Voters in three states picked nominees and filled open seats Tuesday for House and Senate seats that will help decide which party controls the agenda in Congress starting next year. Here are some highlights of the contests.
Florida
Cherfilus-McCormick wins rematch: Democratic Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick won a rematch with former Broward County Commissioner Dale Holness to secure the Democratic nomination for a full term in Florida’s 20th District. Cherfilus-McCormick won an 11-candidate special primary in November, getting just five votes more than Holness for the nomination to fill the remainder of the late Democratic Rep. Alcee Hastings’ term. On Tuesday, she had 66 percent to Holness’ 29 percent in the three-candidate field when the AP called the race at 7:20 p.m. The nomination virtually assures victory in the seat; Cherfilus-McCormick won the special election in January with 79 percent of the vote. In the campaign’s final days, both candidates were reaching into their own pockets for funding. Holness had raised and spent about $407,000 from January through Aug. 3, and loaned his campaign an additional $50,000 on Aug. 19. From January through Aug. 3, Cherfilus-McCormick reported spending more than $1 million and wrote her campaign four checks between Aug. 15 and Monday totaling $103,000, Federal Election Commission disclosures show.
Bean takes nomination in 4th: State Sen. Aaron Bean captured the Republican nomination in Florida’s 4th District, which is an open seat because GOP incumbent John Rutherford is running in the 5th District. Bean had 70 percent to businessman and Navy veteran Erick Aguilar’s 24 percent in the three-candidate field when the AP called the race at 7:15 p.m. Outside groups, including one backed by executives in the cryptocurrency industry, spent at least $1.2 million backing Bean. The race in November is rated Solid Republican by Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales.
Demings, Crist coast to nominations: Reps. Val B. Demings and Charlie Crist were declared the respective winners of the Democratic nominations for Senate and governor by the AP after the final poll closure in Florida at 8 p.m. With an estimated 80 percent of the vote counted, Demings had 85 percent in the Senate primary and Crist had 60 percent in the gubernatorial primary against three challengers. Republican incumbent Sen. Marco Rubio and Gov. Ron DeSantis were unopposed in the GOP primary.
Trump-supported Luna wins in 13th: Air Force veteran Anna Paulina Luna, who came within 6 points in 2020 of ousting Crist, won the Republican primary for the seat Crist is leaving open by running for governor this year. Luna, who was endorsed in September by former President Donald Trump, had 44 percent to former prosecutor Kevin Hayslett’s 39 percent and conservative commentator Amanda Makki’s 17 percent in the five-candidate field when the AP called the race at 8:26 p.m. Luna outdid Hayslett in fundraising, $2 million to $1.6 million. Outside groups spent more than $5.6 million on the race, with about $3.2 million helping Luna and nearly $2.5 million helping Hayslett. Trump would have won the St. Petersburg-area district in its new configuration by nearly 7 points. Eric Lynn, who worked as an adviser to the secretary of Defense under President Barack Obama, was unopposed in the Democratic primary. The race in November is rated Likely Republican by Inside Elections.
Outspent, Webster prevails: Outspent by activist challenger Laura Loomer, Rep. Daniel Webster won a close Republican primary in Florida’s 11th District. Loomer, who had Trump’s support for a 2020 challenge to Democratic Rep. Lois Frankel in the 18th District, had spent $682,000 to Webster’s $428,000 through Aug. 3. But Webster had 51 percent to Loomer’s 45 percent in the three-candidate field when the AP called the race at 8:23 p.m. Loomer also had support from the American Liberty Fund, which says on its website it backs candidates who will disrupt Congress. Webster is seeking his seventh term and will face Shante Munns, who was unopposed in the Democratic primary. Inside Elections rates the race Solid Republican.
Moskowitz will vie to succeed Deutch: Broward County Commissioner Jared Moskowitz won the Democratic primary for Florida’s 23rd District and is favored to succeed Democratic Rep. Ted Deutch, who is resigning to lead the American Jewish Committee. Moskowitz had 62 percent to Fort Lauderdale City Commissioner Ben Sorenson’s 21 percent in the six-candidate field when the AP called the race at 8:14 p.m.
Gaetz gets another nomination: After spending more than $6.5 million, Rep. Matt Gaetz defeated two challengers for the Republican nomination in a Pensacola-area 1st District that in its current configuration would have backed Trump by 32 points in 2020. Gaetz had 68 percent to 26 percent for former FedEx executive Mark Lombardo when the AP called the race at 8:32 p.m. Lombardo put $740,000 of his own money into the race, and aired ads focusing on Gaetz being under investigation for possible sex trafficking. Inside Elections rates the November race Solid Republican.
