Key election races we're watching
• JUST IN: South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson will win the state’s Republican gubernatorial runoff, CNN’s Decision Desk projects, defeating Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette. President Donald Trump hedged his bets in the race by endorsing both candidates.
• Mamdani’s influence: New York’s primaries today will test just how influential Mayor Zohran Mamdani is with voters six months into his tenure and offer a preview of the ideological battles to come as Democrats look ahead to the 2028 presidential primary.
• Running in NYC: Former New York City mayoral candidate and city comptroller Brad Lander faces off against Rep. Dan Goldman for the state’s 10th Congressional District, while NY-12’s race is a crowded field with notable names, including Kennedy family scion Jack Schlossberg and George Conway.
It's 8 p.m. and polls across Maryland are closing
It’s 8 p.m. ET, which means polls across Maryland are closing, where more than 20 candidates are competing for the Democratic nomination in the 5th Congressional District to replace retiring Rep. Steny Hoyer.
Hoyer has represented the district since 1981.
In November 2024, the first votes in Maryland were reported about an hour and 20 minutes after polls closed. 50% of the vote was in at the first drop of ballots, and about 80% of the vote was in just before midnight.
Mace congratulates former rival Wilson on runoff win
GOP Rep. Nancy Mace congratulated state Attorney General Alan Wilson, her former rival, on his win in the runoff for the Republican gubernatorial nomination over Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette.
Wilson staged a come from behind victory over Evette after finishing second in the first round of voting – winning Mace’s support after she finished fifth on primary day, and crucially securing Trump’s support in a dual endorsement, after the president had previously backed Evette.
Trump saves face with last-minute backing of Wilson in South Carolina
After recent failed endorsements in the Iowa and Georgia GOP governor’s primary races, President Donald Trump saved face by endorsing both the Republican candidates for South Carolina governor: South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and Attorney General Alan Wilson.
Just three weeks earlier, ahead of the June 9 primary, he had backed solely Evette in a crowded field, saying she had his “Complete and Total Endorsement.” She fell far short of the 50% needed, which led to today’s runoff.
Trump’s change of heart was a major blow to Evette’s campaign, which has heavily leaned into her being the president’s preferred pick. CNN’s Decision Desk now projects Wilson will win the gubernatorial runoff.
What happened in Iowa and Georgia: Trump complained publicly about being misinformed by his advisers after businessman Zach Lahn beat his choice, Rep. Randy Feenstra, in the Iowa governor’s primary. Then last Tuesday, healthcare executive Rick Jackson defeated the Trump-backed Lt. Gov. Burt Jones in the Georgia governor’s primary. Trump attempted to save face after Jones’ defeat by tying Jackson to his brand.
Darializa Avila Chevalier says she’s “proud to be Dominican” after controversy
Darializa Avila Chevalier, the DSA-backed Democrat challenging incumbent Congressman Adriano Espaillat in New York’s 13th Congressional District, addressed controversy over her storming off a local radio show after she was asked to apologize to the Dominican community.
Avila Chevalier had previously made comments referring to the flag of the Dominican Republic as “violent excrement.”
The race between Espaillat and Avila Chevalier has been plagued by racist comments and misinformation in the lead up to primary day.
Last week, a former senior adviser for Espaillat accused Chevalier of working with Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who has endorsed her campaign, to “change the demography of Washington Heights,” suggesting Avila Chevalier — who identifies as Afro-Latina and is of Dominican descent — was actually Haitian.
The Dominican Republic and Haiti share a border on the same Caribbean island, and tensions between the two countries have lasted generations. Those tensions spill into Washington Heights, Inwood, and parts of The Bronx, all home to some of the largest Dominican communities in the nation.
Avila Chevalier has faced criticism for resurfaced social media posts calling for abolishing police, prisons and borders, and for inflammatory comments about Democratic leaders and U.S. foreign policy.
She has since said the posts do not reflect her current views.
Alan Wilson turned a second place primary finish into a runoff win
As polls closed this evening in the Palmetto State, political insiders across South Carolina were confident that momentum in the GOP governor’s runoff race was squarely behind Attorney General Alan Wilson.
