Sarah Palin

Alaska voters headed to the polls Tuesday in primaries shaping contests for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, governor and the legislature, alongside a Florida primary seen as an early indicator for control of Congress. The marquee Alaska race pits Republican incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan against Democratic former Rep. Mary Peltola, one of 16 candidates in the all-party primary; the top four finishers advance to a November general election decided by ranked choice voting. A same-named challenger, Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., also qualified for the ballot after Republicans failed in court to remove him, and the Justice Department is reportedly investigating whether he entered the race to confuse voters and split support from the incumbent.

Rep. Nick Begich is seeking a second term against independent challenger Bill Hill, while 17 candidates compete to succeed term-limited Gov. Mike Dunleavy. Voters are also deciding a ballot measure on campaign contribution limits. Some polls show Peltola leading in a state that typically favors Republicans, and Democrats view Alaska as a key opportunity as they seek to flip four seats to win Senate control.

Darline Graham Nordone's narrow runoff win over Rep. Ralph Norman to permanently fill her late brother Lindsey Graham's Senate seat is prompting South Carolina strategists to argue the state's 2028 Republican presidential primary could be wide open. Graham Nordone won 52.5% to 47.5% despite trailing Norman on personal spending, benefiting instead from heavy outside spending, including more than $827,000 from Trump's MAGA Inc. super PAC and $1 million from a pro-green-energy PAC opposing Norman. Trump endorsed Graham Nordone, while Nikki Haley backed Norman, echoing 2024 primary alignments.

Strategists disagree on what the close margin signals: some say it shows South Carolina isn't fully "MAGA-tized" and remains competitive for non-Trump-aligned candidates, while others attribute the result mainly to spending disparities rather than ideology. Vice President JD Vance currently leads 2028 GOP primary polling well ahead of Marco Rubio and Donald Trump Jr., but observers caution his advantage isn't guaranteed to hold once multiple candidates compete directly in the state. Graham Nordone now faces Democrat Annie Andrews, a pediatrician, in November, with the race notable as South Carolina's first-ever matchup guaranteeing a woman senator.