LIVE COVERAGEUpdated 4 minutes ago
Election live updates: Francesca Hong and David Crowley locked in too-close-to-call primary for Wisconsin governor
Hong and Crowley are running neck-and-neck in Wisconsin, while South Carolina Republicans are going to a Senate primary runoff and Rep. John Larson lost in Connecticut
Ballot booths soak up morning sunshine during the spring election at Warner Park Community Recreation Center on April 7, 2026 in Madison, Wis. Joe Timmerman/ / Wisconsin Watch
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Updated August 12, 2026, 2:10 AM EDT
By NBC News
What to know today
- WISCONSIN TOO CLOSE TO CALL: In Wisconsin, Francesca Hong and David Crowley are locked in a close race in the Democratic primary for governor, trading the lead back and forth as the final tranches of votes are counted.
- PRIMARY DAY: Voters cast ballots today in primaries in six states, including Alabama, Minnesota and Wisconsin. In South Carolina, Darline Graham advanced to a runoff for the GOP nomination in the race for her late brother’s seat, while Democratic Rep. John Larson lost his Connecticut primary to Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin.
- CLANDESTINE FLIGHT:President Donald Trump was whisked out of Turkey last month on a military aircraft in an elaborate plot to keep his location secret amid security fears. He confirmed the previously undisclosed flight while speaking to reporters tonight.
4m ago / 2:10 AM EDT
Crowley campaign: ‘We feel optimistic’
Crowley’s campaign said he will not speak tonight
In a statement, a campaign spokesperson said: “We’re still waiting for all the results to come in. We feel optimistic, but it’s not over until the votes are counted.”
48m ago / 1:26 AM EDT
Inside the mind of a late-deciding Crowley voter
A number of late-deciding Democratic primary voters who spoke to NBC News in Madison on Tuesday ended up voting for Crowley
One of them, Ali Plummer, said of Hong: “I really back a lot of what she’s saying. … The DSA label doesn’t shy me away at all, you know. In fact, I probably would lean more toward that.”
But Plummer said she was concerned that Wisconsin as a whole might not want to back a democratic socialist
“I voted for Crowley because I am a risk-averse person, and I really was reading a lot about like who has the chances to beat Tom Tiffany in the larger election,” Plummer said, adding: “We have to beat Tom Tiffany, so I voted for David Crowley.”
2h ago / 1:07 AM EDT
Milwaukee vote count delayed
Tens of thousands of absentee ballots from Milwaukee still remain to be counted and are expected to come in sometime overnight
3h ago / 12:00 AM EDT
Close Wisconsin Democratic race comes after a volatile campaign with large numbers of undecided voters
The close Democratic primary for governor in Wisconsin suggests that the sizable chunk of undecided voters in public polling may have shifted toward Crowley in the final days of the race
Hong has won 40% of the vote so far, which is in line with her standing in a Marquette Law School poll that was conducted July 22-27. That survey found Hong leading the primary field with 38%
The next-highest share of registered voters in the survey (34%) were undecided, and just 7% were backing Crowley
Wisconsin Democratic governor primary too close to call between Crowley, Hong
02:50
Those voters were undecided as the race significantly shifted. Former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, who was at 16% in the poll, dropped out of the race on July 30. Just a few days before the poll went into the field, Crowley restarted his campaign, this time with Gov. Tony Evers’ endorsement, and he had just started to launch his first campaign ads
In the days after the poll was conducted, Evers and Crowley hit the campaign trail together, and Hong faced intense scrutiny for her past statements and policy positions, some of which she walked back
3h ago / 11:40 PM EDT
Mike Lindell’s loss deals a blow to Trump’s endorsement record
Lindell’s loss in Minnesota’s gubernatorial primary is the third for a Trump-backed candidate in a governor’s race this year, following Rep. Randy Feenstra’s loss in Iowa and Lt. Gov. Burt Jones’ loss in Georgia
Trump also skirted an outright loss in South Carolina’s gubernatorial primary, backing both Alan Wilson and Lt. Gov. Pam Evette after Wilson and Evette went to a runoff (Wilson went on to win the primary)
Trump-backed Sen. Darline Graham was forced into a runoff today in the special Senate primary to replace her late brother on the ballot
And Trump-backed Rep. Andy Ogles also lost his primary in Tennessee last week
Despite a few high-profile losses, Trump’s endorsement is still the most powerful one there is in Republican primaries. More than 200 of his preferred candidates have won their primaries this year, including the roughly two dozen whom NBC News projected as winners in primaries today. That’s in part because Trump has endorsed almost every Republican in Congress, most of whom do not face competitive primaries
3h ago / 11:28 PM EDT
Lisa Demuth wins the Republican primary for Minnesota governor, NBC News projects
State House Speaker Lisa Demuth wins the Republican primary for Minnesota governor, NBC News projects, defeating Trump-backed businessman Mike Lindell