And since then, everything seemed to come up Wilson. Former opponents in the gubernatorial race — like US Reps. Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman — threw their support behind the longtime attorney general, as did US Sen. Tim Scott.
Perhaps the biggest indicator Wilson was trending in the right direction?
President Donald Trump’s eleventh hour “co-endorsement” on Friday evening. The president, coming off two gubernatorial endorsement losses in Iowa and Georgia, posted on social media that he had decided to endorse Wilson.
Evette brushed off the shared-support at the time, posting that she was “proud” to come in first in the primary as the Trump-endorsed candidate and planned to do the same in today’s runoff.
AG Alan Wilson will win GOP nomination for South Carolina governor, CNN projects
South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson will win the state’s Republican gubernatorial runoff, CNN’s Decision Desk projects, defeating Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette.
But in the wake of recent losses for Trump-backed candidates in Georgia and Iowa’s gubernatorial primaries, Trump hedged his bets last week, issuing a dual endorsement of Evette and Wilson.
Wilson is now favored heading into his general election matchup against Democratic state Rep. Jermaine Johnson, with the Palmetto State last electing a Democratic governor in 1998.
It's 7 p.m. ET and polls are closing in South Carolina
Voters in South Carolina went back to the polls today for some high-profile runoff races. It is 7 p.m. ET and voting is ending.
But with momentum appearing to shift toward Wilson and several of the eliminated candidates coalescing around his campaign, Trump added an endorsement of Wilson on Friday as well.
While South Carolina voters don’t register by party, voters who voted in the Democratic primary in the first round can’t vote in the Republican runoff and vice versa.
Outside groups spent heavily in Democratic primary for Manhattan-area House seat
The Democratic primary in New York’s 12th District emerged as one of the most expensive and scrutinized nominating contests in the country this primary season, drawing in rival AI labs and a billionaire former mayor.
The presence of Assemblymember Alex Bores, a former Palantir employee who made his efforts to regulate artificial intelligence central to his campaign, turned the race into a lightning rod. Outside groups funded by the industry flooded the race, both supporting and opposing him.
Leading The Future, a pro-AI super PAC funded by OpenAI president Greg Brockman and the Silicon Valley venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, made Bores one of its first targets, spending more than $3 million on an ad campaign against him. But that galvanized Bores supporters, including a constellation of PACs funded by rival lab Anthropic and several AI safety advocates, which combined to spend more than $9 million on pro-Bores advertising, according to AdImpact data.
Driving the totals even higher, billionaire former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg threw his support behind Assemblymember Micah Lasher, one of Bores’ top rivals, funding $8 million worth of pro-Lasher advertising.
And with John F. Kennedy’s grandson Jack Schlossberg and former Republican lawyer George Conway adding additional star power and fundraising prowess to the contest, the race for the Democratic nomination in the Manhattan district ended up ranking as the second-most expensive primary of the 2026 cycle so far, totaling more than $26 million in ad spending.
Trump has hedged his bets in the South Carolina GOP gubernatorial runoff
President Donald Trump did something rather transparent on Friday.
Facing the prospect of one of his endorsed candidates for governor losing a primary for the third time this month, Trump decided to just endorse the other remaining candidate, too.
Despite having Trump’s endorsement, Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette only narrowly led state Attorney General Alan Wilson in the primary two weeks ago, 29%-26%. Wilson is considered a real threat to beat her today, and now Trump has backed him as well.
Trump has played games like this with his endorsements before. He endorsed “Eric” in the 2022 Missouri Senate primary, when two top candidates shared that name. (One of them is now-Sen. Eric Schmitt.) And last year, he endorsed business executive Karrin Taylor Robson but then also endorsed Rep. Andy Biggs when Biggs later joined the race. (Robson later dropped out.)
Trump’s second endorsement means he’ll be able to claim he endorsed whoever wins. But if Wilson wins by a decent margin, it’ll be pretty clear Trump was covering his backside — and that his endorsement of Evette failed, just like his endorsement of Rep. Randy Feenstra did in Iowa and just like his backing of Lt. Gov. Burt Jones did in Georgia last week.
