Turek wins Senate nomination in Iowa as results come in

Update: 11:19 p.m.:

On Tuesday evening, Josh Turek won the Democratic nomination for Iowa’s open Senate seat, according to the Associated Press. Meanwhile, Joe Mitchell won the Republican nomination for U.S. House in Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District. Mitchell won out against opponent Charlie McClintock. 

In New Mexico, former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland won the Democratic nomination for the governor’s race. In South Dakota, Republican Sen. Mike Rounds survived a primary challenge from Justin McNeal, an entrepreneur who emphasized reining in the national debt.

For the latest on election results, including primary races in California, New Jersey, and Montana, click here.

Original story:

Californians and Iowans headed to the polls today to cast their ballots in primary elections for several competitive House, Senate, and statewide races. Democrats hope to boost their representation in both states—aiming to grab up to five more seats with a newly gerrymandered map in California, and shooting for an open Senate seat and two contested congressional districts in Iowa.

What are the big races to watch in Iowa? In the Hawkeye State, several candidates are running for a U.S. Senate seat to replace Sen. Joni Ernst, who is retiring next year. State Rep. Josh Turek, a former professional wheelchair basketball player and Paralympic gold medalist, and state Sen. Zach Wahls, a businessman and LGBT advocate, are competing for the Democratic nomination. The Democratic Senate candidates have clashed over nearly $10 million in ad support that Turek received from VoteVets, a super PAC thought to be aligned with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. On the Republican side, Cook Political Report predicts Rep. Ashley Hinson, who has received an endorsement from President Donald Trump and is leading in campaign fundraising, will prevail over her rival, attorney Jim Carlin. The remaining two Iowa races with the potential to turn blue in November were rated tossups by the Cook Political Report, with Democrats vying for nominations in Iowa’s 1st Congressional District, currently represented by Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks, and its 3rd District, represented by Republican Zach Nunn. 

What about in California? Along with primary races in newly drawn congressional districts that are expected to favor Democrats in November, Tuesday’s primary in California includes a gubernatorial contest to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is being term-limited out of office. The governor’s primary has surpassed $315 million in spending, becoming the most expensive on record, according to AdImpact. The front-runners include two Democrats and a Republican—former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra, billionaire Tom Steyer, and Trump-endorsed former Fox News contributor Steve Hilton. The race is leaning blue, but under California’s top-two primary system, only the top two candidates, no matter their party, will advance to the general election.