Demuth will face Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar in the general election
See the latest results here
3h ago / 11:28 PM EDT
Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan wins the Democratic Senate primary in Minnesota, NBC News projects
Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan has won the Democratic primary for the Senate in Minnesota, NBC News projects, notching another major victory for her party’s progressive wing
Flanagan defeated moderate Rep. Angie Craig in the race to succeed retiring Sen. Tina Smith
Read the full story here
See the latest results here
3h ago / 11:25 PM EDT
Hong and Crowley nearly tied with more than 80% of the vote counted
With 83% of the expected vote counted, Hong has a 307-vote advantage over Crowley, out of about 666,000 votes already tallied
4h ago / 10:42 PM EDT
Amanda Janoo wins the Democratic primary for Vermont governor, NBC News projects
Economist Amanda Janoo has won the Democratic primary for Vermont governor, NBC News projects
She will face Gov. Phil Scott, a Republican who has held the position in the blue state since 2017, in the general election
See the latest results here
4h ago / 10:24 PM EDT
Candidate who bet on himself on Kalshi loses primary in Minnesota
Democratic state Sen. Matt Little won the Democratic nomination for the open 2nd Congressional District in Minnesota, finishing ahead of fellow state Sen. Matt Klein, who was fined and suspended by Kalshi this year for betting on his own campaign
“I set up an account and bet $50 of my own funds that I would win the primary,” Klein wrote in a statement on X at the time apologizing for having placed the wager. “I was informed in March of 2026 that this was a violation of the platform rules. In compliance with their request, I paid a penalty and agreed to be suspended from the platform.”
4h ago / 10:22 PM EDT
Rebecca Cooke wins the Democratic primary in Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District, NBC News projects
Rebecca Cooke has won the Democratic primary in Wisconsin’s 3rd District, NBC News projects, setting up a November rematch against GOP Rep. Derrick Van Orden
Cooke defeated former Eau Claire City Council President Emily Berge to win the Democratic nomination. In 2024, Cooke lost to Van Orden by less than 3 points
See the latest results here
4h ago / 10:19 PM EDT
Michael Alfonso wins the Republican primary in Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District, NBC News projects
Michael Alfonso, the Trump-endorsed son-in-law of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, wins the Republican primary in Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District, NBC News projects
Rep. Tom Tiffany is leaving the seat open to run for governor
See the latest results here
4h ago / 10:15 PM EDT
Hong narrowly trails Crowley in Milwaukee County
While David Crowley is running competitively with Francesca Hong in her home base of Dane County, Hong is pulling off a similar feat
With 80% of the expected vote tallied in Milwaukee County, where Crowley is county executive, he leads Hong 44.9% to 43.7%. In fact, Hong is pulling a slightly higher share there than in Dane, where she’s at 43.1% to Crowley’s 37.3% with 83% of the expected vote in
A big looming question is which way the outstanding vote in the two most Democratic counties in the state leans
4h ago / 10:15 PM EDT
David Crowley emerging as competitive with Francesca Hong in some key counties
Folks in Milwaukee probably like what they’re seeing in Wisconsin right now for Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, I’ll tell you that
And the folks at state Rep. Francesca Hong’s headquarters are probably going to be pretty nervous, because this is the result of the late effort by Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers and the Democratic establishment wing to consolidate support behind Crowley
He has a real chance to win this thing there. These Hong numbers are quite low. So far, they’re strikingly low in some places compared with where I think demographically she might be doing a little bit better. Which is not to say she’s out of it, because at the beginning of the night the range of possibilities saw Hong winning widely. We’re still in that realm where each candidate has a shot
However, Crowley stands to lose big in the mail-in vote, which we won’t see from Milwaukee County until the end of the night. Since Crowley wasn’t a candidate for part of July after he dropped out of the race before relaunching his campaign 10 days later, he most likely lost out on a chunk of votes during that time
5h ago / 10:03 PM EDT
Matt Little wins the Democratic primary in Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional District, NBC News projects
Matt Little wins the Democratic primary in Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional District, NBC News projects
See the latest results here
5h ago / 10:03 PM EDT
Democratic primary for Wisconsin governor too close to call, NBC News projects
The Democratic primary for Wisconsin governor is too close to call, NBC News projects
See the latest results here
5h ago / 9:56 PM EDT
Democratic also-rans having an effect in Crowley-Hong battle
Candidates not named David Crowley and Francesca Hong are taking about 19% of the vote in Wisconsin’s Democratic gubernatorial primary