Lee wins GOP line in 15th: Former Florida Secretary of State Laurel Lee won the Republican nomination for the 15th District seat Rep. Scott Franklin is leaving to run in the 18th. Lee had 42 percent of the vote in the five-candidate race, followed by state Sen. Kelli Stargel’s 28 percent and state Rep. Jackie Toledo’s 12 percent, when the AP called the race at 8:31 p.m. Five Democrats were also vying for their party’s nomination. Inside Elections rates the November race Likely Republican.
7th District race won by Mills: Businessman and Army veteran Cory Mills won the GOP nomination for Florida’s 7th District in the northern Orlando suburbs. Mills had 38 percent to state Rep. Anthony Sabatini’s 24 percent and pastor and former Navy SEAL Brady Duke’s 16 percent in the eight-candidate field when the AP called the race at 8:38 p.m. Incumbent Democratic Rep. Stephanie Murphy opted to retire. President Joe Biden would have lost the redrawn district by about 6 points in 2020. Mills and Duke were both part of the NRCC’s “On the Radar” program. Sabatini was the target of the most opposition spending by an outside group, American Liberty Action PAC, that has not yet disclosed its donors. Mills will face Democrat Karen Green in a November race rated Likely Republican by Inside Elections.
Frost wins crowded Democratic race in 10th: Maxwell Frost, a 25-year-old activist, won the crowded Democratic primary for the 10th District seat around Orlando that was opened up by Demings’ run for Senate. Biden would have beaten Trump by nearly 32 points in the district’s new configuration, and the race in November is rated Solid Democratic. Frost had 34 percent of the vote in the 10-candidate race, followed by state Sen. Randolph Bracy’s 25 percent, when the AP called the race at 9 p.m. Former Reps. Alan Grayson and Corrine Brown ran third and fourth. Republican Calvin Wimbish won the Republican nomination.
Oklahoma
Mullin nominated to succeed Inhofe: Rep. Markwayne Mullin won a runoff for the Republican nomination to succeed retiring Sen. James M. Inhofe in Oklahoma. Mullin had 64 percent to 36 percent for former Oklahoma House Speaker T.W. Shannon, who ran in a special GOP primary for the state’s other Senate seat in 2014. The AP called the race at 7:35 p.m. Central time. Mullin will face former Rep. Kendra Horn, who was unopposed in the Democratic primary. The race in November is rated Solid Republican.
Breechen wins GOP House runoff: Former state Sen. Josh Breechen won the runoff for the Republican nomination for the 2nd District seat Mullin is vacating. Brecheen had 52 percent to state Rep. Avery Frix’s 48 percent at 8:53 p.m. Central time when the AP called the race. Frix had finished first in the June primary that featured 14 candidates, but he had less than 15 percent. Inside Elections rates the November race Solid Republican.
New York
Nadler wins 12th District: Democratic Rep. Jerrold Nadler easily beat Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, as well as attorney Suraj Patel, in Democratic primary for this Manhattan district. Nadler had 57 percent of the vote when the AP called the race at 9:38 p.m. Maloney had 24 percent and Patel, who challenged Maloney in the 2020 primary, had 19 percent. Maloney discussed her accomplishments, and what she’d still like to see done, in a news conference over the weekend.
The other Maloney wins: DCCC Chair Sean Patrick Maloney won New York’s 17th District Democratic primary, defeating progressive state Sen. Alessandra Biaggi, who opted to challenge him after Maloney’s decision to run here led to Rep. Mondaire Jones running in a new Brooklyn-Manhattan 10th District. Maloney had 67 percent of the vote when the AP called the race at 9:50 p.m, while Biaggi had 33 percent. Maloney will face Republican Michael Lawler, who won his primary with 76 percent of the vote, in November. Inside Elections rates the race as Likely Democratic.
Bowman renominated in 16th: Rep. Jamaal Bowman defeated three Democratic primary challengers Tuesday in his bid for a second term. Bowman had 57 percent of the vote when the AP called the race at 10:16 p.m. Vedat Gashi, a Westchester County legislator, had 24 percent, and two other candidates took the rest of the votes. John Ciampoli was uncontested in the Republican primary. Inside Elections rates the race as Solid Democratic.
GOP picks LaLota in 1st District: Nick LaLota, a Navy veteran and chief of staff to the Suffolk County Legislature, won the Republican primary for New York’s 1st District with 47 percent of the vote when the AP called the race at 10:39 p.m. Michelle Bond, the CEO of the Association for Digital Asset Markets, had 28 percent, and lobbyist Anthony Figliola had 26 percent. Democrat Bridget Fleming, a Suffolk County legislator, was unopposed in the Democratic primary. Bond and LaLota had both been named NRCC “On the Radar” candidates, while Fleming is in the DCCC’s “Red to Blue” program. Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales rates the race as Tilt Republican.
