Voters are going to the polls in five states, including Michigan, where Democrats are watching the expensive and contentious Senate primary contest between populist
and moderate .They're
asserted
Democrats → go → populist
running for retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters' seat, which is among a handful that Democrats must hold in order to have any chance of winning control of the Senate.
asserted
Democrats → run → Senate
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is backing Stevens, while Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are campaigning for El-Sayed.
asserted
Sanders → back → Sayed
Former GOP Rep. Mike Rogers, who lost to Sen. Elissa Slotkin by less than a point in 2024, is running unopposed in the Republican primary.
asserted
who → lose → primary
After the Virginia Supreme Court struck down Democrats' voter-approved plan to redraw the congressional districts to net up to four more districts, Virginians will be using the maps drafted by a nonpartisan commission in 2021.
asserted
Virginians → strike → 2021
Democrats are still targeting several districts in their fight for control of the House.
asserted
Democrats → target → House
In Missouri, ongoing redistricting legal battles may yet affect congressional races, where longtime Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver's district has been redrawn to favor the GOP and five Republicans are vying for the chance to take him on in November.
uncertain
Republicans → affect → November
In the only reliably Democratic district in the state, the 1st, Democratic Rep. Wesley Bell is being challenged by former Rep. Cori Bush, whom he defeated two years ago.
asserted
he → challenge → whom
In Kansas, Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly's tenure will be ended by term limits, opening up the governor's race in the reliably GOP state.
asserted
tenure → end → state
There are also primaries in Washington, where the top-two vote getters, regardless of party, will advance to the general election.
asserted
getters → be → election
Four Democrats and three Republicans are vying to take on two-term Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, who is a frontrunner to make the ballot in the 3rd District this fall.
asserted
who → vie → District
And in the Seattle area, longtime Rep. Adam Smith is being challenged by former Seattle City Council member Kshama Sawant, a socialist, along with several others.
asserted
Smith → challenge → others
Here are the major races to watch today:
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races → watch → ?
Michigan Senate race
Progressives and moderate party leaders have been clashing for months over who's best positioned in the race, and who is more broadly representative of Michigan's voters.
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who → clash → voters
Stevens, 43, was recruited by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, has represented Michigan in the House since 2019 and has the support of national Democrats.
asserted
Stevens → recruit → Democrats
El-Sayed, a 41-year-old former health official, has picked up the backing of prominent progressives like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez and independent Sen. Bernie Sanders.
asserted
Sayed → pick → Cortez
El-Sayed spoke with CBS News senior White House and political correspondent Ed O'Keefe on the eve of the primary and suggested the Democratic Party has been losing sight of what Americans really need.
"Sometimes, when the Democratic Party talks about a big tent, we push everybody into the corner and then go talk and pander to the corner," he told O'Keefe.
uncertain
he → speak → O'Keefe
"I'm just trying to bring everybody to the tent pole in the middle to talk about what we really need.
asserted
we → try → what
We need good housing.
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We → need → housing
We need good schools.
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We → need → schools
We need healthcare."
asserted
We → need → healthcare
Stevens, who also talked with O'Keefe, accused El-Sayed of using the Senate race as stepping stone to the presidency.
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who → talk → presidency
"This is six years of hard, unglamorous work that I'm signing up for.
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I → sign → that
That's what I want to be," Stevens said.
asserted
Stevens → want → what
"My opponent, he's already got his website for president."
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he → get → president
El-Sayed, has run on progressive policies like Medicare for All, and he's been an outspoken critic of Israel's government and the war in Gaza.
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he → run → Gaza
While Stevens is a proponent of a two-state solution, she's received an
from a pro-Israel groups, which El-Sayed seized on during their debate earlier this month.
asserted
Sayed → receive → debate
But Stevens has emphasized her priorities in The Great Lakes State, including affordability issues, health care and housing.
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Stevens → emphasize → issues
A third high-profile candidate, state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, dropped out earlier this month without offering a reason for her departure from the race.
asserted
candidate → drop → race
Whitmer is also facing term limits, setting up an open contest.
asserted
Whitmer → face → contest
Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson faces Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson in the Democratic primary, with Benson holding a 60-point lead, according to a July poll from The Detroit News and WDIV-TV.
uncertain
Benson → face → News
On the Republican side, former Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox dropped out of the race in July, citing Mr. Trump's endorsement of Rep. John James in the race.
asserted
Cox → drop → race
Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt suspended his campaign a month earlier for the same reason.
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Nesbitt → suspend → reason
Both candidates then backed James.
asserted
candidates → back → James
James still has one opponent, businessman Perry Johnson.
asserted
James → have → opponent
Polls show James with a significant lead.
asserted
Polls → show → lead
With Stevens running for Senate, the race for her suburban Detroit district is wide open.
asserted
race → run → district
Although Stevens flipped the Republican seat in 2018, she won the seat by nearly 20 points in 2024 and the district is considered a solidly Democratic seat.
asserted
district → flip → 2024
Four Democrats are competing on Tuesday, with Whitmer backing state Sen. Jeremy Moss.
asserted
Whitmer → compete → Moss
Troy Mayor Ethan Baker is running unopposed for the Republican nomination.
asserted
Baker → run → nomination
…and 39 more, not listed.
The Aporia
