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Franken defeats Finkenauer in Iowa Democratic Senate primary
Retired Navy Adm. Mike Franken on Tuesday was projected to win the Democratic nomination to take on Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) in November.
The Associated Press projected Franken’s victory around 10:13 p.m. ET.
Franken, who’s never held elected office before, previously sought the Democratic Senate nomination in Iowa in 2020.
Despite his status as a relative newcomer to politics, Franken gained considerable momentum in the primary in recent weeks. He outraised his main rival, former Rep. Abby Finkenauer (D-Iowa), in both of the last two fundraising periods and heavily outspent her on advertising.
Franken’s win is a blow to Finkenauer, who flipped a GOP-held House seat in 2018, only to lose reelection two years later.
With the nomination locked up, Franken will advance to the November general election. But unseating Grassley is likely to prove a major challenge.
The seven-term incumbent is a well-known staple in Iowa politics and has a history of winning reelection by wide margins. The last time Grassley was on the ballot, in 2016, he coasted to victory with more than 60 percent of the vote.
Grassley also has a sizable campaign bank account. His latest federal campaign finance filing shows him with more than $4.3 million in the bank. Franken, by comparison, reported having just about $253,000 in his campaign coffers.
Source: TEST FEED1
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Live results: Montana primary
The Associated Press is following the election in Montana.
Follow the live results below.
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Kean primary victory sets up rematch with Malinowski
Former New Jersey state Senate Republican leader Tom Kean Jr. was projected to defeat several Republicans in the state’s 7th Congressional District primary on Tuesday, paving the way for a rematch with incumbent Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-N.J.).
CNN and ABC News both called the race for Kean Jr.
Kean lost to Malinowski in 2020 by just 1.2 percentage points. The highly anticipated rematch between the two men has drawn the attention of national Republicans and Democrats.
The National Republican Congressional Campaign Committee (NRCC) has named Malinowski to its offensive target list, while the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) has named the Democratic congressman to its frontline list.
The non-partisan Cook Political Report rated the race as “lean Republican.”
Source: TEST FEED1
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Nunn clinches GOP nomination to take on Axne in Iowa
Iowa state Sen. Zach Nunn on Tuesday was projected to clinch the Republican nomination to challenge Rep. Cindy Axne (D), setting the stage for the most competitive House race of the year in Iowa.
ABC News and NBC News both called the race for Nunn.
Nunn, who has served in the Iowa state legislature since 2015, faced two other Republicans in the June 7 primary, businesswoman Nicole Hasso and construction consultant Gary Leffler.
With the primary now behind him, Nunn will go on to face Axne in the November general election.
Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District, which encompasses Des Moines and the southwestern quadrant of the state, is seen as one of the GOP’s most important pickup opportunities this year.
Axne won the seat in 2018, defeating former Rep. Dave Young (R-Iowa) and becoming one of the candidates to help Democrats reclaim their House majority during former President Trump’s tenure in the White House.
The Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan election handicapper, rates the race as a toss-up, meaning either party has a chance at victory in November.
Still, Democrats are facing bleak election prospects this year overall. President Biden’s approval rating is well underwater, and the party in power — in this case the Democrats — almost always loses ground in Congress in midterm elections.
Source: TEST FEED1
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Grassley wins GOP Senate primary in Iowa
Sen. Chuck Grassley was projected to coast to the Republican Senate nomination in Iowa on Tuesday, putting him one step closer to an eighth term in the upper chamber.
The Associated Press called the race at 9:27 p.m. ET.
Grassley, who was first elected to the Senate in 1980 after three terms in the House, faced only nominal opposition in the GOP primary from Iowa state Sen. Jim Carlin.
Grassley, 88, announced his reelection bid last fall after months of speculation that he would retire after his current term.
He is currently the oldest Republican in the Senate and the second-oldest senator after Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), who will turn 89 later this month.
With the primary out of the way, Grassley is seen as the heavy favorite in the Iowa Senate race in November. He has a history of winning reelection by wide margins, scoring a 25-point victory the last time he was on the ballot in 2016.
The Democratic primary, meanwhile, has largely become a head-to-head match-up between former Rep. Abby Finkenauer (D-Iowa) and retired Navy Adm. Mike Franken.
The eventual winner will go on to face Grassley in November, though unseating the seven-term incumbent is likely to be an uphill battle for any Democrat.
Source: TEST FEED1
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Noem easily clinches win in South Dakota governor primary
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) was projected to coast to victory over her sole primary rival on Tuesday as she looks to clinch a second term in the governor’s mansion this year.
The Associated Press called the race at 9:20 p.m. ET.
Heading into Tuesday, Noem, a former member of Congress, was the heavy favorite to win the primary, though she still faced an opponent in state Rep. Steve Haugaard (R), a former state House Speaker.
With the nomination locked up, Noem will go on to face state House Minority Leader Jamie Smith (D) in the November general election, though she is widely expected to win. The Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan election handicapper, currently rates the South Dakota gubernatorial race as “solid” Republican.
Noem, who represented South Dakota’s lone congressional district from 2011 until being sworn in as governor in 2019, is a national star among Republicans and has been floated as a potential candidate for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination.
