{"id":2260136,"date":"2024-06-05T05:41:02","date_gmt":"2024-06-05T09:41:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/top-takeaways-from-tuesday-primaries-in-new-jersey-montana-and-more\/"},"modified":"2024-06-05T05:43:34","modified_gmt":"2024-06-05T09:43:34","slug":"top-takeaways-from-tuesday-primaries-in-new-jersey-montana-and-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/top-takeaways-from-tuesday-primaries-in-new-jersey-montana-and-more\/","title":{"rendered":"Key Insights from Recent Tuesday Primaries in New Jersey, Montana, and Beyond"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftop-takeaways-from-tuesday-primaries-in-new-jersey-montana-and-more%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2260136&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The recent primary elections across various states and Washington, D.C., highlighted incumbents&#8217; strong positions as they secured victories. President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump also \u2063triumphed, \u2063but\u2062 faced resistance from protest voters. Key battles included the Senate races in Montana and New Jersey. \u200cAdditionally, incumbents \u2063in Iowa, Montana, and New Jersey successfully \u200bdefended their seats in the\u2064 primaries.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/primaries\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Primary<\/a> contests in five states and Washington, D.C., showed incumbent lawmakers continue to have staying power. <\/p>\n<p>Council members from the nation\u2019s capital to elected officials in Iowa, Montana, and New Jersey defeated challengers and easily won their primaries.<\/p>\n<p>President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/joe-biden\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Joe Biden<\/a> and former President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Donald Trump<\/a> easily won primaries Tuesday night, but both 2024 candidates continue to face protest voters. <\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/election-2024\/?utm_source=homepage&#038;utm_medium=banner&#038;utm_campaign=iowa_caucus&#038;utm_id=election2024\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ELECTION 2024: FOLLOW LATEST COVERAGE<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) is set to face Republican Tim Sheehy in one of the most watched Senate races this election cycle that will help decide control of the upper chamber, while Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) opted for an independent bid in a last-ditch effort to save his seat.<\/p>\n<p>Here are the <em>Washington Examiner\u2019s<\/em> top takeaways from Tuesday\u2019s primaries.<\/p>\n<h2>It\u2019s official: Jon Tester will face Tim Sheehy for Senate seat<\/h2>\n<figure><figcaption>Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., addresses constituents before a parade at Crow Fair in Crow Agency, Mont., on August 19, 2018. (Tom Williams\/CQ Roll Call via AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) will face Republican Tim Sheehy in November. Sheehy, a former Navy SEAL, won the GOP primary Tuesday night defeating two other Republicans.<\/p>\n<p>Tester easily defeated a primary challenge from Democrat Michael Hummert.<\/p>\n<p>Republicans are eager to take on Tester in one of the top target Senate races the GOP could flip to take back control of the upper chamber. They already have a favorable chance of flipping outgoing Sen. Joe Manchin\u2019s seat (D-WV) in the fall. <\/p>\n<p>The GOP has sought to link Tester to Biden but the Montana Democrat has gone out of his way to highlight his independence from the president.<\/p>\n<p>Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-MT) initially ran for the Senate GOP primary before dropping out of the race after Trump endorsed Sheehy. State Auditor Troy Downing won the GOP primary for the\u00a02nd Congressional District, which Rosendale currently represents.<\/p>\n<h2>Menendez dynasty isn\u2019t over despite corruption allegations <\/h2>\n<figure><figcaption>FILE \u2013 Rep. Andy Kim, D-N.J., speaks to delegates in Paramus, N.J., March 4, 2024. New Jersey Democrats and Republicans decide their parties\u2019 standard-bearers for the Senate amid the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/indicted-senator-bob-menendezs-approval-rating-plunges-to-single-digits\/\" title=\"Senator Bob Menendez's approval rating drops to single digits following indictment.