While most of last week’s primaries were tightly clustered in the rust belt, the next batch of primary states stretch from coast to coast, from the Delaware River to the Pacific Ocean.

Here’s what to watch out for in Pennsylvania, Nebraska, Idaho and Oregon.

Idaho

Neither Idaho senator is up for reelection this year. And the state only has two congressional districts.

Not to worry. There are no less than 12 candidates representing four different parties seeking the open House seat in District 1 to keep voters curious.

Voters there last elected a Democrat, Walt Minnick, in 2008. He served one term. And no Republican presidential candidate running in the 21st century has received less than 60 percent of the vote along the state’s western border. (Trump garnered 63.7 percent.)

But with four-term congressman Raul Labrador seeking the governor’s mansion in November, seven Republican candidates have stepped up to run in the Republican primary next week.

The money leader so far is former state senator Russ Fulcher, who has raised about $436,000 along with over $500,000 in outside support from the conservative super PAC Club for Growth Action.

Only one candidate — former volunteer firefighter and police dispatcher James Vandermaas — has spent any money for the Democratic bid.

Nebraska

In the Cornhusker State, once a red-blooded conservative stronghold, at least one district is slipping purple.

Two years ago, Republican Don Bacon narrowly defeated Democratic incumbent Brad Ashford for the state’s 2nd Congressional District. But Ashford, 64, wants his seat back.

So far, Bacon’s campaign has raised about $1.5 million — more than twice as much as Ashford — to go along with $250,000 in outside support from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. (In fact, Bacon’s one of the Chamber’s favorite midterm candidates).

Still, the district is considered a toss-up race heading into November.

Bacon’s House seat isn’t the only competitive (or at least quasi-competitive) midterm race, according to Cook Political Report.

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First-term Republican Senator Deb Fischer has raised nearly $5 million — or about $4 million more than likely Democratic opponent Jane Raybould ($798,710) — yet Fischer’s seat has slipped into Cook’s list of potentially competitive races.

Raybould, a Lincoln city council member, will face two challengers in the Democratic primary. Neither has spent more than $25,000.

Oregon

Oregon’s a virtual liberal haven. It last supported a Republican president in 1984, and is one of only seven states with a Democratic governor and Democratic control of the legislature.

Republican Rep. Greg Walden is the outlier — and has been for nearly 20 years. Walden, of Oregon’s 2nd District, will run unopposed next week and await the results of a crowded Democratic primary.

Walden’s $3.2 million in his campaign coffer dwarfs the money raised by at least six Democratic hopefuls, none of whom have more than $50,000 in their campaign account.

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania’s court-ordered redistricting has left the state’s revised boundaries ripe for confusion.

Nine of the state’s 18 congressional districts are considered competitive. Four of those are open-seat races. Two are toss-ups.

And one — District 17 — features a rare wonder for American democracy: An incumbent running against an incumbent.

In April, Democrat Conor Lamb defeated Republican Rick Saccone in a surprising special election for (the former) 18th Congressional District.

Saccone’s back, this time in District 14. And Lamb’s left, for the 17th District’s incumbent-incumbent showdown with three-term Republican congressman Keith Rothfus. Lamb has a 5-to-1 fundraising advantage over Rothfus.

With 18 redrawn districts, candidates are jumping to run in districts they previously saw as unwinnable. In all, 78 declared House candidates on Tuesday’s ballot have already spent $22 million.

Following the nationwide trend of increased female candidacy, Pennsylvania races also feature four Democrat women running with the backing from EMILY’s List, a pro-choice PAC.



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