Jeffries says he and Mamdani “have agreed to strongly disagree” on NY primary races
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries insisted he and New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani are not on opposite pages, even as the pair of prominent Democrats are backing different candidates in a set of New York primary contests being held today.
The Democratic leader, who represents large chunks of Brooklyn, continued: “So, with respect to races where he may have endorsed a different candidate, we have agreed to strongly disagree and we put it into the hands of the people in New York to decide what’s the best path forward.”
In a pair of New York contests today, Jeffries and the democratic socialist mayor have endorsed different Democrats.
The contests, among others in New York, have generated national interest in part because they’re seen as tests of Mamdani’s influence in the Empire State. Still, Jeffries told Raju that, ultimately, the House Democratic caucus won’t be reshaped by tonight’s results.
Asked if Mamdani was making a mistake by shifting the caucus so sharply to the left, Jeffries replied that was a question for Mamdani.
“As House Democrats, we have been very clear,” Jeffries said. “What brings us together is a focus on driving down the high cost of living, fixing our broken health care system and cleaning up corruption.”
A billionaire takes on a multimillionaire in an expensive Democratic House primary
The battle between Rep. April McClain Delaney and former Rep. David Trone for the Democratic nomination in Maryland’s 6th District quietly ranks as one of the fiercest and costliest nominating contests in the country.
David Trone, the co-founder of the Total Wine & More retail franchise, has a net worth estimated in the billions; McClain Delaney, a Democratic lawyer and the wife of former 6th District congressman and long-shot 2020 presidential candidate John Delaney, is a multimillionaire herself.
Both have aggressively deployed their personal wealth in the race – Trone loaning his campaign $25 million and Delaney putting more than $7 million into her bid.
That’s driven ad spending for the safe Democratic seat past $20 million, blitzing voters’ screens across the district that stretches from the northwestern tip of the state down to the Washington, DC, suburbs.
The clash represents a bitter crescendo after years of amicable coexistence between the ultrawealthy Maryland politicians, whose families have traded the seat back and forth for over a decade.
John Delaney represented the district from 2013 to 2019; he was succeeded by Trone, who opted not to run for reelection in 2024 as he mounted an unsuccessful US Senate bid; McClain Delaney took over from Trone in 2025 and is now seeking reelection to a second term.
And at a time when affordability concerns are paramount, the intensifying battle between two ultrawealthy Democrats is a discordant note for a party looking to reconnect with middle- and lower-income voters.
Brad Lander calls for stop to "toxic" online rhetoric against opponent, Dan Goldman
Brad Lander pushed back against “over-the-top toxic” online rhetoric against Dan Goldman, his opponent in New York’s 10th Congressional District Democratic primary, calling for “people to turn it down.”
“Over the last few days, the online rhetoric targeting Dan Goldman & his staff have been over-the-top toxic, from right & left & who knows where. I’m pleading with people to turn it down,” Lander said in a post on X.
It comes after a Brooklyn coffee shop apparently banned Goldman with a viral social media post amid the heated Democratic primary that has focused heavily on the politics of the Israel-Gaza war. The issue has been punctuated by both candidates’ Jewish faith and underscoring party divisions on the issue.
Lander sharply criticized Goldman for his stance on the war in Gaza, attacking the incumbent’s refusal to issue a stronger condemnation of Israel’s military actions.
Lander, a former NYC comptroller and one of Zohran Mamdani’s primary opponents in the 2025 mayoral race, has aligned himself with the progressive wing of the party and secured an endorsement from the mayor.
CNN’s David Wright contributed reporting to this post.
Today's primaries include some of the most expensive this cycle
Three Democratic primaries held today rank among the most expensive House races of the 2026 cycle so far — despite being non-factors in the battle for control of the chamber this fall.
In New York’s 12th District, outside groups funded by the artificial intelligence industry have flooded the contest, battling over Assemblymember Alex Bores, a former Palantir employee, who has made AI regulations a centerpiece of his campaign.