The No. 3 vote-getter statewide is state Sen. Kelda Roys, who is taking 7.5% support with about half of the expected vote tallied. She’s taking an even larger share (nearly 11%) in progressive Dane County — which includes both her and Hong’s state legislative districts
Meanwhile, Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez and former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, who both dropped out of the race in July, are each winning more than 3% of the overall vote
5h ago / 9:51 PM EDT
Michele Tafoya wins the Republican Senate primary in Minnesota, NBC News projects
Michele Tafoya, the former sports broadcaster, wins the Republican Senate primary in Minnesota, NBC News projects
Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and Rep. Angie Craig are competing for the Democratic nomination. Sen. Tina Smith, a Democrat, is retiring
See the latest results here
5h ago / 9:45 PM EDT
Luke Bronin wins the Democratic primary in Connecticut’s 1st Congressional District, NBC News projects
Larson, Bronin speak to voters after Bronin’s win in Connecticut House race
01:49
Democratic Rep. John Larson of Connecticut has lost his primary race to former Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin, NBC News projects, becoming the latest example of Democratic voters’ push to sweep out House members and replace them with younger leadership
See the latest results here
5h ago / 9:37 PM EDT
Crowley running close with Hong in early Dane County results
With roughly 31% of the expected vote tallied the Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial primary in Dane County — a liberal stronghold that is home to Madison — Francesca Hong is up by roughly 3 points point over David Crowley
That’s an encouraging early sign for Crowley, as Hong’s state Assembly district is in the county
5h ago / 9:21 PM EDT
Amy Klobuchar wins the Democratic primary for Minnesota governor, NBC News projects
Sen. Amy Klobuchar wins the Democratic primary for Minnesota governor, NBC News projects
Klobuchar is one of four senators who ran for governor this year amid an unusually high number of incumbent retirements on Capitol Hill
See the latest results here
5h ago / 9:21 PM EDT
Jerry Carl wins the Republican primary special in Alabama’s 1st Congressional District, NBC News projects
Jerry Carl wins the Republican primary special in Alabama’s 1st Congressional District, NBC News projects
See the latest results here
6h ago / 9:13 PM EDT
Tom Tiffany wins the Republican primary for Wisconsin governor, NBC News projects
Tom Tiffany wins the Republican primary for Wisconsin governor, NBC News projects
See the latest results here
6h ago / 9:04 PM EDT
Rhett Marques wins the Republican special primary in Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District, NBC News projects
Rhett Marques wins the Republican special primary in Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District, NBC News projects
The district, represented by Democrat Shomari Figures, changed from a heavily Democratic seat to a deep-red one in redistricting. Marques was endorsed by Trump and other prominent Republicans
See the latest results here
6h ago / 9:00 PM EDT
Polls close in Minnesota and Wisconsin
Polling stations closed at 9 p.m. ET in Minnesota and Wisconsin
6h ago / 8:47 PM EDT
Rep. Ralph Norman advances to GOP Senate primary runoff in South Carolina, NBC News projects
Norman, Graham advance to South Carolina GOP Senate runoff
11:48
Rep. Ralph Norman has advanced to the Republican Senate primary runoff in South Carolina, NBC News projects. He will face appointed Sen. Darline Graham, the sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, in a one-on-one matchup on Aug. 25
See the latest results here
6h ago / 8:20 PM EDT
Incumbent Ned Lamont wins the Democratic primary for Connecticut governor, NBC News projects
Gov. Ned Lamont has won the Democratic primary for Connecticut governor, NBC News projects, fending off a challenge from progressive state Rep. Josh Elliott
See the latest results here
7h ago / 8:10 PM EDT
Appointed Sen. Darline Graham advances to GOP Senate primary runoff in South Carolina
Appointed Sen. Darline Graham will compete in a Republican primary runoff for the party nomination for a full term, NBC News projects, though it’s not yet clear which opponent she’ll face in the one-on-one race
The runoff raises the prospect that GOP voters could again reject a candidate endorsed by Trump
Sen. Darline Graham advances to runoff in S.C. GOP Senate primary
06:35
Gov. Henry McMaster appointed Graham to fill the rest of the term of her late brother, Lindsey Graham, in July, and she is looking to also take his place on the November ballot and win a full six years in the Senate. Trump encouraged her to run and then endorsed her in a special primary that featured 10 GOP candidates, including Reps. Russell Fry and Ralph Norman and former Gov. Mark Sanford
With about a quarter of the expected vote in, Graham had about 31%, while Fry and Norman were fighting for second place with about 23% each
Read the full story here
7h ago / 8:01 PM EDT
Polls close in Alabama and Connecticut
Alabama and Connecticut’s polls closed at 8 p.m. ET
7h ago / 7:26 PM EDT
Will Darline Graham inherit her brother’s weak spot in the Upstate region?
