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Key Points from Tuesday's Primaries

Staff Writer

In a night of dramatic primary elections, progressive candidates faced significant defeats in Oregon, Trump-endorsed contenders celebrated victories, and incumbents solidified their positions, setting the stage for a contentious general election season.

1. **Progressive Setbacks in Oregon**:

Major progressive figures suffered losses in Oregon. In a significant blue district, their preferred candidate lost, while establishment Democrats successfully blocked a more liberal candidate from securing the nomination in a critical battleground seat. As a result, Rep. Pramila Jayapal’s sister will not join her in Washington next year, and national Democrats secured their chosen candidate to challenge Republican Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, avoiding a repeat of their 2022 loss.


2. **Trump Endorsements Prevail**:

Candidates endorsed by Donald Trump had a strong showing. Vince Fong, backed by Kevin McCarthy, won a special election in California. In Georgia, Brian Jack, a top Trump political aide, finished first in the race for an open House seat, continuing Trump’s streak of successful endorsements in open House seats and solidifying his influence over Congress.


3. **Incumbents and Establishment Successes**:

Incumbents performed well, with Republican Rep. Mike Simpson of Idaho and Democratic Rep. Morgan McGarvey of Kentucky securing primary victories. Establishment Democrats also succeeded in key Oregon races, including state Rep. Janelle Bynum winning the nomination in the 5th District. Additionally, in the Georgia state Supreme Court race, incumbent Justice Andrew Pinson defeated former Democratic Rep. John Barrow, despite Barrow’s focus on abortion rights.

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