Ryan wins 18th District nod: Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan won the Democratic nomination for New York’s 18th District, setting up a matchup with GOP state Rep. Colin Schmitt. Ryan, who was also on the ballot Tuesday in the special election to complete the rest of Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado’s term, had 84 percent of the vote when the AP called the race at 10:14 p.m. Aisha Mills had 14 percent, and Moses Mugulusi had 3 percent. Inside Elections rates the race as Lean Democratic.
Molinaro to face Riley in 19th: Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro, a Republican who was also on the ballot for the special election in the old 19th District to complete Delgado’s term, was uncontested in the GOP primary for a full term. He will face Democrat Josh Riley, who had 64 percent of the vote to Jamie Cheney’s 36 percent when the AP called the race at 10:47 p.m. Inside Elections rates the race as a Toss-up.
Goldman nominated in 10th: Dan Goldman, a former prosecutor who served as counsel for House Democrats during Trump’s first impeachment trial, won the Democratic primary for New York’s 10th District, defeating a crowded field that included local officials, Rep. Mondaire Jones and former Rep. Elizabeth Holtzman. Goldman had 26 percent when The AP called the race at 12:39 a.m. Wednesday. Yuh-Line Niou, a member of the state Assembly, ran second with 24 percent, followed by 18 percent for Jones, a freshman incumbent who moved to Brooklyn from White Plains after redistricting left him having to challenge a fellow Democratic incumbent to remain in a suburban district. The newly drawn 10th District is heavily Democratic — Biden would have won it by 71 points in 2020, so the primary essentially ensures the nominee’s election in November.
Ryan holds off GOP in special election: Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan kept a seat in Democratic hands that Republicans spent nearly $2 million to flip by winning the 19th District special election to serve the remaining months of Delgado’s term. Ryan had 52 percent to Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro’s 48 percent when the AP called the race at 12:04 a.m. Wednesday. Ryan is also running for a full term in the 18th District, while Molinaro is running in the 19th. Delgado, who won the seat 55 percent to 43 percent in 2020, resigned in May to become lieutenant governor.
Sempolinski takes special in 23rd: Republican Joe Sempolinski will fill the House seat left vacant by his former boss’ resignation after a special election in the 23rd District, but he’s not running for a full term because of the way districts in western New York were realigned. Sempolinski served as district director and campaign manager for former Republican Rep. Tom Reed, who resigned the seat in May to join a lobbying firm. Sempolinski led Democrat Max Della Pia 53 percent to 47 percent when the AP called the race at 11:55 p.m.
Conole, Williams to meet in 22nd: Navy veteran Francis Conole won the Democratic primary and Brandon Williams won the Republican primary for New York’s 22nd District, a race that Inside Elections rates as Tilt Democratic. Conole took 40 percent of the vote against three challengers in a race the AP called at 12:48 a.m. Wednesday. Williams beat Steve Wells, who was supported by the Congressional Leadership Fund, 58 percent to 42 percent. The AP called that race at 10:25 p.m. Tuesday.
Langworthy prevails in 23rd primary: New York Republican Committee Chairman Nick Langworthy defeated Carl Paladino, the party’s 2010 gubernatorial nominee, in the GOP primary Tuesday for a full term representing the new 23rd District. Langworthy had 52 percent to Paladino’s 48 percent when the AP called the race at 12:34 a.m. Wednesday. Langworthy will face Max Della Pia, who was unopposed in the Democratic primary. The November race is rated Solid Republican in November.
Zimmerman wins in 3rd: Democratic National Committee member Robert Zimmerman won the five-candidate primary to defend New York’s 3rd District seat, which is vacant after Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi made an unsuccessful bid for the nomination for governor. Zimmerman had 36 percent of the vote when the AP called the race at 12:07 a.m. Wednesday. Joe Kaiman had 26 percent, and Joshua Lafazan had 20 percent. George Santos was uncontested in the Republican primary. In its new alignment, Biden would have carried the 3rd District by 8 points in 2020. Inside Elections rates the November race Lean Democratic.
Gillen nominated in 4th: Former Hempstead Town Supervisor Laura Gillen won a four-way Democratic primary in New York’s 4th District, which is open because Democratic Rep. Kathleen Rice opted to retire. Gillen had 63 percent of the vote when the AP called the race at 11:29 p.m., while Nassau County legislator Carrié Solages had 24 percent. Gillen will face Anthony D’Esposito, a Hempstead town councilman, in a district Biden would have won by 15 points in 2020. The race in November is rated Solid Democratic.
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