As Sen. Darline Graham looks to secure the GOP nomination in the Senate race to succeed her late brother, Lindsey Graham, there is a key region to look at: the Upstate region of South Carolina
This was always Lindsey Graham’s worst area in Republican primaries — and it might be relevant for how his sister does tonight in certain places across the state
Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C. Sam Wolfe / Bloomberg
In the primary in June, Lindsey Graham won the Republican nomination for his re-election campaign, earning 57% of the vote. That’s not a great number for such a longtime incumbent. Looking closer at that primary, Graham received only 44% of the Upstate vote. Everywhere else, he got 63%
So I think that is one of the things we’re looking for when you look at Darline Graham and how she is going to do tonight. Is she going to struggle up there, too? Because her main connection in this race is that she is the sister of Lindsey Graham, and he always had trouble up there. So I think that from Darline Graham’s standpoint, there’s not really a natural geographic base for her anywhere. Not many folks had much familiarity with her until the last couple of weeks, but she does have the endorsement from Trump on her side.
8h ago / 7:00 PM EDT
Polls close in South Carolina and Vermont
Polls closed at 7 p.m. ET in today’s primary elections in South Carolina and Vermont
8h ago / 6:53 PM EDT
‘No magic formula’: Francesca Hong recalibrates her democratic socialist message
In recent years, Wisconsin state Rep. Francesca Hong, an unabashed democratic socialist, called to defund and abolish the police. Just three months ago, she said, “My perfect world would be a world without prisons.” And in 2021, she wrote that she wanted to “abolish the Senate.”
Read the full story here
8h ago / 6:46 PM EDT
GOP Sen. Bill Cassidy says ‘parents are losing faith’ in the Trump administration over new vaccine guidance
Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., condemned Trump’s executive order that seeks to cut the number of vaccines that children receive, writing today on social media that the order reflects “why parents are losing faith in this Administration.”
Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La. Tom Williams /
“A single vaccination can prevent multiple diseases. It means fewer shots, fewer trips to the doctor, fewer opportunities for side effects, fewer missed work days for the mother, all while protecting children against more diseases,” Cassidy, a doctor who’s also chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, wrote on X
“If we’re going to Make America Healthy Again, take into account what is more likely to prevent diseases and what is convenient for the mother and the family,” he added
Cassidy called Trump’s executive order on vaccines “wrong” when Trump signed it yesterday in the Oval Office alongside Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime vaccine skeptic
Cassidy was a key vote in confirming Kennedy after hemade several promises to address Cassidy’s concerns about his views on vaccines
8h ago / 6:41 PM EDT
Trump administration to end Medicaid funding for minors’ gender-affirming care
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced today that it is prohibiting all Medicaid funds from going toward gender affirming care treatment for minors
It said the funding “will be available for a tapering-off period of up to six months from the effective date of the final rule for children currently on hormone therapy.” The rule is scheduled to take effect Oct. 13
The rule does not affect coverage of mental health services, CMS said
Trump wrote on Truth Social that he directed CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz to finalize the decision
“We are not going to pay for our innocent children to undergo these barbaric surgeries and practices, which result in unthinkable and irreversible harm to their young bodies,” he wrote
8h ago / 6:16 PM EDT
Trump wants the MMR vaccine divided into three shots. Is that even possible?
