Tuesday’s primary elections in New Jersey and Iowa set the stage for several competitive contests this fall that could determine control of the House and Senate.
While high-profile gubernatorial and mayoral contests in California grabbed much of the headlines, races in the Garden and Hawkeye states revealed emerging political trends that could shape the midterm elections.
Here are four key takeaways:
President Trump’s perfect endorsement record is no more
Trump-backed Rep. Randy Feenstra conceded the Iowa Republican gubernatorial primary to businessman Zach Lahn, marking a rare endorsement defeat for the president.
Trump boasted a perfect endorsement track record across 118 Republican House, Senate, and gubernatorial primaries this cycle heading into Tuesday.
Feenstra (R-Iowa) was only endorsed by Trump on Friday, well after early voting began in Iowa in the middle of last month.
Lahn, who will take on Democratic state auditor Rob Sand in the general election, was ahead of Feenstra by less than a percentage point when the congressman conceded.
Establishment Dem wins Iowa Senate primary
The race for Iowa’s open Senate seat got more competitive after state Rep. Josh Turek took down lefty foe Zach Wahls in the Democratic primary.
Turek, a former wheelchair basketball Paralympian, has excited the establishment wing of the Democratic Party and will face Trump-backed GOP Rep. Ashley Hinson in November.
The nonpartisan Cook Political Report shifted the general election race from “likely” to “lean” Republican in response to Turek’s victory.
Another Squad-backed Dem appears to be heading to Congress
Adam Hamawy, an Egypt-born former combat surgeon endorsed by “Squad” Reps. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), as well as socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), were the top vote-getters in the crowded Democratic primary race for the Garden State’s deep-blue 12th Congressional District.
Hamawy will be heavily favored in November against the Republican primary winner Gregg Mele.
The Democrats’ years-long relationship with Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman — who was convicted of seditious conspiracy in 1995 after his followers carried out the bombing of the World Trade Center two years earlier — and previous work for an organization that allegedly served as a front group for al Qaeda, raised eyebrows during his campaign.
Hamawy’s victory comes weeks after self-styled Democratic socialist state Rep. Chris Rabb won Pennsylvania’s 3rd District Democratic primary after receiving endorsements from far-left “Squad” lawmakers.
Rabb, like Hamawy, is virtually assured to win his general election race.
Kean wins GOP primary — but stays hidden on election night
Rep. Tom Kean (R-NJ), who hasn’t been seen since March, vowed to be transparent about his medical woes ahead of his GOP primary win in an uncontested race – but not on election night.
“Right now I am focused on my recovery and under the advice of healthcare professionals, I will transition from virtual work to in person work within a matter of weeks,” the congressman said in a statement.
“At that time I will be completely transparent as to the nature of my medical condition,” he teased.
In November, Kean will face off against Democrat Rebecca Bennett, who won her 7th District primary race convincingly.
The race is rated a “toss-up” by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report.
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