On Tuesday, primary elections for the presidential and down-ballot races will take place in New Jersey, South Dakota, New Mexico, Montana, and Washington D.C. Voters in these locations will have the opportunity to cast their ballots and make their voices heard.
The 2024 cycle is winding down with a few remaining primary elections and caucuses left to take place.
The focus of attention in the upcoming election will be the primary races for the Senate in New Jersey and Montana, along with a House race in New Jersey. Although President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump are the expected nominees of their parties, the race with the most interest will be the one with a well-known family name embroiled in scandal.
The June 4 primaries are fast approaching, and there are several important factors to keep an eye on.
Montana’s Senate primary
Montana is gearing up for Senate primary elections that will precede one of the most crucial Senate races in November, which could potentially impact the balance of power in the upper chamber.
Senator Jon Tester is currently running for re-election in a state where Trump emerged victorious in 2020. Alongside another red-state senator, Tester is determined to retain his seat. He faces competition in the Democratic primary from Michael Hummert, a navy veteran who is considered a long-shot candidate.
In the Republican race, Tim Sheehy is anticipated to secure the nomination over Charles Walking Child, an environmental contractor, and former Montana Secretary of State, Brad Johnson. It’s worth noting that Sheehy won’t be facing Republican U.S. Rep. Matt Rosendale, who withdrew from the race in March, just a week after joining the race. Rosendale was the GOP Senate nominee in 2018.
New Jersey’s Democratic Senate primary
The Democratic primary in New Jersey started off with a bang when Rep. Andy Kim joined the race to challenge Sen. Bob Menendez, who was facing charges at the time. Soon after, the state’s First Lady, Tammy Murphy, entered the race and garnered significant support from the Democratic party.
In November, Kim’s victory in the race would pave the way for him to become the first-ever Korean American elected to the U.S. Senate.
New Jersey’s 8th congressional district race
The focus of attention will be on whether the independent candidacy of the elder Menendez will have any impact on his son’s chances in the upcoming election, which is expected to be a closely contested race.
Bhalla has criticized the younger Menendez for benefiting from nepotism within the state’s powerful Democratic party, as Sen. Menendez grapples with criminal corruption charges.
Kyle Jasey, a businessman, is also vying for the Democratic nomination.
First election after Trump’s conviction
The first elections after Trump’s conviction on all 34 counts in his hush-money trial took place on Tuesday, although a significant number of votes had already been cast through early or mail-in voting prior to the jury’s decision last week.
As the day of the election approaches, all eyes are on the American people as they prepare to cast their votes. According to a recent ABC News/Ipsos poll, 50% of Americans believe that the guilty verdict handed down to former President Trump was just. However, Tuesday’s election will mark the first opportunity for citizens to express their opinions through the ballot box.
A Haley ‘protest vote?’
Nikki Haley, a Republican candidate who withdrew from the race, is set to appear on the ballot for the party’s presidential primary in New Mexico on Tuesday. However, she won’t be included in the ballots for the states of New Jersey, South Dakota, and Montana. It’s worth noting that Haley won the Republican presidential primary in Washington D.C. back in March.
Since dropping out, Haley has consistently received a respectable percentage of the vote in several presidential primaries. It is worth noting that in some states, she may have received early votes or voting by mail.
Given that this is the first election in New Mexico after Trump’s guilty verdict in his hush-money trial, it is noteworthy to observe Haley’s performance. However, a significant portion of the vote she receives will probably be from early voting or mail-in ballots cast before the verdict.
In the Republican primary, she emerged victorious with a significant percentage of the vote in several states such as Indiana (22%), Maryland (21%), Washington (19%), Nebraska (18%), and Arizona (18%).
