Establishment favorites won primaries across the country on Tuesday as voters in eight states went to the polls. Although much of the attention was focused on California’s unique top-two primary system, there were important results in the seven other states holding elections.



In Alabama, incumbent Martha Roby seemed poised for a runoff after facing a primary challenge following her withdrawal of support for Donald Trump. Roby cancelled her endorsement in 2016 after the Access Hollywood tape emerged and ran nearly 20 points behind him as a result. She is expected to face former Democratic congressman Bobby Bright, who has since switched parties. Bright, who was defeated by Roby in the 2010 general election, has campaigned as a vocally pro-Trump Republican.

In New Jersey, conservative Democrat state senator Jeff Van Drew held off a challenge from intraparty rivals who viewed him as an insufficiently progressive. Van Drew was recruited by national Democrats to run the South Jersey seat held by retiring Republican Frank LoBiondo which Barack Obama won twice but Donald Trump won in 2016. Non-partisan analysts favor Democrats to pick up the seat in November. Democrats’ preferred candidates also won primaries in several other competitive seats in the state.

However, Democrats did receive one scare in the Garden State. Incumbent senator Robert Menendez had an underwhelming performance against an unknown primary challenger after going on trial on corruption charges. The trial ended in a hung jury and federal prosecutors declined to retry the two-term incumbent earlier this year. Menendez’s result might leave him vulnerable against self-funding businessman Bob Hugin who has already spent nearly $8m on the race. However, Republicans face an uphill battle in federal elections in deep blue New Jersey.

Republicans picked a nominee in what is expected to be one of the most competitive Senate races in the country on Tuesday as well. In Montana, state auditor Matt Rosendale narrowly won a crowded race against retired judge Russ Fagg. With 56% of precincts reporting, Rosendale was ahead only by a margin of 34% to 29% despite receiving an influx of support from major outside groups including the Club for Growth. He will face two-term Democratic incumbent Jon Tester in November in a state that Trump won by 20% in 2016.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Bernie Sanders talks to his Iowa campaign coordinator Pete D’Alessandro in 2015. Photograph: Charlie Neibergall/AP

In Iowa, a Bernie Sanders-endorsed candidate finished a disappointing third in a three-way race in a Des Moines swing seat. Pete D’Alessandro, a top aide to the Vermont senator in his presidential campaign, lost to business owner Cindy Axne despite Sanders recording a television ad on his behalf. Axne will face incumbent David Young in November.

In another competitive district in north-east Iowa, state legislator Abby Finkenauer won her Democratic primary handily and will face incumbent Rod Blum in the general election. Although Iowa has a female senator, Republican Joni Ernst, the Hawkeye State has never elected a woman to the House of Representatives. Iowa Democrats also overwhelmingly backed self-funding businessman Fred Hubbell in the Democratic primary for governor. Hubbell, who will face Republican incumbent Kim Reynolds in November, had faced a competitive race until his top opponent, state senator Nate Boulton, was forced to drop out in May due to allegations of sexual misconduct.

Historic milestones were reached in two western states on Tuesday. In New Mexico Deb Haaland won the Democratic primary in a congressional district that Hillary Clinton won by 17%. If elected in November, Haaland would become the first female Native American member of Congress. Haaland was running a seat vacated by incumbent Michelle Lujan Grisham who won the Democratic nomination for Governor of New Mexico. She will face Republican congressman Steve Pearce in November.

In South Dakota, incumbent congresswoman Kristi Noem won the Republican nomination for governor and is poised to become the first female governor of that deep red state.