Assemblymember Micah Lasher, meanwhile, is backed by the billionaire former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and other big names, including Jack Schlossberg, the grandson of President John F. Kennedy, and George Conway, the former Republican lawyer and outspoken Trump critic, have drawn even more attention to the race.
In Maryland’s 6th District, billionaire David Trone is looking to return to his former seat, which is currently held by Rep. April McClain Delaney, herself a multimillionaire. With both candidates leveraging their personal fortunes to self-fund their campaigns, ad spending has rocketed upward here, too.
And the Democratic primary in Maryland’s 5th District is another costly, crowded affair. State Del. Adrian Boafo is looking to succeed his former boss, outgoing Rep. Steny Hoyer, with the veteran Democrat’s backing and more than $8 million worth of outside spending support.
That includes nearly $5 million from the super PAC arm of AIPAC, a source of blowback in the contest amid sharp divisions among Democrats over US-Israel relations.
The New York primary to fill Nadler's shoes is an early test for AI
The Democratic primary in New York’s 12th Congressional District is not only a race to replace Rep. Jerry Nadler after 17 terms in Washington. It’s also an early test of the political potency of artificial intelligence.
Alex Bores, a computer scientist and New York assemblyman who has led the charge in Albany to rein in the industry, is at the center of a multi-million dollar political tug-of-war over AI. His work for Palantir, the tech company, has made him a target in the race.
As he talked with voters heading into an Upper West Side polling place today, he said he believes his primary campaign offers an early glimpse into the political spending to come by the industry.
Nadler has been in office since Bores, 35, was a baby. Bores said it’s a moment to turn the page.
Over 20 Democratic candidates are vying to succeed Steny Hoyer in Maryland’s 5th District
Outgoing Rep. Steny Hoyer, who has represented Maryland’s 5th Congressional District since 1981, has more than 20 Democratic candidates vying to be his successor.
Here’s a look at some of the frontrunners:
- Adrian Boafo: A member of the Maryland House of Delegates, Boafo previously worked for Hoyer and won his endorsement, along with that of Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and Sen. Angela Alsobrooks. He has faced criticism over an influx of outside spending by the pro-Israel lobby and crypto industry on his campaign’s behalf – including from Maryland’s other US senator, Chris Van Hollen. Boafo says he is against big money in politics and highlights his campaign’s focus on addressing affordability concerns and raising the minimum wage.
- Quincy Bareebe: The candidate, who was born in Uganda and immigrated to the United States, tells the story of starting out as a dishwasher at KFC and charting her path to becoming the CEO of Royal Home Care, a home healthcare business. Bareebe challenged Hoyer in 2024 but lost to him in the primary. Her campaign issues include increasing healthcare coverage, supporting investment into affordable housing and lowering prescription drug costs.
- Harry Dunn: The former US Capitol Police officer was on duty during the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot and became one of the most prominent and outspoken figures in the aftermath. This is not his first run for Congress. He previously ran for Maryland’s 3rd District in 2024 and lost in the primary to Rep. Sarah Elfreth. He is campaigning on issues like affordable childcare, defending reproductive rights and opposing efforts to expand ICE detention centers across Maryland.
- Rushern Baker III: A former US Army JAG Corps captain turned civil rights attorney, Baker served as Prince George’s County executive for two terms between 2010 and 2018. He is campaigning on holding President Donald Trump accountable, making housing more affordable and lowering costs of prescription drugs among others. He ran unsuccessfully for Maryland governor in 2018 and 2022.
Here's when polls close in tonight's primaries
Primary season continues to roll today, when voters in several states will head to the polls for primary contests for Senate, US House and governor.
In the first round of voting on June 9, the first votes were reported about 20 minutes after polls closed. Less than 20% was reported in the first hour, but 80% of the vote was in by 10 p.m. ET and the state was virtually done reporting by midnight.
In November 2024, the first votes were reported about an hour and 20 minutes after polls closed. 50% of the vote was in at the first drop of ballots, and about 80% of the vote was in just before midnight.