The measles-mumps-rubella vaccine has been given for decades in the U.S. as a single shot. Joe Raedle / file
Dividing the combination measles-mumps-rubella vaccine into three separate shots would be likely to cost millions of dollars and take years to accomplish, vaccine experts say, making it impossible to follow Trump’s latest directive to break up the immunizations and give them at three doctor’s office visits
The measles-mumps-rubella, or MMR, vaccine has been safely given for decades in the U.S. as a single shot. To reformulate individual vaccines, drugmakers would need to run new clinical trials to study the safety and efficacy of each one
Read the full story here
9h ago / 5:19 PM EDT
Major tests for progressives and Trump are on tap in today’s primaries
The Democratic Party’s ideological and generational divides are on full display in today’s primaries in several states, while Trump’s endorsement will once again be on the ballot in a key Republican contest
Voters head to the polls for regular primaries in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Vermont and Connecticut. In addition, South Carolina Republicans are voting for a new Senate nominee after Sen. Lindsey Graham’s death last month. And voters in a handful of Alabama House districts will pick their nominees months after the rest of the state, since May primaries were postponed in some places because of a new congressional map
Most major contests will be on the Democratic side, however, led by a major test for a democratic socialist in the Wisconsin governor’s race. The party’s ideological divide is also playing out in the Minnesota Senate primary. And another longtime Democratic House member in Connecticut faces a spirited challenge from a younger candidate amid broader-than-usual upheaval in the House
Read the full story here
10h ago / 4:25 PM EDT
Schumer demands briefing on Trump’s clandestine flight out of Turkey
Air Force One at Ankara International Airport, Turkey. Alex Brandon / AP
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., today demanded a briefing on the Iranian threats that led Trump to take a clandestine flight out of Turkey in July, leaving administration staff members and journalists as decoys on Air Force One
“The Senate should be immediately briefed on the Iranian threats against the President, the extraordinary measures taken to get him out of Turkey, any risks posed to U.S. personnel, and any threat to the homeland,” Schumer said in a statement
He added that it was “unacceptable that Congress was kept in the dark” and learned about the mission through news reports
“Trump has put America’s sons and daughters in harm’s way by getting into an unnecessary and reckless war, and this administration has repeatedly refused to provide Congress and the public with the transparency they deserve,” Schumer said, adding that Congress had to “reassert its constitutional authority” and bring the war to an end
“Republicans cannot keep prioritizing Trump’s luxury and vanity over America’s security,” he concluded
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., called for a briefing last night following the reports
10h ago / 4:24 PM EDT
Josh Turek talks Paralympics in his first Iowa Senate general election ad
Democrat Josh Turek is kicking off the Iowa Senate race with a bipartisan pitch, touting his Paralympic experience in the first TV ad of his race against GOP Rep. Ashley Hinson
The 30-second spot, shared first with NBC News, features Turek on a basketball court in a “USA” shirt, noting that he competed in four Paralympics and won two gold medals in basketball
Read the full story here
11h ago / 3:43 PM EDT
Wisconsin voters weigh whether Francesca Hong has what it takes to win in November
Ballot booths in Madison, Wis. Joe Timmerman/ / Wisconsin Watch
Voters casting their ballots today in the Democratic primary for governor of Wisconsin are making their choices based in part on which candidate they think can win against a Republican in the general election
Shawn Bass and Alli Plummer, a couple living in Madison, told NBC News today that they voted differently: Bass for state Rep. Francesca Hong and Plummer for Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley
“The Democratic Party has been playing it a little too safe,” Bass said, explaining his vote for democratic socialist Hong. “I think younger or more progressive-thinking voters who might be excited by a candidate who is pushing for some real change.”
But Plummer, who said she supports many of Hong’s positions, is worried that she wouldn’t be able to win a general election
“I voted for Crowley because I am a risk-averse person, and I really was reading a lot about like who has the chances to beat Tom Tiffany in the larger election,” Plummer said, referring to Rep. Tom Tiffany, a Republican primary candidate
Another Madison resident, Laura Rochon, said she backed Crowley for similar reasons
“I agree with him on most issues, and I think he could be a winning candidate,” Rochon said
But Blu Ginko of Madison, who voted for Hong today, rejected the notion that she lacks broader appeal
“A lot of people think she’s like too radical or not electable, but I think that she actually just knows what she wants to do, and she doesn’t really play by what donors think she should do,” Ginko said. “I think that she actually has her mission; she actually wants to serve the people, and I really respect that.”
