(WED 8/3/22)
Arizona ... A deeper shade of red leads the GOP primary for governor, where Donald J. Trump's pick, Kari Lake beat former Vice President Mike Pence's choice, Karrin Taylor Robson, whose campaign website platform leads off with "Finish The Wall." Lake has 46.2% to Robson's 44.4% as of Wednesday morning, with six more candidates, including three write-ins, all in single-digits. (Per The New York Times and Ballotpedia.) Lake will face Democratic nominee Katie Hobbs in November. In the GOP primary to challenge incumbent Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly, Trump-endorsed Blake "Make America Safe Again" Masters took 35% of the vote, to Jim Larson's 30.4% and Mark Brnovich's 20%, plus four other candidates each under 10%.
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Kansas, Missouri, Michigan … In the first such post-Roe v. Wade challenge, Kansas voters rejected an amendment that would remove the right to abortion from the state’s Constitution, by a resounding 61% to 39%, The New York Times reports. Voter turnout for the state’s primaries hit a new record, according to MSNBC. …
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt beat second-place finisher Vicky Hartzler and former Gov. Eric “RINO Hunter” Greitens in the state’s GOP primary to replace retiring Republican Sen. Roy Blunt, Associated Press reports. By 10:30 p.m. Central time Schmitt had 41.5% to Hartzler’s 24.6% and Greitens’ 20.8%. One thing you can count on is that Schmitt will have turned out to be the Eric that Trump endorsed. …
Freshman Rep. Peter Meijer, one of 10 Republicans who voted for Donald J. Trump’s second impeachment, was leading and expected to win the GOP primary for Michigan’s 3rd House District, edging Trump-endorsed candidate John Gibbs, 50.6% to 49.4%, according to MSNBC. ….
UPDATE: Trumpian Gibbs edged out Meijer for the win in the close Michigan race.
Also in Michigan, District 11 Rep. Haley Stevens beat District 9 Rep. Andy Levin, 60% to 40% for the Democratic primary for the 11th District, per Ballotpedia. The two were forced to face each other due to redistricting. …
And in the GOP primary for Michigan’s governor, conservative commentator, businesswoman and Trump endorsee Tudor Dixon easily beat Ryan Kelley, who pleaded not guilty to misdemeanors in the January 6 Capitol riot, and three other Republican candidates. Dixon will face popular and controversial Democratic incumbent Gretchen Witmer in November.
--Todd Lassa