Voters in West Virginia, Maryland, and Nebraska are heading to the polls Tuesday to cast their ballots in both state and presidential primaries in races that could have large implications for the general election.
In Maryland and West Virginia, two open Senate seats are among the most important races of the night, as the outcome of the primaries will set the field for the general election when control of the upper chamber will be decided.
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There are also several open House seats hanging in the balance. In Maryland, Rep. David Trone’s (D-MD) seat is open as he pursues retiring Sen. Ben Cardin’s (D-MD) seat. In West Virginia, Rep. Alex Mooney’s (R-WV) 2nd Congressional District seat is up for grabs as he hopes to flip the seat held by Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV).
President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump will also be seeking to increase their number of delegates ahead of their party’s nominating conventions later this year. However, both candidates surpassed their parties’ thresholds to become the presumptive nominees shortly after Super Tuesday.
Eyes will be watching, however, to see if Biden or Trump lose sizable chunks of their voting bases in any of the primary contests. Biden has been plagued by “uncommitted” protest votes for his handling of the Israel-Hamas war throughout the primary cycle, whereas Trump has failed to bring in supporters of former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, who dropped out of the primary race two months ago.
West Virginia
President
Biden and Trump are expected to win both the Democratic and Republican primaries, respectively, in West Virginia.
Trump will appear on the ballot alongside four other candidates, including Haley. The former South Carolina governor has received a sizable chunk of Republican voters since she dropped out of the GOP primary race, and eyes will be watching to see if that trend continues in West Virginia.
On the Democratic ballot, Biden is also joined by four other candidates, including Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN). As there is no “uncommitted” or write-in option on the ballot, Biden is not expected to face heavy pushback in the Mountain State.
Delegates at stake: 32 for Republicans, 20 for Democrats
Governor
Six Republicans are running to replace Gov. Jim Justice (R-WV), who is term-limited and running in the state’s open Senate race. Among them is former state Rep. Moore Capito, the son of Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), and Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, who ran in West Virginia’s 2018 Senate race against Manchin.
Rep. Carol Miller’s (R-WV) son, car dealer Chris Miller, is also running for the governorship, as well as West Virginia Secretary of State Mac Warner.
On the Democratic side, Huntington Mayor Steve Williams is running unopposed.
Senate
The race to replace Manchin is one of the most consequential battles of the 2024 cycle, with Republicans seeking to win the seat in their effort to secure a majority in the Senate.
Republican voters have a packed field to choose from, including Justice and Rep. Alex Mooney (R-WV). Five other Republicans are also running for the nomination.
Three Democratic hopefuls are vying to replace Manchin, whose decision to retire decreased the party’s chances to hold on to the seat significantly. Don Blankenship, an ex-coal executive who was found guilty of violating safety standards following a 2010 coal mine explosion that killed 29 people, is among the candidates.
Wheeling Mayor Glenn Elliott, who has Manchin’s endorsement, and Zach Shrewsbury, who is supported by the Progressive Democrats of America, are also on the ballot.
House
1st District
Rep. Carol Miller (R-WV) is seeking reelection in West Virginia’s 1st Congressional District on Tuesday. She has one primary challenger in Derrick Evans, who became known for his participation in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
Democrats also have two candidates to choose from: Jim Umberger, a Vietnam veteran, and Chris Reed, an educator.
2nd District
West Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District is open as Mooney opted to run for Senate instead of seeking reelection. Five Republicans are seeking to fill the seat, including State Treasurer Riley Moore, who has received the endorsements of Mooney and former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
Democrat Steven Wendelin is running unopposed and will face the winner of the GOP primary in November.
Polls close at 7:30 p.m. Eastern time.
Maryland
President
A deep-blue stronghold, Biden is expected to win the Old Line State in November. However, in Tuesday’s Democratic primary, Biden might face some pushback as the state’s ballot allows voters to cast their ballots as “uncommitted.”
The #ListentoMaryland campaign has organized a protest vote effort similar to the ones seen in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin, among others.
The campaign is seeking to secure at least 15% of votes in a congressional district in order to receive an “Uncommitted” delegate to send to the Democratic convention. Phillips and author Marianne Williamson will also appear on the ballot.
