{"id":2269714,"date":"2024-06-17T14:45:02","date_gmt":"2024-06-17T18:45:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/tuesday-elections-six-things-to-watch-in-virginia-oklahoma-and-georgia-races\/"},"modified":"2024-06-17T14:49:48","modified_gmt":"2024-06-17T18:49:48","slug":"tuesday-elections-six-things-to-watch-in-virginia-oklahoma-and-georgia-races","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/tuesday-elections-six-things-to-watch-in-virginia-oklahoma-and-georgia-races\/","title":{"rendered":"Tuesday elections: Key points to watch in Virginia, Oklahoma, and Georgia races"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><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%2Ftuesday-elections-six-things-to-watch-in-virginia-oklahoma-and-georgia-races%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=2269714&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>In\u200c Virginia and Oklahoma, voters are \u200dcasting their ballots \u200bin crucial congressional primaries. One \u2064of the most keenly \u2062watched races \u200cis in Virginia,\u200d where House Freedom Caucus Chairman Bob Good\u2064 is facing \u2062a strong challenge\u200b from John\u2062 McGuire, who is endorsed\u2064 by former President \u200bDonald Trump. The tension stems from Good&#8217;s \u2063initial support for Ron DeSantis against Trump, although Good later endorsed Trump.\u2063 Despite this, Trump has publicly\u200b criticized Good.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, in Oklahoma, Rep. \u2063Tom Cole is defending his seat against businessman Paul Bondar and other \u200dchallengers in what\u2063 is considered Cole&#8217;s most competitive \u200drace since 2002.\u2062 Cole has significant political support, \u200cincluding from Trump, despite Bondar&#8217;s significant personal financial investment into his campaign.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, in Georgia,\u200c voters are returning\u2062 for primary runoff elections\u200d in several races that were unresolved \u2062from the May \u200cprimaries.<\/p>\n<p>In\u2064 other significant developments,\u200b Virginia&#8217;s political scene is active with Democratic primaries\u200c aiming\u2063 to fill two open House \u200dseats. Rep. Abigail Spanberger\u2062 is vacating her seat to run for governor, and \u200bRep.\u200b Jennifer \u200bWexton is\u2064 not seeking\u200d re-election due to health issues.<\/p>\n<p>The Democratic primary in Virginia&#8217;s 2nd District is also in the spotlight as Missy\u2063 Cotter \u2062Smasal and\u200d Jake Denton \u2064vie for the chance \u2063to challenge Republican \u200cRep. Jen Kiggans, who <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/arizona-governor-after-censure-vote-state-party-should-focus-on-winning-races\/\" title=\"Arizona Governor After Censure Vote: State Party Should \u2018Focus On Winning Races\u2019\">narrowly won<\/a> against a Democrat in the \u2064previous cycle.<\/p>\n<p>In another \u200ccritical race, several Republicans, including Trump-endorsed Hung Cao, are competing to \u2063challenge Democratic \u2062Sen. Tim Kaine in Virginia. Although Kaine&#8217;s seat is \u200bconsidered\u200b solidly Democratic, Republicans are hopeful, \u2062especially \u2063with Biden&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/buttigieg-electric-cars-will-make-it-so-americans-never-have-to-worry-about-gas-prices-again\/\" title=\"Buttigieg: Electric Cars Will Make It So Americans \u2018Never Have To Worry About Gas Prices Again\u2019\">lower approval ratings<\/a> as context.<\/p>\n<p>These various elections across Virginia, Oklahoma, and \u2063Georgia illustrate the ongoing robust and complex dynamics within American political contests, reflecting \u2062broader national themes of\u200c incumbency challenges, \u2064party\u2063 endorsements, and the influence of\u2064 prominent political figures.  <\/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>Voters in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/virginia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Virginia<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/oklahoma\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Oklahoma<\/a> head to the polls Tuesday, when they\u2019ll decide on a slew of congressional, but not presidential, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/primaries\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>primaries<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Chief among the most notable primary contests is whether House Freedom Caucus Chairman Bob Good (R-VA) survives a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/4-senators-still-undecided-about-future-in-senate\/\" title=\"4 senators still undecided about future in Senate\">primary challenger backed<\/a> by former President Donald Trump.<\/p>\n<p>House <a href=\"http:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/appropriations\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Appropriations<\/a> Committee Chairman <a href=\"http:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/tom-cole\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Tom Cole<\/a> (R-OK) is also defending his seat from a GOP rival.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, Georgia voters <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3044239\/what-watch-georgia-primary-runoff-elections-tuesday\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>return to the polls<\/a> Tuesday to vote in several primary runoff elections after candidates failed to reach a majority in the original May 21 primary races.