12h ago / 2:37 PM EDT
Cornyn asks DHS to rethink border wall construction in Texas park
Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin expressing local residents’ concernsabout plans to construct physical border barriers in Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park
In an letter dated Friday that was made public today, Cornyn urged Mullin to meet with stakeholders in Texas before moving forward
“Many residents that live and work around the parks are also concerned that a physical wall, which would be accompanied by lighting systems, access roads, and maintenance corridors, would (1) ruin the beauty, landscape, and wildlife of the park, (2) threaten culturally significant Native American sites, (3) disrupt wildlife migration, (4) limit access to the Rio Grande River, and (5) significantly harm the local economy as tourism is a major economic driver for the region,”the letter says
It also questions whether a wall is needed in the area given the already rough terrain
“My constituents believe that the 1,000-foot riverbank cliffs and remote Big Bend terrain offers its ownted States. The dangerous terrain includes steep mountains, deep canyons, and expansive deserts which they believe act a natural barrier that limits large-scale movements,” the letter says
NBC News has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for comment
12h ago / 2:31 PM EDT
Judge finds Kennedy Center owes musician $250,000 in legal fees
Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Mandel Ngan / AFP
A Washington, D.C., judge ordered the Kennedy Center to pay $250,000 in legal fees to musician Chuck Redd, whom the arts center sued for canceling a Christmas Eve concert after Trump’s name was added to the building’s facade
Superior Court Judge Tanya Jones Bosier dismissed the case in June, finding conditions of unlawful retaliation against Redd
Read the full story here
13h ago / 2:10 PM EDT
U.S. assesses Iran’s priority shifted from nuclear weapons to Strait of Hormuz
A U.S. military intelligence assessment says Iran’s strategic priority has shifted from its nuclear program to the Strait of Hormuz, according to two U.S. officials familiar with the assessment
Military officials have also told Trump that the U.S. could try to take the strait by force but that it would be long, deadly and very costly, with no certainty that the U.S. would win, the officials said
Read the full story here
13h ago / 2:04 PM EDT
Rep. Ralph Norman predicts a runoff, says he ‘always wanted’ Trump’s endorsement in his Senate primary race
Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., said today that he believes the Senate special primary election in his state will go to a runoff, echoing what polling has indicated in the days leading up to the election
“I think getting a majority with 10 people in the race is going to be hard, but we’ve enjoyed it,” he said after he cast his vote. “I met great people, and we’re looking forward to continuing for the next two weeks.”
Norman faces several GOP challengers, including Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C., whom Trump endorsed
Asked by NBC affiliate WCNC of Charlotte, North Carolina, whether he would seek Trump’s endorsement if the race goes to a runoff, Norman said: “I’ve always wanted President Trump’s endorsement. I called him to get his endorsement here.”
He also criticized the Senate for leaving Washington for a five-week recess, saying lawmakers should have addressed the election overhaul bill known as the SAVE Act, which Trump supports
Norman said voters should consider his conservative voting record in deciding whom to support
“I will fight, and my record is my résumé,” he said
14h ago / 1:13 PM EDT
Sen. Darline Graham says she realizes ‘I have to earn voters’ in Senate GOP primary race
After she voted today in her Senate Republican special primary election in South Carolina, Sen. Darline Graham said she thinks she has the experience to serve a full six-year term in the Senate
“I’ve worked for 30 years for the state of South Carolina. I ran a state agency. I turned it from a struggling agency into a national model,” Graham said in Lexington, referring to her service as head of the South Carolina Commission for the Blind. “I think that’s great experience to bring to the table: critical thinking skills, ability to lead and make good decisions. So I think I have excellent experience.”
She added that in her few weeks in the Senate, she pushed for the recently passed Russia sanctions bill, which was led by her brother, the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, and voted in favor of controversial nominee Todd Blanche for attorney general. “So I think I’ve accomplished a whole lot in three weeks,” she said
Pressed by NBC News about whether she’s qualified for a full term, Graham said: “I’m not being handed the seat. I realize that I have to earn voters, so I’m working really hard to do that.”
