Establishment 3, squad 0: Moderate Democrats dominate primary night

Tuesday's primary night sent a warning message within the Democratic Party, which is shifting further to the left: the moderate wing of the Democratic Party still prevails in some of the most closely watched races, while the radical progressive faction and candidates linked to "The Squad" suffered a series of setbacks that have reignited the debate over the party's internal direction. On the Republican side, however, the night was calmer, with no major surprises.

Michigan: Benson sweeps and emerges as the Democrats' top contender

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson secured the Democratic nomination for governor in Michigan after defeating Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson by a landslide of 84% to 16%, according to data from The Associated Press. Benson, who rose to national prominence in 2020 by defending the state's election systems against President Donald Trump's fraud allegations, will now seek to retain the governorship for the Democrats against Republican Representative John James, who went on to easily win his race after receiving Trump's endorsement.

Missouri: The establishment defeats a "squad" member for the second time

In Missouri, Rep. Wesley Bell once again defeated former Rep. Cori Bush, this time in her bid to return to District 1. This is the second time Bell has beaten Bush since 2024, a result that solidifies the advance of the party's more pragmatic factions against the socialist wing that once dominated that district. It also sends a clear message to the Democratic Party about the types of candidates voters prefer in more-contested districts.

Kansas: A megachurch pastor causes an upset in the Senate primary

Adam Hamilton, the founding pastor of the Church of the Resurrection, won the hotly contested Democratic Senate primary in Kansas, with 38% of the vote compared to 13% for his closest rival, Cindy Holscher, in a field of eleven candidates, according to the AP. Hamilton, a political newcomer with an unusually robust campaign war chest, will face Republican Roger Marshall in November, who has already publicly accused him of being "too woke" for the state.

Kansas: Republicans select their candidate for governor

On the Republican side, State Senate President Ty Masterson secured the gubernatorial nomination with 43% of the vote, compared to 22% for Christi Sarnecki. Masterson will compete in November for the seat vacated by Democratic Governor Laura Kelly, in a race that Republicans view as a real opportunity to regain the office after two terms under Democratic control.

Kansas: Davids retains moderate control in District 3

Rep. Sharice Davids defeated progressive candidate Sarah Preu in the District 3 Democratic primary, in a race where Preu had challenged Davids over her support for the Laken Riley Act. This is yet another result that confirms the influence of the party's moderate wing, even in districts where progressivism has gained ground in other states.

What's still up for grabs and the results from Virginia

In Michigan, the Democratic Senate primary between Rep. Abdul El-Sayed and Rep. Haley Stevens remained undecided, with El-Sayed leading 51% to 45% but with only 28% of the votes counted, according to the AP. The margin is close enough that the final result will depend on the counties that have yet to report, including those in Detroit and its suburbs.

In Virginia, on the other hand, the Republican Senate primary has already been decided: Retired Colonel Bert Mizusawa won with 51% of the vote, beating David E. Williams (29%) and Kim Farington (20%), with more than 95% of the votes counted, according to the AP. In November, Mizusawa will face Democratic Senator Mark Warner, who is the clear favorite to retain his seat.

With this result, Virginia also settled the rest of its key races of the night: District 1 went to Taylor (D), District 2 to Luria (D), District 7 went to Ollivant (R), District 8—as previously reported—to Beyer (D), and District 10 to Beckwith (R).

As of this writing, the primary in Michigan's 7th District remained undecided, as did the races in Washington.