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3045967\/four-house-races-watch-tuesday-virginia-primaries\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"FOUR HOUSE RACES TO WATCH IN TUESDAY\u2019S VIRGINIA PRIMARIES\">FOUR HOUSE RACES TO WATCH IN TUESDAY\u2019S VIRGINIA PRIMARIES<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3044239\/what-watch-georgia-primary-runoff-elections-tuesday\/\" title=\"WHAT TO WATCH FOR IN GEORGIA\u2019S PRIMARY RUNOFF ELECTIONS ON TUESDAY\">WHAT TO WATCH FOR IN GEORGIA\u2019S PRIMARY RUNOFF ELECTIONS ON TUESDAY<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3042772\/oklahoma-primary-election-rep-tom-cole-defense\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"OKLAHOMA PRIMARY ELECTION PUTS POWERFUL REP. TOM COLE ON DEFENSE\">OKLAHOMA PRIMARY ELECTION PUTS POWERFUL REP. TOM COLE ON DEFENSE<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Here are the top races to watch.<\/p>\n<h2>Can Good survive Trump\u2019s wrath? <\/h2>\n<figure><figcaption>Rep. Bob Good (R-VA), the chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, talks to reporters at the Capitol in Washington, Friday, Jan. 12, 2024. (AP Photo\/J. Scott Applewhite)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>As payback for Good supporting Gov. Ron DeSantis\u2019s (R-FL) primary challenge against Trump, the former president endorsed Good\u2019s primary challenger, Virginia state Sen. John McGuire.<\/p>\n<p>Good eventually endorsed Trump\u2019s presidential campaign, showed up at his New York trial, and even attended a House GOP meeting with Trump last week, but this has not been enough to tamp down Trump\u2019s anger.<\/p>\n<p>Shortly after Trump\u2019s visit to Capitol Hill, he took to Truth Social to denounce Good. \u201cBob Good is BAD FOR VIRGINIA, AND BAD FOR THE USA,\u201d Trump <a href=\"https:\/\/truthsocial.com\/@realDonaldTrump\/posts\/112611520070964739\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>fumed<\/a>. \u201cHe turned his back on our incredible movement, and was constantly attacking and fighting me until recently, when he gave a warm and \u2018loving\u2019 Endorsement \u2013 But really, it was too late.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3045967\/four-house-races-watch-tuesday-virginia-primaries\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>primary <\/a>for the Old Dominion\u2019s 5th Congressional District has split the hard right as Freedom Caucus members seek to boost Good while Trump is working to oust the incumbent lawmaker. However, Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH), a Freedom Caucus member, recently came out <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3046841\/house-freedom-caucus-member-davidson-endorses-primary-challenger-good\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>in support of<\/a> McGuire. <\/p>\n<p>Good is also facing the ire of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, whom he voted to oust last year. Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) was also one of the eight Republicans who voted to boot McCarthy, but she <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3037966\/nancy-mace-challengers-gop-primary-mccarthy-revenge-tour\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"survived her primary\">survived her primary<\/a> and McCarthy\u2019s revenge campaign.<\/p>\n<h2>Democrats seek to fill two open House seats in Virginia <\/h2>\n<figure><figcaption>Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) speaks during an interview at her congressional offices in Washington, Feb. 8, 2023. Spanberger has announced she will run in 2024 for Virginia governor. (AP Photo\/Nathan Howard)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Rep. Abigail Spanberger\u2019s (D-VA) decision to run for governor in 2025 gives Democrats the chance to select a candidate who can succeed Spanberger in the 7th Congressional District. <\/p>\n<p>Army veteran Eugene Vindman is one of the front-runners in the Democratic primary and is known, along with his twin brother Alexander Vindman, for reporting a 2019 call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that led to Trump\u2019s first impeachment. Vindman faces five other candidates in the primary, including Prince William County Supervisor Margaret Angela Franklin.<\/p>\n<p>But Republicans are hoping they can flip the district as the two <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/youngkin-praises-possible-rivals-as-he-considers-presidential-bid\/\" title=\"Youngkin praises possible rivals as he considers presidential bid\">primary front-runners<\/a>, Navy veteran Cameron Hamilton and Army veteran Derrick Anderson, battle for victory.<\/p>\n<p>Rep. Jennifer Wexton (D-VA) is also not seeking another term in office as she deals with Parkinson\u2019s disease that has severely curtailed her ability to speak.<\/p>\n<p>More than 12 Democrats are vying for the primary, but Wexton is backing state Sen. Suhas Subramanyam in the 10th District. <\/p>\n<h2>Democrats decide who will face Rep. Jen Kiggans <\/h2>\n<p>Two Democrats are facing off in the primary for Virginia\u2019s 2nd District, which Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-VA) represents.<\/p>\n<p>President Joe Biden narrowly won the district in 2020 against Trump. Democrats are hoping they flip the seat back after Kiggans defeated former Democratic Rep. Elaine Luria during the 2022 midterm elections.