Graham said she expects the GOP primary to advance to a runoff
“Over the next two weeks during the runoff, my intent is to get out and work really hard to earn those votes,” she said, adding that affordability is a top issue for her
She added that she’s thinking about her brother every day on the campaign trail
Graham is finishing out her brother’s term, which ends in January
14h ago / 12:37 PM EDT
Former Marine held in Russia for more than 4 years has been released
A former U.S. Marine who spent more than four years in a Russian prison on disputed charges and is believed to be seriously ill has been released and is on his way back to the U.S., Trump said today
“I am proud to announce that American Citizen Robert Gilman, a former United States Marine, is coming HOME!” Trump said on Truth Social, adding that he has discussed the release with Russian President Vladimir Putin
Read the full story here
15h ago / 11:45 AM EDT
Trump took a secret flight out of Turkey in an elaborate plot to hide his location amid Iran war
Trump was whisked out of Turkey last month on a military aircraft in an elaborate plot to keep his location secret amid security fears from the war with neighboring Iran, according to a U.S. official with knowledge of the plan
The Washington Post was first to report the details of the clandestine operation, which included using a catering truck to get the president on the C-32 that flew from Ankara to the Mildenhall air force base in the U.K
The U.S. official confirmed the accuracy of these details. Trump deplaned the C-32, again secretly, and reboarded the older Air Force One jet to emerge in public view of cameras to eventually walk across the tarmac to the newer Qatari-donated jet, which lacks certain security measures and will soon be further retrofitted
Read the full story here
16h ago / 11:08 AM EDT
Sen. Mark Kelly to endorse Rep. Max Miller rival Brian Poindexter in Ohio
Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., will endorse Brian Poindexter, the Democrat running against embattled Rep. Max Miller in Ohio’s 7th Congressional District, a person familiar with Kelly’s plans told NBC News
Kelly, seen as a potential 2028 presidential prospect, met briefly with Poindexter last week while campaigning in Ohio with former Sen. Sherrod Brown, who is in the midst of a comeback Senate campaign against Republican incumbent Jon Husted
The endorsement continues a string of momentum for Poindexter, who earlier today was added to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s “Red to Blue” program for competitive seats the party is working to flip this fall. Poindexter, a union ironworker and city council member in the Cleveland suburb of Brook Park, also boasts endorsements from Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and many labor organizations
Miller has been accused of domestic abuse by his ex-wife, Emily Moreno, who alleges he held a gun to her head, threw her against a wall and tossed hot water on her, according to court documents released by her lawyer. He has not faced criminal charges related to the allegations, which he has repeatedly denied. He also filed a defamation suit against his ex-wife after the Daily Mail reported on the alleged abuse, which her lawyers moved to dismiss
Miller has resisted calls from fellow Republicans — including his former father-in-law, Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio — to resign and abandon his re-election campaign
Yesterday was the deadline for Miller to drop out and be replaced on the ballot
16h ago / 10:48 AM EDT
Darline Graham has Donald Trump in her corner. Will it be enough to win her brother’s Senate seat?
WASHINGTON — Just days after Sen. Lindsey Graham’s sudden death, Trump threw his support behind the powerful Republican’s sister, Darline Graham, to run for a full six-year Senate term
That coveted endorsement, however, is unlikely to give her a big enough boost to put her over the 50% mark in today’s special GOP primary
Read the full story here
17h ago / 9:59 AM EDT
Some South Carolina voters express concerns over Sen. Darline Graham’s lack of political experience
As South Carolina Republicans head to the polls, some voters are expressing concerns about Sen. Darline Graham’s level of experience. Graham had been tapped to finish her brother’s term, and Trump endorsed her to serve a full term
Ronald Pace, a Republican voter who supports Trump, said he “can’t vote for someone who has never run a race.”
“You don’t want someone unknown, because the thing is, you don’t know where their beliefs are,” he said
Rick McKenrick, another Trump supporter, said he thinks Graham was “a great pick to finish out Lindsey’s term,” but added, “with the lack of experience in government, I don’t think she’s a — she’s certainly not my pick for the to fill Lindsey’s seat.”
“She says she’s going to support Trump at every turn, which I’m a Trump supporter, but I don’t need a senator that blindly supports a party,” he said
McKenrick is backing former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford. If Graham wins the Republican nomination, McKenrick said he will stay home for the general election
“I wouldn’t vote,” he told NBC
Republican voter Bob Howell told NBC News that he did not vote for Darline Graham because he doesn’t know “what her past voting history is or what her issues are.”
“I understand that she’s lost a brother and lost someone very special to her, and I sympathize with that, but at the same time, I don’t think that it’s necessary just to give it to her,” he said
Asked about Trump endorsing Graham, Howell said, “I like President Trump, but I don’t think that that’s necessarily what sways my vote.”
Instead, Howell said that he voted for Rep. Ralph Norman because he “represents the people here well.”
17h ago / 9:40 AM EDT
DOJ to monitor certain polling locations in Minnesota
The Justice Department announced that it would monitor polling sites today in two counties in Minnesota, saying in a statement that the move was “to ensure transparency, ballot security, and compliance with federal law.”
The department said it will monitor polling sites in Hennepin and Ramsey counties. Those neighboring counties are the state’s most populous, home to the metropolitan area of Minneapolis and St. Paul
“Minnesota is DOJ’s next stop on its nationwide effort to ensure free and fair elections,” DOJ official Harmeet Dhillon said in a statement. “The DOJ is committed to nondiscriminatory monitoring throughout the primary and general election seasons.”
