On Tuesday, voters in several states participated in primaries to select candidates for both the Republican and Democratic parties. Two races standing out involve long-time Republican Senator Lindsey Graham from South Carolina and Democrat Graham Platner from Maine, who is looking to challenge incumbent Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) in November, despite facing recent scandals.
Both Graham and Platner are expected to secure their party nominations. In South Carolina, Graham’s anticipated victory could solidify Republican dominance in the state for the upcoming election, although he may be up against Democrat Dr. Annie Andrews. In Maine, Platner’s win could pose a challenge for Democrats who were hopeful about unseating Collins without too much trouble. Platner has a history of outperforming polls, making him a formidable opponent.
While those two races attract the most attention, there are additional contests in Maine, South Carolina, North Dakota, and Nevada that could serve as crucial indicators as the midterm elections approach. As results come in, stay tuned for live updates and analysis.
Updated at 9:08pm ET:
With only about 1% of the votes from Maine reported, Platner is leading with 73.8%, ahead of Gov. Janet Mills, who has 16.5% after withdrawing from the race. It’s still too early to draw any firm conclusions.
Updated at 9:05pm ET:
Meanwhile, Evett and Wilson are in a runoff for the Republican nomination for governor in South Carolina.
Updated at 9pm ET:
Graham has been declared the winner of the South Carolina Republican primary, according to the Associated Press.
Updated at 8:43 PM ET:
Dr. Annie Andrews has been nominated by the Democratic Party in South Carolina and will compete against Graham in November.
Updated at 8:41pm ET:
The gubernatorial primary in South Carolina seems poised for a runoff between Evett and Wilson.
Updated at 8:39pm ET:
Vote counting is starting in Maine, with Platner currently in the lead; however, it’s still too early to make any definitive calls given the low vote count thus far.
In South Carolina’s gubernatorial primary, roughly 39% of voters have cast their ballots. Evett is currently leading with 29.5%, while Wilson follows closely with 26.2%.
Updated at 8:22pm ET:
There are indications that Graham has triumphed in the primary election.
Updated at 8:21pm ET:
In Maine, initial results are still pending, but Graham maintains his lead in South Carolina with about 30% of votes reported. Currently, Graham has 59.1%, while Lynch has 27%.
Evett has extended his lead slightly in the gubernatorial primary, reaching 28.3% with Wilson at 25.7%. Norman and Reddy are trailing, with 16.8% and 16.4%, respectively, while Mace lags considerably at 10.9%.
Updated at 8:03 PM ET:
Voting has now concluded in Maine.
In South Carolina, 18% of votes have been reported, with Graham still ahead at 61.3% compared to Lynch at 24.7%.
In the Republican gubernatorial primary, Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evett, endorsed by Trump, currently stands at 27.8%, quite close to Attorney General Wilson’s 25.7%. Representatives Ralph Norman and Nancy Mace have dropped significantly back to fourth and fifth places.
Updated at 7:46 PM ET:
With about 8% of results in South Carolina reported, Graham’s lead has widened to 63.1% compared to Lynch’s 23.9%. If Graham wins, it would notably reflect Trump’s solid backing and could be seen as a comeback given the earlier concerns in his campaign.
Updated at 7:34 PM ET:
Graham is currently leading the Republican primary for Senate in South Carolina by 2% over his competitor, Mark Lynch. Right now, Graham is at 61.5%, Lynch at 26.9%. It’s still early, but this could signal a strong performance compared to previous primaries.