Noem has sought to downplay that prospect, telling Fox News last year that he is “counting” on former President Trump running for the White House again in 2024.
Source: TEST FEED1
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House passes resolution to allow Greater Washington Soap Box Derby on Capitol grounds
The House passed a resolution on Tuesday allowing the annual Greater Washington Soap Box Derby to take place on Capitol grounds next week.
The concurrent resolution passed the lower chamber by voice vote.
The measure authorizes the Greater Washington Soap Box Derby Association to hold this year’s soap box derby races — which are scheduled for June 18 — on Capitol grounds. It also directs the event to be free of charge and open to the public.
Eligible children are invited to create their own soapbox vehicles then race them. Age eligibility varies by division.
This year will mark the 79th Greater Washington Soap Box Derby, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said on the House floor Tuesday. The Democratic leader said it was his 29th year sponsoring the resolution for the event.
The Soap Box Derby has taken place nationally since 1934. Races this year are also being held in Pennsylvania, Virginia and New Jersey, and the world championship will take place in Akron, Ohio. Washington, D.C., however, has not hosted the event since 2019 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Hoyer.
In remarks from the House floor, Hoyer said soap box races “have become a staple of the American experience and an important piece of Americana.”
“They teach sportsmanship, engineering, manufacturing and leadership,” he added.
The Democratic leader called the gathering “one of my favorite events of the year.”
“Soapbox Derby brings families together from across the greater Washington Metropolitan Area, encouraging kids and their adult family members or community members to compete in a fun and educational race,” he added.
Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.) on the House floor called the event “a time-honored tradition,” noting that he participated in the program roughly 40 years ago.
He said the event “provides children in the greater Washington area an opportunity to build knowledge and character through fair and honest competition.”
Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) also spoke highly of the event on the House floor, calling it “a terrific opportunity for children to appreciate the workmanship necessary to build the vehicles, enjoy the thrill of competition.”
Source: TEST FEED1
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New York police investigating suspected arson at pregnancy center
The Amherst, N.Y. Police Department (APD) announced Tuesday that it is investigating a “suspicious” fire that occurred at CompassCare pregnancy center in Buffalo.
“Twin City Ambulance Co treated two firefighters for minor injuries and the fire is being investigated as arson at this time,” the APD wrote in a statement to The Hill.
The APD, Eggertsville Hose Co. and three additional fire departments responded to a fire alarm at the center, which was ablaze when the agencies arrived.
A Sheriff’s Office detective and the Town of Amherst fire investigators also arrived at the scene.
“The building was firebombed. The windows in the reception room and nurses’ office were broken and fires lit,” CompassCare wrote of the incident.
The pro-life group, which owns pregnancy centers in Buffalo and Rochester, said that there was graffiti on the side of the building reading “Jane Was Here.”
CompassCare said that the signature was related to “abortion terrorist group Jane’s Revenge,” an underground group that advocates for legal abortion in part by vandalizing pro-life centers, though the claim has not been verified by Amherst Police.
Jane’s Revenge allegedly took responsibility for the firebombing of the Wisconsin Family Action building in Madison, Wisc. last month, according to reporting by The Lincoln Journal-Star.
A statement attributed to the group promised to engage in further “military” activity across the country against organizations opposing abortion, writing: “We demand the disbanding of all anti-choice establishments, fake clinics, and violent anti-choice groups within the next thirty days.”
“Again, this was only a warning,” the statement said of the Madison arson. “Next time the infrastructure of the enslavers will not survive.”
The Town of Amherst Supervisor Brian Kulpa condemned the perpetrators of the arson, saying he was “disgusted that lives were put at risk” by a fire that was set “intentionally.”
“A violent response is never the answer,” Kulpa said to WKBW Buffalo. “There is no place in Amherst for such attacks. Amherst Police are working with our partners to continue its investigation to hold those responsible accountable for their actions.”
CompassCare said that it will continue its operations despite the attack, reporting that the center has consulted with security professionals and is installing armored glass, among other safety measures.
“CompassCare will rebuild because women deserve better. CompassCare will not stop serving because pre-born boys and girls deserve protection,” said the group’s CEO Jim Harden.
CompassCare Buffalo employs 11 female medical professionals to provide free services to clients, including “medically accurate and confidential abortion information, pregnancy diagnosis as well as STD testing and treatment.”
“At CompassCare we understand that having the baby is the most difficult choice. If you are not empowered to make the most difficult choice, you are not truly free to choose,” the center wrote, citing studies that show that 64% of American women who had abortions “felt pressured by others” and 84% said they did not receive “adequate counseling beforehand.”
Capitol Hill Pregnancy Center in Washington, D.C. on Friday was vandalized with similar messages, according to FOX 5 DC.
The center was spray painted with the phrases “JANE SAYS” and “REVENGE,” as well as pelted with eggs and splattered with red paint. Controversy around the abortion issue has erupted over the past month since a verified draft of a Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade, the case that established a federal right to abortion, was leaked on May 2.
Source: TEST FEED1
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Live results: New Mexico primary
The Associated Press is following the election in New Mexico.
Follow the live results below.
Source: TEST FEED1