The first votes were reported about 5 minutes after polls closed in November 2024. 50% of the vote was in before 10 p.m. ET, and 90% of the vote was counted just before midnight.
About half the vote was in around 12:30 a.m., but 90% wasn’t in until a week after Election Day. It may not take quite as long for the first votes to be reported tonight, and there should be fewer ballots left to count because, unlike in previous years, all mail ballots must be received by the close of polls.
"No regrets," George Conway says
George Conway dropped by a polling place on the Upper West Side this afternoon, walking his dog and chatting with voters in the final hours of his Democratic primary in the 12th Congressional District.
“No regrets,” Conway said of his candidacy that was built around his fierce and longstanding opposition to President Donald Trump.
Conway is not seen as one of the leading contenders in the closing days of the race to fill the seat of Rep. Jerry Nadler, who is retiring after 34 years representing the 12th District, which includes the Upper West and Upper East sides of Manhattan as well as Midtown.
Mamdani's endorsements raise the stakes in New York races
Across New York this primary season, an ascendant left fueled by Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s victory last fall is hoping to sustain the momentum for their movement.
Several nominating contests on the ballot today function as proxy battles, pitting old guard and establishment Democrats against progressive, left-wing challengers who have the explicit backing of the democratic socialist mayor.
In New York’s 10th District, former city Comptroller Brad Lander is challenging incumbent Rep. Dan Goldman from the left in a fight that has centered on support for Israel.
Darializa Avila Chevalier, a 32-year-old democratic socialist and activist, is another Mamdani-backed challenger running against veteran Rep. Adriano Espaillat in New York’s 13th District. Upended by revelations from CNN’s KFile about Avila Chevalier’s controversial social media record, the race poses a severe test to Mamdani’s political capital.
Mamdani split with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries in those races, with the top Democrat backing his incumbent colleagues.
The mayor has also thrown his support behind Assemblymember Claire Valdez in New York’s 7th District, where the democratic socialist is running against Antonio Reynoso, Brooklyn’s borough president and outgoing Rep. Nydia Velazquez’s preferred successor.
Animated by divisions over campaign tactics, economic policies, and US relations with Israel, the intraparty battles reflect major ideological fault lines among Democrats trying to chart a path back to majorities in Congress.
"A sad state of affairs": Goldman addresses banning by Brooklyn coffee shop
Rep. Dan Goldman called it “sad” that a Brooklyn coffee shop apparently banned him with a viral social media post amid a heated Democratic primary election that has focused heavily on the politics of the Israel-Gaza war.
Speaking to CNN’s Laura Coates on Monday, Goldman addressed his experience at Poetica Coffee, which used its branded social media account to post a photo Sunday of Goldman and a receipt of a refund, according to screenshots of the shop’s posts that were widely shared Monday. Poetica Coffee has since taken down its Instagram page.
The since-deleted post from Poetica Coffee references AIPAC, saying to Goldman, “we don’t need your money (it’s probably coming from AIPAC anyways).”
“Hey Congressman Dan Goldman, we see that you stopped by our shop today for a coffee,” the deleted post reads. “Do you see how it doesn’t taste like genocide juice? Or are you still having a hard time telling the difference?”
CNN has reached out to Poetica Coffee for comment.
Read more about the coffee shop ban
Fetterman on New York progressive Democratic candidates: "The dirtbag left is surging"
Sen. John Fetterman is not shy about hiding his views – especially when it comes to the left flank of his party.
The Pennsylvania Democrat, who has staked out hawkish views, including on Israel, took a whack at the progressives who are looking to defeat more traditional Democrats backed by the party’s establishment in Tuesday’s primaries in New York. Two incumbents, Reps. Adriano Espaillat and Dan Goldman, face primary challengers backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
“The dirtbag left is surging,” Fetterman told CNN. He then pivoted to Graham Platner, the progressive Maine Senate Democratic nominee who has endured an array of controversies amid his insurgent candidacy against GOP Sen. Susan Collins.
“The dirtbag left is having their moment,” he added.
