat.” 

Minnesota Republicans make their pick to take on Klobuchar

Eight Republicans are vying for the chance to take on Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) this November, with former NBA player Royce White and Navy veteran and business executive Joe Fraser seen as the top two candidates. 

While White has received the state GOP’s backing, Fraser has locked up notable endorsements from establishment figures like former Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R), in addition to former Minnesota GOP Sens. Rudy Boschwitz and Norm Coleman, according to MPR News. 

White’s allies include former Trump adviser Steve Bannon and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, according to The Associated Press. The former NBA player has received scrutiny over his controversial remarks, which include calling liberals “modern-day Nazis;” suggesting there was a connection between luciferianism and the LGBTQ movement; and calling women “mouthy.” 

He’s also come under scrutiny over the use of the phrase “Jewish elites” while speaking about people who work at the Federal Reserve. 

A competitive Dem primary in key House race

Wisconsin state Rep. Katrina Shankland (D) and business owner and nonprofit founder Rebecca Cooke are running for the Democratic nod to take on first-term Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.) this November in Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District. 

Cooke has the backing of more moderate-aligned elected officials and groups like Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine), the Blue Dog PAC and New Democrat Coalition Action Fund. Former Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton (D) and SEIU Wisconsin have also backed her. 

Meanwhile, Shankland has the backing of some Wisconsin elected officials, like Reps. Mark Pocan (D) and Gwen Moore (D), in addition to progressive organizations and labor unions like MoveOn, Wisconsin AFL-CIO and End Citizens United/Let America Vote. 

Eric Wilson, whose campaign says he has experience in real estate and health insurance, is also running for the seat. 

Cook Political Report rates the Wisconsin House seat “lean Republican.” 

Republicans seek to curb Evers’s spending in Wisconsin

Republican state lawmakers are looking to curb Gov. Tony Evers’s ability to spend federal money in the state by asking voters to weigh in on several ballot measures.

Republican lawmakers want voters to consider two ballot measures, both of which are intended to curb the governor’s powers to spend federal money.

The AP noted that the ballot measure comes amid an ongoing dispute between the governor and Republicans over oversight on spending, which particularly came to a fore after the COVID-19 pandemic, when the state was given billions by the federal government.

Democrats are lobbying against the ballot measures, urging voters to say “no” to both of them. More than half of voters need to vote in favor of the measures in order for the constitutional amendments to be passed into law. 

Evers would not be able to veto the ballot measures since they’re constitutional amendments.