Welcome to the Monday, June 27, Brew.
By: Samuel Wonacott
Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day:
- Across nine states, attorneys general have collectively raised $48.4 million this election cycle
- A look at Utah’s June 28 elections
- A look at Oklahoma’s June 28 elections
Across nine states, attorneys general have collectively raised $27.8 million this election cycle
Thirty states are holding attorney general elections this year. Let’s take a look at campaign finance numbers in nine of those states, where we partner with Transparency USA to provide detailed campaign finance data.
In the current election cycle across nine states, attorneys general have collectively raised $27.8 million. Two attorneys general—Rob Bonta of California ($8.7 million) and Ken Paxton of Texas ($5.9 million)—have raised $5 million or more for re-election campaigns.
Figures from Virginia, which held an election for attorney general in 2021, are not included above. Jason Miyares (R) raised $7.4 million and spent $6.9 million during the 2021 campaign cycle. He defeated then-Attorney General Mark Herring (D) 50.4%-49.6%.
Here’s what the data show:
You can take a deeper dive into these fundraising figures by clicking on the links below:
- California attorney general raises $8.7 million this election cycle
- Florida attorney general raises $1.2 million this election cycle
- Indiana attorney general raises $492,787 this election cycle
- Michigan attorney general raises $1.8 million this election cycle
- Minnesota attorney general raises $540,932 this election cycle
- North Carolina attorney general raises $2.3 million this election cycle
- Ohio attorney general raises $2.03 million this election cycle
- Texas attorney general raises $5.9 million this election cycle
- Virginia attorney general raised $7.4 million in 2021 election
- Wisconsin attorney general raises $1.1 million this election cycle
Thirty states are holding attorney general elections this year. Of those 30 attorney general offices, Democrats hold 16 and Republicans hold 14. In 2018, the last time all 30 offices were up for election, Democrats gained control of four in Colorado, Michigan, Nevada, and Wisconsin.
Overall, Democrats hold 22 attorney general offices, while Republicans hold 26.
This year, we plan to publish several hundred articles breaking down campaign finance numbers in the 12 states covered by Transparency USA: Arizona, California, Florida, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin. To learn more about our partnership with Transparency USA, click below.
A look at Utah’s June 28 elections
By the time July comes around, a majority of states will have held statewide primaries. In contrast to May and June, when states held primaries nearly every week, only Maryland will hold statewide elections in July.
Let’s turn to this month’s final primaries. Five states will hold primaries on June 28—Colorado, Illinois, New York (state legislative districts and state executive offices only), Oklahoma, and Utah. Here’s a preview of what’s on the ballot in Utah and Oklahoma.
Congress
Utah will hold elections for a U.S. Senate seat and all four U.S. House districts. Seven candidates are running in the Republican Senate seat, including incumbent Mike Lee (R). Lee first took office in 2011. One candidate, Kael Weston, is running in the Democratic primary. Three independent election forecasters consider the general election Solid Republican or Likely Republican.
All four of Utah’s House districts are up for election. Republicans represent all four districts. Thirteen candidates filed to run across all four districts, including four Democrats and nine Republicans. All four incumbents are running for re-election, and all four face primary challengers. There are no contested Democratic primaries.
State
Utah voters will decide primaries for state treasurer and eight of the 15 seats on the Board of Education. Voters will also decide primaries for state Senate and state House.
Fifteen districts in the state Senate are up for election. Republicans have a 23-6 Senate majority. Seventy-five districts in the House are up for election. Republicans have a 58-17 majority. Fifteen of the 82 Utah state legislators running for re-election this year—two Democrats and 13 incumbents—have contested primaries.
Utah uses a unique convention-primary structure where candidates participate in party conventions before advancing to the primary. Conventions were held on April 23. Three incumbents were defeated in conventions this year: Reps. Stephen Handy (R), Douglas Sagers (R), and Steve Waldrip (R). This was the most state legislative incumbents defeated in Utah’s conventions since 2014.
In Utah, the primary candidate with the most votes wins—even if that candidate receives less than 50% of the total vote. Utah is one of 40 states without primary election runoffs. The state cancels uncontested primaries, and write-in candidates participate only in general elections, not primaries.
A look at Oklahoma’s June 28 elections
Now, over to Oklahoma’s June 28 primaries. If necessary, primary runoffs will be held Aug. 23.
Congress
Voters will decide primaries for two U.S. Senate seats and all five U.S. House districts.
Oklahoma is the only state this cycle in which both its U.S. Senate seats are up for election. Longtime U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe, who took office in 1994, announced he would retire on Jan. 3, 2023, triggering a special election. The candidate who wins in the general election will serve the remainder of Inhofe’s term, which ends in 2027. Ten candidates are running in the special Republican primary. The special Democratic primary was canceled because Kendra Horn was the only candidate to file. The winner of the Republican primary will face Horn, Robert Murphy (L), and Ray Woods (I) in the November general election.
Approximately one-third of U.S. Senate seats is up for election every two years. In 2020, Georgia held two U.S. Senate elections (both went to runoffs in January 2021). Before that, both of Mississippi’s U.S. Senate seats were up for election in 2018.
Sen. James Lankford (R) is running in a regularly scheduled U.S. Senate election. Three candidates—Lankford, Joan Farr, and Jackson Lahmeyer—are running in the Republican primary. Six candidates—Arya Azma, Dennis Baker, Jason Bollinger, Jo Glenn, Madison Horn, Brandon Wade—are running in the Democratic primary.
All five of Oklahoma’s U.S. House districts are on the ballot this year. Republicans represent all five districts. Twenty-eight candidates are running for Oklahoma’s five U.S. House districts, including five Democrats and 23 Republicans.
State
Oklahoma voters will decide primaries for a range of state executive offices, including governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general. Additionally, voters will decide primaries for 24 districts in the state Senate and all 101 districts in the state Assembly.
Republicans have a 39-9 Senate majority and an 82-18 majority in the Assembly. Eighty-eight of the 125 districts up for election in Oklahoma in 2022 are uncontested, meaning voters in 70% of districts will have either only a Democrat or only a Republican on their general election ballots. This is both the largest number and highest rate of uncontested districts since 2014.
In Oklahoma, primary candidates must get a majority of the vote to win. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the total vote, the two candidates with the most votes advance to an Aug. 23 runoff election. Oklahoma is one of 10 states that conduct runoff elections as part of their party nomination process.
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