Four states hold primaries on Tuesday with key races you should have on your radar

While the presidential race captures the nation’s attention, the next set of primary elections is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 6, in Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, and Washington. Here are some of the key congressional races to watch in each state.

Kansas: U.S. House seats

2nd Congressional District

Five Republicans and two Democrats are running in Kansas’ 2nd Congressional District after two-term U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner, R-KS announced he would not seek reelection in April.The leading GOP candidates in a solidly conservative seat are former state attorney general Derek Schmidt, former LaTurner aide Jeff Kahrs, rancher Shawn Tiffany, veteran Michael Ogle, and Chad Young. Schmidt and Kahrs lead the others in campaign contributions, according to the Associated Press.

Former U.S. Rep. Nancy Boyda and former University of Kansas basketball player Matt Kleinmann face off in the Democratic primary.

Kansas’s 2nd Congressional District leans Republican, voting for former President Donald Trump by over 55% in 2016 and 2020.

3rd Congressional District

In Kansas’ 3rd Congressional District, Republican physician Prasanth Reddy and small business owner Karen Crnkovich are facing off to challenge the state’s lone Democratic member of Congress, Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kans. Reddy currently leads Crnkovich in fundraising.

The swing district, which is part of the Kansas City metropolitan area, went for Trump in 2016 but for President Joe Biden in 2020. Davids has served for three terms and won reelection in 2022 with 55% of the vote.

Michigan: U.S. Senate seat

There’s a rare opening for a U.S. Senate seat after Sen. Debbie Stabenow announced her retirement and a crowded field has sprung up to fill it.

More: Here's a breakdown on Michigan's big congressional races in '24

Two Democrats and four Republicans are battling it out in the primary for their party’s nomination.

On the Democratic side, Hill Harper, businessman, author, and probably most recognized for his acting roles in T.V. shows like “The Good Doctor” and “CSI: N.Y.,” is running against first-term U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, a former intelligence official and acting assistant secretary in the Defense Department who currently represents Michigan’s 7th Congressional District. Slotkin is expected to win.

The Republican primary is leading with former Rep. Mike Rogers against ex-Congressman Justin Amash and physician Sherry O’Donnell, a former congressional candidate.

Michigan: U.S. House races

Democrats currently hold the majority of Michigan’s congressional delegation, 7-6, but seats are up for grabs in several districts that could decide control of the U.S. House.

In the 3rd District, Republicans Paul Hudson and Michael Markey are running for the chance to challenge incumbent Democratic first-term U.S. Rep. Hillary Scholten, who has her own primary challenger in Salim Al-Shatel but is favored to win.

In the 8th District, U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Mich., is stepping down from Congress this year after six terms. Three Democrats and three Republicans are running in their respective primaries.

In the 10th District, Democrat Carl Marlinga, Emily Busch, Tiffany Tilley, and Diane Young are vying for the Democratic nomination against Republican Rep. John James. James barely beat out Marlinga in this race two years ago.

Missouri: U.S. House seats

Democratic incumbent Rep. Cori Bush is expected to have a run for her money against St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell in the party’s primary for Missouri’s 1st District.

Bell, who has backing from pro-Israel groups, is attacking Bush, who is being framed as a partisan disruption to Democratic cooperation in the House. A member of “The Squad” made up of progressive congressional Democrats, if Bush falls short of votes, she would be the second ouster following New York Rep. Jamaal Bowman’s stunning upset in June.

Two other Democrats, Maria Chappelle-Nadal and Ron Harshaw, will also appear on the Democratic ballot. Five candidates are on the Republican primary ballot.

Washington

Left-leaning Washington state will see contested primaries for its fifth and sixth congressional districts as the current representatives in each, GOP Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Democrat Rep. Derek Kilmer, respectively, are retiring.

In the 8th District, centrist Democrat Rep. Kim Schrier faces disruption from a new candidate focused on the Israel-Hamas conflict. Meanwhile, in the 3rd District, Trump-endorsed Joe Kent is looking to unseat Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez in what appears to be a tightly contested race.

Washington has a nonpartisan primary system in which all candidates appear on the same ballot regardless of party, and the top two finishers in the race advance to the general election.

3rd Congressional District

Two years ago, Democrat Gluesenkamp Perez pulled off a major upset by winning a congressional seat against Trump-backed candidate Joe Kent in a district that hadn’t voted Democratic in over a decade. Now, with Trump’s endorsement again, Kent is back to reclaim the seat in Washington’s southwest corner. However, he faces strong competition from former King County Prosecutor Leslie Lewallen, who has raised $820,000 compared to Kent’s nearly $1.4 million. Lewallen focuses on crime and homelessness, criticizing both Gluesenkamp Perez and Kent for being too extreme.

Gluesenkamp Perez has outpaced her challengers with $6.7 million in fundraising. She supports abortion access and climate change policies while advocating for increased border security to combat the fentanyl crisis. Kent, a former Green Beret who has called for President Biden’s impeachment, accuses Gluesenkamp Perez of pretending to be a moderate.

4th Congressional District

U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse faces Trump-endorsed Jerrod Sessler and former nurse Tiffany Smiley in Washington’s reddest congressional district, spanning from the Canadian border to the Columbia River. Newhouse, one of the few Republicans who voted to impeach Trump, focuses on agriculture and border security, key issues for a district reliant on immigrant labor.

Sessler, a Navy veteran and ex-NASCAR driver, proudly embraces Trump’s endorsement, while Smiley criticizes Newhouse’s stance on Trump. Newhouse has raised $1.6 million, outpacing Smiley and Sessler combined.

5th Congressional District

Ten candidates are battling to succeed McMorris Rogers, who has served in Congress for two decades, in the Fifth District, a Republican-leaning district encompassing the eastern third of the state and Spokane.

Six Republicans and four Democrats are competing for the top two spots to advance to the November ballot. (A fifth Democrat, Bobbi Bennett-Wolcott, will also appear on the ballot despite dropping out in July.) Republican Spokane Country treasurer and former state Sen. Michael Baumgartner is the race’s top fundraiser, while OBGYN Dr. Bernadine Bank holds a slight lead over the Democratic candidates in campaign contributions.

6th Congressional District

In Washington's Sixth Congressional District, 5 candidates are vying to replace retiring Rep. Derek Kilmer (D). This includes state senators Emily Randall (D) and Drew MacEwen (R), Washington Public Lands Commissioner Hilary Franz (D), and independent Graham Ralston. Each one brings a different perspective on addressing the district's challenges, including rising living costs, economic development, and healthcare shortages.

Franz, with a strong background in public lands and housing, advocates for increased housing production, support for workers' rights, and enhanced Medicare benefits. Randall emphasizes economic policies that support the middle class, clean energy investments, and expanding healthcare access. MacEwen focuses on reducing government spending, enhancing infrastructure, and addressing healthcare facility closures. Ralston, as an independent, stresses curbing inflation and expanding healthcare infrastructure while leveraging the district's natural beauty to boost the economy.8th Congressional District

U.S. Rep Kim Schrier (D) is facing competition from both the left and right as she looks to retain Washington’s 8th congressional district. Imraan Siddiqi (D), the executive director of the Washington chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, is critical of Schrier's response to the Gaza crisis. Meanwhile Republican Carmen Goers. a commercial banker and former military spouse, focuses on issues like inflation, mental health care, and rural health care access.

Schrier, the district's first Democrat representative, emphasizes her bipartisan track record and commitment to healthcare and abortion rights.  As the primary approaches, the more moderate incumbent hopes that a significant fundraising advantage will propel her to the finish line.

This article originally appeared on St. Cloud Times: Key races to watch across four state primary elections on Tuesday