Pennsylvania state Senator Doug Mastriano,who has amplified Trump"s false claims of 2020 voter fraud, will faceDemocratic Attorney General Josh Shapiro in a high-profile governor"s race.
In Pennsylvania"s US Senate race,Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman won the Democratic nomination despite havingbeen hospitalised since Friday after suffering a stroke.
Fetterman, a progressive Democrat whosevictory over centrist US congressman Conor Lamb came just hours after he had apacemaker implanted to address the irregular heart rhythms that caused thestroke, has said doctors expect a full recovery.
His Republican opponent remains to bedecided, with TV wellness celebrity Mehmet Oz - endorsed by Trump - essentiallydeadlocked with former hedge fund executive David McCormick with just undertwo-thirds of the vote counted, according to Edison Research. Conservativepolitical commentator Kathy Barnette, who polls suggested made a late surgeinto contention, was in third place.
"If you"ll allow me to be brutallyhonest for a second, 2022 is going to be hard year for Democrats," thetattooed, goateed Fetterman, who prefers shorts and hoodies to suits, said in afundraising email to supporters. "A typical Democrat running a typicalcampaign isn"t going to win."
In North Carolina, US congressman MadisonCawthorn, backed by Trump, conceded defeat to a rival Republican in a closelywatched primary after a series of scandals, according to media reports. AnotherTrump-endorsed candidate, US Representative Ted Budd, won the state"sRepublican US Senate nomination.
The Pennsylvania and North Carolina Senateraces are two of the most important contests in the Nov 8 elections, asPresident Joe Biden"s fellow Democrats fight to retain their slim majorities inthe House of Representatives and Senate. Both seats are currently held byretiring Republican senators.
Budd, who beat former Governor Pat McCrory,will face Democratic former state Supreme Court Chief Justice Cheri Beasley,who handily won her party"s nomination in the race to succeed Senator RichardBurr.
Cawthorn, a staunch Trump ally who at age26 is the youngest member of the House, acknowledged his loss to Senator ChuckEdwards late on Tuesday. Cawthorn drew criticism from fellow Republicans aftera string of embarrassing episodes, including claiming that conservative leadersinvited him to a cocaine-fueled orgy, attempting twice to bring a gun onto aplane and having a video surface that showed him nude and gyrating againstsomeone.
TOO EXTREME?
Republicans are well positioned to regaincontrol of the House, which could enable them to frustrate Biden"s legislativeagenda. Biden"s public approval rating is at 42%, with 50% of Americans disapprovingof his performance, according to a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll completed onTuesday.
Democrats have a better chance of keepingcontrol of the Senate, currently split 50-50 between the parties with VicePresident Kamala Harris holding the tie-breaking vote.
In Pennsylvania, Trump endorsed Mastriano,whose rise worried some establishment Republicans that he could prove tooextreme for voters in the general election.
Mastriano was present outside the USCapitol when Trump supporters attacked it on Jan 6, 2021. He also played asignificant role in the Trump campaign"s failed effort to overturnPennsylvania"s 2020 presidential results based on false claims of voter fraud.
Mastriano has said he would pursue astatewide abortion ban after a leaked draft opinion showed the Supreme Court ispoised to overturn its landmark 1973 decision legalizing abortion nationwide.
Shapiro, who ran unopposed for theDemocratic nomination, has vowed to protect abortion rights. He said on Tuesdaythat he was isolating at home after testing positive for COVID-19.
Barnette, seeking to become Pennsylvania"sfirst Black US senator, was photographed marching toward the Capitol on the dayof the riot alongside members of the extremist Proud Boys group shortly beforea mob of Trump supporters stormed the building in a failed bid to overturn his2020 election loss.
The final outcome of the PennsylvaniaRepublican U.S. Senate primary may not be known Tuesday night. Officials saidvoters requested 908,000 absentee or mail-in ballots. State law prevents thesefrom being processed until Election Day.
Trump has endorsed more than 150 candidatesas he tries to solidify his status as his party"s kingmaker, though his pickshave not always prevailed. His support helped author JD Vance win the OhioSenate primary, but his favoured candidate lost in Nebraska"s gubernatorialrace last week.
Primary elections were also taking place onTuesday in Kentucky, Oregon and Idaho, where incumbent Republican Governor BradLittle faced Trump-backed primary challenger Janice McGeachin, the state"slieutenant governor.