Trump is expected to win Maryland’s GOP primary. However, as he will appear on the ballot with Haley, who is the only other Republican appearing on the ballot, it is possible he could face some pushback from a chunk of voters.
Delegates at stake: 37 for Republicans, 95 for Democrats
Senate
Maryland’s Senate race for Cardin’s seat has received increased attention following the entrance of former Republican Gov. Larry Hogan into the GOP primary.
Hogan is facing six other Republicans in the primary as he seeks to flip the seat in Republicans’ favor in November.
On the Democratic side, Rep. David Trone (D-MD) and Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks are going head-to-head for the party’s nomination.
House
Maryland has eight House seats on the ballot on Tuesday. Among them are three open seats that the Washington Examiner will be watching.
2nd District
In Maryland’s 2nd Congressional District, six Democrats are running to replace Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD), who announced his retirement earlier this year after serving 11 terms. Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr. is the likely favorite to win the Democratic primary on Tuesday as he has the backing of Ruppersberger and Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD).
Republican candidates include conservative talk radio host Kim Klacik, Army veteran and businessman John Thormann, and businessman Dave Wallace.
3rd District
Maryland’s 3rd Congressional District is up for grabs after Rep. John Sarbanes (D-MD) decided to not seek reelection. The race features 22 Democrats and nine Republicans.
Leading the pack on the Democratic side is former U.S. Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn, who first gained the national spotlight for his service during the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. He has received the endorsements of “Squad” member Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), and Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-SC), among others.
On the Republican side, Arthur Radford Baker, Jr., Ray Bly, Berney Flowers, Thomas E. “Pinkston” Harris, Jordan Mayo, Naveed Mian, Joshua M. Morales, John Rea, and Robert J. Steinberger, are seeking the GOP nomination.
6th District
Sixteen Democrats are vying for the opportunity to replace Trone, including former U.S. Commerce Department official April McClain Delaney and state Delegate Joe Vogel.
The Republican primary includes seven candidates, including former state Delegate Dan Cox and former state delegate Neil Parrott.
Cox previously ran for governor in 2022 against now-Gov. Wes Moore (D-MD), whereas Parrott has won the Republican nomination for the seat twice before.
Polls close at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
Nebraska
President
Biden and Trump are not expected to face significant pushback in Nebraska for their parties’ delegates. Still, Haley will be on the Republican ballot, posing an opportunity for Republican voters to express their support for her over Trump. Republican Perry Johnson will also appear on the ballot despite ending his campaign last year.
Meanwhile, there is no “uncommitted” option in Nebraska for the Democratic primary. However, voters in the state will have the option to write in a candidate, but the state only counts write-in ballots for candidates that have paid a filing fee and an affidavit before the election. Phillips will also appear on the ballot.
Nebraska is one of two states that splits its Electoral College votes, awarding electoral delegates proportionally, meaning that a strong showing from Biden in November could be pivotal to his reelection.
Delegates at stake: 36 for Republicans, 29 for Democrats
Senate
Special Election for former Sen. Ben Sasse’s seat
The special election for former Republican Sen. Ben Sasse’s seat is on Tuesday. Sasse left his seat to become the president of the University of Florida last year. Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-NE) succeeded Sasse. The special election will decide who finishes out Sasse’s term, which ends in 2026.
Ricketts is facing John Glen Weaver and Mac Stevens in the primary.
On the Democratic side, Preston Love Jr., from North Omaha, is the only registered Democrat in the race and will face the winner of the GOP primary in November.
Sen. Deb Fischer’s (R-NE) seat
Fischer is seeking reelection for a third term in the upper chamber. She is facing Arron Kowalski, a rancher from Grand Island.
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House
2nd District
Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) is running for reelection in Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District in the GOP primary. He faces businessman Dan Frei, who previously ran an unsuccessful campaign against then-Rep. Lee Terry Jr. in 2014.
Democratic state Sen. Tony Vargas is running unopposed in the Democratic primary.
Nebraska voters will also cast their ballots for the 1st and 3rd Congressional Districts, however, both districts are considered solidly red and are likely to stay Republican.
Polls close at 9 p.m. Eastern time.
Annabella Rosciglione and Rachel Schilke contributed to this story.
