Minnesota/Wisconsin
Ilhan Omar
Ilhan Omar (D) is poised to become one of the first Muslim women elected to Congress after winning her primary in Minnesota’s Fifth Congressional District Tuesday. The state legislator emerged from a crowded field to fill the seat vacated by Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN, 5th), who is leaving Congress to run for Minnesota Attorney General.
Omar, a 36-year-old Somali refugee, ran on leftist issues like Medicare-for-all, raising the minimum wage, and tuition-free college.
She will face Republican Jennifer Zielinski in November but is expected to win in the liberal district.
Tina Smith
Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) held off Richard Painter (D), former ethics counsel to President George W. Bush, in the special election primary, and will face Republican state senator Karin Housley to determine who will serve the remaining two years in former Senator Al Franken (D)’s term.
The contest in November will be Minnesota’s first US Senate race with two female nominees; two women will compete for the Senate seat in Wisconsin as well.
Leah Vukmir
State senator Leah Vukmir (R) won the Republican nomination to challenge Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D) this November.
Baldwin is seen as a vulnerable incumbent this election cycle after Wisconsin voted for President Donald Trump in 2016.
Union ironworker Randy Bryce (D) won the Democratic nomination in retiring Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI, 1st)’s district yesterday.
Randy Bryce
Bryce, also known by his nickname “Iron Stache,” gained national attention last year with a viral video but could face a backlash from arrests in the 1990s related to drunk driving and possession of marijuana.
His opponent, former Ryan aide Bryan Steil (R), has been endorsed by Ryan and defeated self-proclaimed “pro-white” candidate Paul Nehlen in the Republican primary.
Vermont
H. Brooke Paige
Perennial candidate H. Brooke Paige (R) won the Republican nomination to face Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT) in November.
He also won the Republican nomination for Vermont’s only seat in the House of Representatives, held by incumbent Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT, At Large).
Welch defeated his two primary challengers with 80 percent of the vote.
Connecticut
Jahana Hayes defeated Mary Glassman in Connecticut’s Fifth Congressional District Democratic primary.
Jahana Hayes
Hayes was 2016’s National Teacher of the Year and would be the state’s first black Democrat in Congress.
She defeated Mary Glassman, who was backed by the local Democratic Party and will face former Meriden Mayor Manny Santos (R) in November.
Current Rep. Elizabeth Esty (D-CT, 5th) announced that she would not seek reelection in the wake of reports that she had mismanaged a sexual harassment complaint from a former staffer.
The Western Connecticut district remains solidly Democratic