<\/p>\n<p>Navy veteran Missy Cotter Smasal is backed by former Democratic Govs. Ralph Northam and Terry McAuliffe, as well as Spanberger and Wexton. Smasal will face constitutional law attorney Jake Denton in the primary. <\/p>\n<h2>Republicans get their pick on who will battle Sen. Tim Kaine <\/h2>\n<div>\n<figure><figcaption>Hung Cao is one of five Republicans in Virginia who are running for a chance to try to unseat Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA). The state\u2019s Republican primary is scheduled for Tuesday, June 18, 2024. Cao has the most campaign money and experience running for higher office among the primary candidates, and he has the endorsement of former President Donald Trump. (James Stone\/Hung Cao for Virginia via AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Trump is backing Navy veteran Hung Cao in the Republican primary that will decide who will face Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) in the fall. <\/p>\n<p>Cao is among five candidates in the GOP primary including Scott Parkinson, a former DeSantis congressional staffer, who is backed by Good. <\/p>\n<p>During the 2022 midterm elections, Cao lost his congressional election to Wexton by more than 6 percentage points. However, with Biden on the ticket, the GOP seeks to unseat Kaine, the Democratic vice presidential candidate in 2016.<\/p>\n<p>But Cao faces an uphill climb. Biden won Virginia by 10 percentage points in 2020, and the <em>Cook Political Report<\/em> rates the Senate race as \u201csolid\u201d for the Democratic Party.<\/p>\n<h2>Oklahoma Republican incumbents on the defense <\/h2>\n<figure><figcaption>Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK) listens as a committee meets to discuss pregnancy in college students after deciding not to consider the resolutions to hold Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress as planned Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo\/Jacquelyn Martin)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Tuesday\u2019s primary will be Cole\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3042772\/oklahoma-primary-election-rep-tom-cole-defense\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>most competitive contest<\/a> since he was elected to Congress in 2002. Businessman Paul Bondar is the top contender out of four candidates challenging Cole, chairman of the Appropriations Committee since April, for Oklahoma\u2019s 4th District. <\/p>\n<p>Bondar, a political novice, used to live in Texas and even voted in the Lone Star State\u2019s March primary this year. As a wealthy founder of an insurance company, Bondar has invested $5 million of his own fortune to unseat Cole, who has spent $3.1 million on the campaign.<\/p>\n<p>The race represents the tensions between establishment Republicans and hard-line candidates.<\/p>\n<p>Bondar ran as an anti-spending candidate who excoriated Cole for voting with Democrats \u201cin new deficit spending.\u201d But Cole has the backing of Trump and McCarthy, while no Freedom Caucus member has endorsed Bondar.<\/p>\n<p>If Cole is forced into a runoff primary, even more money would need to be poured into the contest, which won\u2019t take place until Aug. 27.<\/p>\n<p>Rep. Frank Lucas (R-OK) is also facing a primary challenge from two Republicans for Oklahoma\u2019s 3rd District. <\/p>\n<p>Robin Carder and Darren Hamilton are hoping to unseat Lucas, who has been in Congress since 1994 and is the chairman of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee. But none of the two candidates have raised serious money to challenge Lucas.<\/p>\n<p>The seat is in no danger of flipping to Democrats. The <em>Cook Political Report<\/em> rated the district Republican +24. <\/p>\n<h2>Georgia runoff elections to shape congressional delegation makeup<\/h2>\n<p>Former Georgia state Senate Majority Leader Mike Dugan and Brian Jack, both Republicans,\u00a0are battling over the Peach State\u2019s 3rd District.<\/p>\n<p>Jack has the backing of Trump, given his past occupation as\u00a0a former Trump White House political director. He\u2019s likely to win the runoff election on Tuesday to replace retiring Rep. Drew Ferguson (R-GA). The winner will face Democrat Maura Keller in November.<\/p>\n<p>Democratic candidates Clarence Blalock and Shawn \u201cGeneral\u201d Harris will face off in the primary for the 14th District, which is represented by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA).<\/p>\n<p>Whichever Democrat wins the primary will face a steep climb in unseating Greene during the general election. The <em>Cook Political Report<\/em> rates the seat R+22.<\/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>Republican candidates Chuck Hand, who pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge related to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, and A. Wayne Johnson are competing for the 2nd District, represented by 77-year-old and 16-term Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-GA).<\/p>\n<p>But with the <em>Cook Political Report<\/em> rating the seat D+3, it represents a prime pickup opportunity for the GOP in the fall.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Voters in Virginia and Oklahoma will cast their ballots in congressional primaries on Tuesday. Key races include House Freedom Caucus Chairman Bob Good (R-VA) facing a Trump-backed challenger, and House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK) defending his seat. These primaries do not involve presidential contests<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2658,"featured_media":2269715,"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\/06\/Vote-Georgia.jpg.optimal.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2269714","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Vote-Georgia.jpg.optimal.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2269714","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=2269714"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2269714\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2269715"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2269714"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2269714"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2269714"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}