A spokesperson for Minnesota’s secretary of state did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the announcement, but the Hennepin County attorney’s office said in a press releasethat the county had denied the DOJ’s request for its staff to “access and monitor polling places.”
The county’s release said that DOJ poll monitors would not be allowed inside polling places, adding that they would stay at least 100 feet away from polling locations to comply with the state’s law
“DOJ monitors are expected to be DOJ staff in plainclothes and may attempt to interview voters as they leave the polling place,” the release said. “Participation in these interviews is entirely voluntary.”
Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon addressed the DOJ decision in a briefing to news media yesterday, saying that while local jurisdictions had denied the requests, anyone can stand outside of the 100-foot boundary of a polling place
“Whether they’re from the DOJ or the neighborhood block club, anyone can stand outside the 100-foot barrier outside of a polling place. And these federal employees have already been in other states this election cycle. They were in Michigan last week, and to our knowledge, they were there without any incident,” Simon said
“Out of abundance of caution, we are working with the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office to observe the observers,” Simon added
The secretary of state also said that though local jurisdictions have the right to deny DOJ observers, previous administrations have sent them during past elections
“Minnesotans may well have voted at a polling place with a federal observer there and not even noticed a thing. So the stated reason for these observers, and again, not a new thing, is to make sure that jurisdictions are complying with certain provisions of the Voting Rights Act related to voter re
17h ago / 9:17 AM EDT
Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs chooses former Republican as running mate in re-election bid
Arizona’s Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs has chosen a former Republican as her running mate for her re-election bid this November
On Tuesday, Hobbs named John Giles, who served as a GOP mayor of Mesa, Arizona, from 2014 to 2025, as her pick for lieutenant governor
Read the full story here
18h ago / 9:00 AM EDT
Lauren Boebert’s 21-year-old son is arrested on child sexual exploitation charges
The son of Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., was arrested on charges of sexual exploitation of a child, authorities said yesterday
Tyler Boebert, 21, was taken into custody Sunday and later released on $10,000 bond, the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement
Tyler Boebert did not immediately respond to a request for comment
“I love my son,” Lauren Boebert said in a statement yesterday. “We take allegations very seriously and pray for everyone affected during this challenging time.”
It was not immediately clear whether Tyler Boebert has a lawyer to speak on his behalf. An attorney who previously represented him in a separate case did not immediately respond to a request for comment
The charges are linked to a 2024 video Tyler Boebert allegedly recorded with a 17-year-old, according to an affidavit in support of an arrest warrant. He was 18 at the time
Read the full story here
19h ago / 7:43 AM EDT
Recount puts Trump-backed challenger in the lead in Indiana state Senate primary
A recount in a contested Indiana state Senate primary in May has put Republican Paula Copenhaver, who was backed by Trump, ahead of incumbent Spencer Deery
Deery was one of seven GOP members of the state Senate who faced primary challengers this spring after having voted down a redrawn congressional map that Trump pushed last year. Five lost, while Deery clung to a three-vote lead, which Copenhaver challenged
Yesterday, the Indiana Recount Commission threw out 10 votes — eight for Deery and two for Copenhaver — the Indiana Capital Chronicle reported, giving Copenhaver a three-vote edge
Read the full story here
20h ago / 6:58 AM EDT
North Carolina GOP committee picks Jennifer Balkcom to replace Rep. Chuck Edwards on November ballot
A panel of Republican officials in North Carolina selected a state lawmaker yesterday as the GOP nominee in a House race after embattled Rep. Chuck Edwards dropped his re-election bid following sexual harassment allegations, which he has denied
Jennifer Balkcom, who represents a state legislative district in Henderson County, will face Jamie Ager, who won the Democratic primary in March
Read the full story here
20h ago / 6:58 AM EDT
What to watch in Wisconsin’s clash of Democratic ideologies
National Democrats will be watching Wisconsin with apprehension tonight
Democratic socialist state Rep. Francesca Hong is ascendant in the Democratic gubernatorial primary. But her party’s establishment has dire predictions for November if she wins. They fear her ideology and her history of inflammatory pronouncements make her a weaker general election candidate, and a poor showing could hand the governor’s mansion to Republicans in a crucial presidential battleground
Read the full newsletter here
20h ago / 6:58 AM EDT
Voters head to the polls in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Vermont, Connecticut and Alabama
The Democratic Party’s ideological and generational divides are on full display in today’s primaries in several states, while Trump’s endorsement will once again be on the ballot in a key Republican contest
Read the full story here