\">federal corruption trial<\/a> in New York of New Jersey Democratic incumbent Sen. Bob Menendez, along with candidates for the presidency and House. (AP Photo\/Seth Wenig, File)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Rep. Andy Kim (D-NJ) <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3028344\/andy-kim-victory-new-jersey-senate-primary-menendez\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>won the Democratic Senate primary<\/a> in New Jersey receiving 75.3% of the vote with 74% of the vote counted. Kim\u2019s defeat of two other Democrats puts him one step closer to winning a Senate seat in blue-leaning New Jersey.<\/p>\n<p>But embattled incumbent Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) isn\u2019t giving up his seat easily. Menendez filed to run as an independent for the seat, although he lacks campaign staff. <\/p>\n<p>Menendez is on trial for corruption charges that include bribery and acting as a foreign agent for Egypt and Qatar. Fellow Democrats in the Senate have pressured Menendez to resign, including fervent denunciations from Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA).<\/p>\n<p>Menendez and Kim will also face Republican Curtis Bashaw, who defeated the Trump-endorsed Mendham Borough Mayor Christine Serrano Glassner, for the Senate seat in the fall. <\/p>\n<p>Rep. Rob Menendez (D-NJ), Menendez\u2019s son, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/3028287\/rob-menendez-wins-new-jersey-primary-bhalla\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>won his reelection primary<\/a> for New Jersey\u2019s 8th Congressional District against Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla, continuing his family\u2019s legacy. <\/p>\n<p>The junior Menendez won 53.8% of the vote in New Jersey\u2019s 8th Congressional District against Bhalla\u2019s nearly 35.6% with 81% of votes counted.<\/p>\n<p>(New Jersey state Rep. Herb Conaway won the contested Democratic primary to replace Kim\u2019s seat New Jersey\u2019s 3rd Congressional District.)<\/p>\n<h2>Incumbents defeat primary challengers<\/h2>\n<figure><figcaption>U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra, R-Iowa, listens to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speak during a fundraising picnic, Saturday, May 13, 2023, in Sioux Center, Iowa. (AP Photo\/Charlie Neibergall)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Iowa Rep. Randy Feenstra (R) fended off a primary challenge from Kevin Virgil for the state\u2019s 4th Congressional District. With approximately 97% of the vote counted, Feenstra led Virgil, 60% to 40%, according to the<em> Associated Press<\/em>, which called the race at 9:10 p.m. local time.<\/p>\n<p>Feenstra will face Democratic candidate Ryan Melton, who won his party\u2019s nomination on Tuesday after running uncontested. <\/p>\n<p>Fellow Iowan Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R) won the GOP primary for the state\u2019s 1st Congressional District defeating Republican David Pautsch, 55.4% to 44.6%, with 87% of votes counted for. <\/p>\n<p>Miller-Meeks will face Democrat and former state Rep. Christina Bohannan again after their matchup during the 2022 midterms. <\/p>\n<p>Montana Rep. Ryan Zinke (R) won his reelection bid in Montana\u2019s 1st Congressional District fending off a challenge from Mary Todd. The <em>Associated Press <\/em>shows Zinke beating Todd, 75.2% to 24.8% with a quarter of votes counted.<\/p>\n<p>Gov. Greg Gianforte (R-MT) trounced a primary challenge from Tanner Smith, 77% to 23% with a third of votes counted, according to the <em>Associated Press<\/em>. Gianforte will face Democrat Ryan Busse in the fall.<\/p>\n<h2>Incumbents prepare to defend seats in November<\/h2>\n<p>Democrat Lannon Baccam won the primary race to face off against first-term Rep. Zach Nunn (R-IA), in the 3rd Congressional District, the most competitive district in the Hawkeye State. The seat will help determine whether Republicans hold on to their slim control of the House or if Democrats can flip control.<\/p>\n<p>Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) will face Republican Nella Domenici\u00a0after the two candidates both ran unopposed in their primary races. Domenici is the daughter of six-term Republican Sen. Pete Domenici.<\/p>\n<p>The Senate race has been rated \u201cSolid Democrat\u201d by the <em>Cook Political Report.<\/em><\/p>\n<h2>Protest votes against Trump and Biden<\/h2>\n<p>Although Biden easily won Democratic presidential primaries, there remains a persistent group of Democrats who continue to snub the president due to his handling of the Israel-Hamas war. <\/p>\n<p>In New Jersey, Biden won 88.5% of the vote with 85% of votes counted, while \u201cuncommitted\u201d garnered nearly 9% of the vote.