GOP incumbents face House primaries in Democratic California
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A slate of Republican U.S. House members in closely Democratic California is dealing with main challengers on Tuesday in races that can assist decide management of Congress.
No incumbents seem susceptible to shedding their main, however the districts shall be among the many nation’s marquee races in November. Two of the House members are attempting to surmount challenges tied to former President Donald Trump: One voted to help the previous president’s impeachment after the U.S. Capitol riot, whereas the opposite fought in opposition to it.
Elsewhere on Tuesday, former Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke is competing in opposition to a number of different Republicans for an opportunity to seize a brand new U.S. House district in western Montana. In Iowa, a trio of Republicans is jockeying to tackle the state’s lone Democratic U.S. House member in a newly drawn district with a stronger GOP tilt. And in Mississippi, Republican U.S. Rep. Steven Palazzo is working for reelection after a congressional ethics watchdog raised questions on his marketing campaign spending.
A have a look at key U.S. House races:
TRUMP FACTORS INTO GOP RACES IN HEAVILY DEMOCRATIC CALIFORNIA
Two Republican congressmen are dealing with challenges tied to Trump, however for various causes.
In a Democratic-tilting district in the state’s Central Valley farm belt, Republican Rep. David Valadao is highlighting an impartial streak whereas contending with GOP fallout for his vote to question Trump over the Jan. 6 riot. Republican Chris Mathys has made Valadao’s vote a centerpiece in his marketing campaign to oust him.
In a Democratic-leaning district north of Los Angeles, three Democrats are vying for the prospect to tackle Republican Rep. Mike Garcia, who captured the seat in 2020. Garcia, a former Navy fighter pilot who was endorsed by Trump in 2020, joined House Republicans who rejected electoral votes from Arizona and Pennsylvania and opposed Trump’s impeachment after the Capitol riot. Two different Republicans are additionally on the poll.
California makes use of a top-two election format in which solely the highest two vote-getters advance to the November common election, no matter get together.
FORMER TRUMP CABINET MEMBER SEEKS RETURN TRIP TO WASHINGTON
Montana gained a second congressional district this year due to its rising inhabitants, and Zinke, an Interior Department secretary underneath Trump, is one among 5 Republicans on the first poll for the open seat.
Zinke’s rivals have been drawing consideration to his troubled tenure on the company, which was marked by a number of ethics investigations. One investigation decided Zinke lied to an company ethics official about his continued involvement in a industrial actual property deal in his hometown. He’s confronted a smear marketing campaign over his navy service from the acute proper wing of his get together and questions on his residency following revelations that his spouse declared a home in California as her main residence.
Zinke, a former Navy SEAL, is extensively thought of the de facto incumbent, since he twice received elections for the state’s different House seat earlier than stepping down in 2017 to hitch the Trump administration.
His main opponents embody former state Sen. Al “Doc” Olszewski, an orthopedic surgeon and hard-line conservative who has tried to color Zinke as a “liberal insider.” Three Democrats are vying for his or her get together’s nomination: public well being advocate Cora Neumann, Olympic rower and legal professional Monica Tranel and former state Rep. Tom Winter.
IOWA’S SOLE DEMOCRATIC HOUSE MEMBER FACES A TOUGH FIGHT
Three Republicans are competing for an opportunity to run in opposition to two-term Democratic Rep. Cindy Axne in a newly drawn Iowa district that may very well be extra favorable for the GOP.
In earlier elections, Axne was elevated by her robust help in the Des Moines space, at the same time as she struggled in rural counties that usually lean Republican. The new district contains a number of counties in southern Iowa recognized to prove strongly for Republicans, growing the stress on Axne to drive up her numbers in Democratic-friendly Des Moines and its suburbs.
Among the Republicans, state Sen. Zach Nunn is the very best recognized of her challengers. He’s an Air Force pilot who has served in the Legislature since 2014 and has labored to chop taxes. He’s working in opposition to Nicole Hasso, a monetary providers employee, and Gary Leffler, who works in the development business.
MISSISSIPPI CONGRESSMAN WITH ETHICS TROUBLE DRAWS A CROWD
First elected in 2010, Republican Rep. Steven Palazzo of Mississippi is dealing with his largest-ever main area after a congressional ethics watchdog raised questions on his marketing campaign spending.
A 2021 report by the Office of Congressional Ethics discovered “substantial reason to believe” Palazzo, a navy veteran who serves on the Appropriations and Homeland Security committees, abused his office by misspending marketing campaign funds, doing favors for his brother and enlisting employees for political and personal errands. His then-spokesperson, Colleen Kennedy, stated the probe was based mostly on politically motivated “false allegations.”
His six opponents embody a sheriff, Mike Ezell, and a state senator, Brice Wiggins. If no candidate wins a majority of votes, a runoff shall be June 28.
A REPUBLICAN MATCHUP FOR SOUTH DAKOTA’S ONLY HOUSE SEAT
Trump is also taking part in into the battle for South Dakota’s lone House seat.
GOP Rep. Dusty Johnson, a member of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, is dealing with a problem from his political proper from Republican state lawmaker Taffy Howard. She has echoed Trump’s discredited claims of widespread voter fraud and criticized Johnson for voting to certify the outcomes of the 2020 presidential election.
Johnson, nevertheless, has maintained a large fundraising edge. No Democrats are working, so the winner of the GOP main will seemingly take the seat.
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Associated Press writers Scott McFetridge in Des Moines, Iowa; Emily Wagster Pettus in Jackson, Miss.; Matthew Brown in Billings, Mont.; and Stephen Groves in Sioux Falls, S.D., contributed to this report.
