Key facts
- President Donald Trump's endorsements are being tested in Republican primaries in Alabama, California, Georgia, and Oklahoma.
- In Georgia's gubernatorial runoff, Trump-backed Lt. Gov. Burt Jones faces Rick Jackson, who has self-funded his campaign with over $100 million.
- Alabama's Republican Senate primary pits Trump-endorsed Rep. Barry Moore against outsider Jared Hudson.
- Oklahoma's Republican gubernatorial primary is testing Trump's late endorsement of Mike Mazzei.
- The District of Columbia's mayoral race features democratic socialist Janeese Lewis George and will be decided using ranked-choice voting.
- Georgia's Secretary of State runoff candidates are echoing Trump's unsubstantiated claims of election fraud.
- A special election is underway for Eric Swalwell's former House seat in California.
President Donald Trump's influence in Republican primaries is facing significant tests on Tuesday as voters head to the polls in Alabama, California, Georgia, and Oklahoma, along with the District of Columbia.
In Georgia's gubernatorial runoff, the power of Trump's endorsement is being directly challenged by Rick Jackson, a health care tycoon who has poured over $100 million into his campaign against Trump-backed Lt. Gov. Burt Jones. Trump endorsed Jones over a year ago and recently reiterated his support, making this race a high-stakes battle between a favored incumbent and a self-funded challenger.
Oklahoma's Republican gubernatorial primary will also gauge Trump's endorsement strength, particularly his late backing of former state Sen. Mike Mazzei in a crowded field where no clear front-runner has emerged. This follows a recent instance where Trump's preferred candidate for governor in Iowa lost his primary.
The Republican primary runoff for Alabama's open Senate seat presents a unique scenario where Trump's endorsement of incumbent Rep. Barry Moore, who champions the 'America First' agenda, is pitted against former Navy SEAL Jared Hudson. Hudson is campaigning as an outsider, attempting to leverage the same anti-establishment sentiment that propelled Trump to power.
In the District of Columbia, the mayoral race features a notable contest between Democratic contenders, including Janeese Lewis George, who identifies as a democratic socialist. Her campaign has drawn national attention, with Trump himself indicating he might "take over the city" if she wins, a statement George condemned as an "attack on democracy."
Concerns about election integrity are prominent in Georgia's Secretary of State runoff, where candidates Vernon Jones and Tim Fleming have expressed varying degrees of skepticism about past election results, echoing Trump's unsubstantiated claims. Similar skepticism has surfaced in California following baseless allegations of fraud.
Additionally, a special election is being held to fill the U.S. House seat vacated by Democrat Eric Swalwell, who resigned amid sexual assault allegations. The race is seen as a contest between progressive Aisha Wahab and more centrist Melissa Hernandez.