<\/p>\n<figure><figcaption>FILE \u2013 In this combination of photos, President Joe Biden speaks on Aug. 10, 2023, in Salt Lake City, from left, former President Donald Trump speaks on July 8, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo, File)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In the nation\u2019s capital, Biden won 89% of the vote with 72% of the votes counted. More than 8% of voters opted to write-in a candidate rather than vote for Biden. In New Mexico, Biden won nearly 85% of the vote with \u201cuncommitted\u201d garnering 9.1% with 62% of votes counted.<\/p>\n<p>Biden won 92.3% of the vote in Montana with 31% of the vote counted while \u201cno preference\u201d won 7.7%. <\/p>\n<p>After being convicted of 34 criminal counts last week, Trump faced some protest votes. Nikki Haley won 8.9% of the vote in New Mexico and another 4% voted uncommitted in the primary.<\/p>\n<p>However it was no match for the former president who won nearly 84% of the vote with 68% of votes counted.<\/p>\n<p>In Montana, Trump won nearly 89.6% of the vote with 24% of votes counted, according to the <em>Associated Press<\/em>. But \u201cno preference\u201d won more than 10.4% of the vote, a worrying sign for Trump in red-leaning Montana.<\/p>\n<h2>New Mexico opponents face off again <\/h2>\n<p>Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-NM) and Republican candidate Yvette Herrell will face off once again come November after they both won their uncontested primaries. <\/p>\n<p>The battle for New Mexico\u2019s 2nd Congressional District will be one of the most competitive races in 2024 after Vasquez defeated Herrell by less than 1 point in the 2022 midterm elections. <\/p>\n<p>Before that, Herrell held the seat after winning the district by 7.4 points in 2020. <\/p>\n<p>The seat is considered a tossup and is rated as D+1. <\/p>\n<h2>D.C. lawmakers have a good primary night<\/h2>\n<p>D.C. Council Member Robert White cruised to reelection, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/elite-boston-girls-school-discourages-calling-girls-girls\/\" title=\"Elite Boston Girls School Discourages Calling Girls \u2018Girls\u2019\">easily defeating<\/a> former comedian Rodney \u201cRed\u201d Grant for the at-large seat.<\/p>\n<p>White won after receiving 84% of the vote with 42% of the ballots tallied in the district. His victory puts him in a position to win reelection in November as Democrats are favored to win all council seats in the district.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER<\/a><\/strong> <\/p>\n<p>White has served on the D.C. Council since 2016.<\/p>\n<p>D.C. Council Member Janeese Lewis George (D-Ward 4) also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pelosi-on-her-heels-two-more-democrats-call-it-quits-ahead-of-2022-midterms\/\" title=\"Pelosi On Her Heels: Two More Democrats Call It Quits Ahead Of 2022 Midterms\">easily won reelection<\/a>, despite criticisms of being soft on crime, as did Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D).<\/p>\n<p>The competitive race for Ward 7, an open seat, has not yet been called as of early Wednesday morning.<\/p>\n<p><em>Cami Mondeaux and Ramsey Touchberry contributed to this story. <\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Recent primary elections in five states and Washington, D.C., highlighted the resilience of incumbent politicians. From council members in the capital to officials in Iowa, Montana, and New Jersey, incumbents emerged victorious in their races. President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump secured comfortable wins, yet both face ongoing challenges as potential 2024 contenders<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2658,"featured_media":2260137,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/AP24142481057484.jpg.optimal.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2260136","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/AP24142481057484.jpg.optimal.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2260136","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2658"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2260136"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2260136\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2260137"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2260136"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2260136"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2260136"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}