Voters in Georgia and Pennsylvania went to the polls Tuesday for primaries that could shape control of Congress and the governor's mansions in both states heading into November.
In Georgia, the most watched race was the Republican Senate primary to determine who will face Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff, whom ABC News describes as one of the most vulnerable Democratic senators on the map this year. The top contenders included Reps. Mike Collins and Buddy Carter and former football coach Derek Dooley. Trump had not made an endorsement in the race.
The Georgia governor's race on the Republican side drew more than $100 million in spending on attack ads, driven largely by the contest between billionaire businessman Rick Jackson and Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, who carries Trump's endorsement. According to AdImpact, the Georgia gubernatorial primary is the third-most expensive on record.
According to ABC News, the Supreme Court's decision in Louisiana v. Callais limiting the Voting Rights Act has raised the stakes in the governor's race. Republicans in Georgia have indicated a desire to draw new congressional maps under that ruling, and a Democrat in the governor's office would carry veto power over any maps passed by the GOP-controlled state legislature.
The Democratic gubernatorial field includes former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, former DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond, former Republican Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, and former Georgia state Sen. Jason Esteves. Also in the Republican field are current Attorney General Chris Carr and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, who drew national attention for contesting Trump's 2020 election fraud claims.
In Pennsylvania, Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro ran unopposed in his primary as he seeks a second term. Republican Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity, also unopposed, will face him in November. Shapiro has drawn speculation as a future presidential candidate.
Down the ballot in Pennsylvania, contested House primaries could influence which party controls the chamber after November. Democrats are targeting four Republican-held districts in the state but face primary contests in three of them first. In Philadelphia's 3rd District, Democratic voters are choosing a nominee to replace retiring Rep. Dwight Evans, with no Republicans on the ballot.
