It was another week of competitive primary contests, as voters from Nevada, Maine, South Carolina, and North Dakota headed to the polls to narrow the field of candidates for the Fall.
Maine
Governor
Several candidates competed in both the Democratic and Republican primaries to replace term-limited Governor Janet Mills (D), who ran for a U.S. Senate seat but unofficially withdrew.
Maine’s statewide primaries operate using ranked-choice voting, in which voters can rank their candidates by preference rather than choose a single candidate. If a candidate wins a majority of voters’ first-choice votes, they are declared the winner. But if no one gets more than 50 percent, that can trigger additional rounds of tabulation. The last-place candidates are eliminated, and their votes are redistributed to those voters’ next-ranked choice. That process repeats until one candidate secures more than 50 percent and wins the election.
Neither a Republican nor Democratic candidate is on track to win more than 50 percent of first-choice votes, so a ranked-choice tabulation is required to decide the winner of each primary. Results may not be determined for days.
The Democratic primary included Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, former State Senate President Troy Jackson, former State Representative Hannah Pingree, and former Principal Deputy Director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Nirav Shah.
Shah leads first-choice votes with 26.7%. Born in Wisconsin, he attended medical and law school at the University of Chicago. Shah worked as a healthcare lawyer before leading the Illinois Department of Public Health and later the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention. He was tapped to be the CDC’s second in command by the Biden Administration and is now a faculty member at Colby College. His campaign platform includes addressing the state’s environment, improving the education system, supporting small businesses, and lowering costs for Maine families.
Pingree sits in second place with 23.2% of first-choice votes. She served in the Maine House from 2002 to 2010 representing District 36. In 2008 she became the youngest woman in the nation to serve as Speaker of the House. In 2019 Pingree was tapped to lead Governor Mills’ Office of Policy Innovation and the Future. Priorities for her gubernatorial platform include affordability, healthcare, housing, climate and energy, and education.
Jackson has secured 21.2% of first-choice votes. He served in the Maine Senate from 2016 to 2024. After Democrats gained the majority in the 2018 election, Jackson was chosen to be Senate President, a position he occupied until his departure. He also served three terms in the Maine House. Jackson has received endorsements from 40 local labor unions across the state of Maine, as well as high profile national progressives like U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and U.S. Congressman Ro Khanna (D-CA). If elected governor, his plans include measures to champion Maine workers, regulate artificial intelligence, and address electricity rate hikes and housing affordability.
On the Republican side, former assistant secretary of state at the U.S. State Department's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Bobby Charles leads with 37.5% of first round votes. Charles worked in the Reagan White House from 1981 to 1983. He also worked briefly in the George H. W. Bush White House. Charles was a Naval Intelligence Officer from 1998 to 2009. He is currently President and Managing Member of The Charles Group, LLC, a D.C.- based consulting firm. If elected governor, he plans to reduce crime, institute policies on homelessness, reduce taxes, and hold government accountable.
Attorney General/Treasurer
The Maine Attorney General and State Treasurer are selected through a unique process where the state legislature elects the officials by secret ballot during a joint session, one of the first tasks of each newly sworn-in legislature. Both offices serve a two-year term and are subject to a strict limit of four consecutive terms.
Legislature
All 35 senate seats and all 151 house seats are up for reelection this year. Fifteen (15) Senate incumbents are retiring along with 54 in the House. These include House Minority Leader Billy Bob Faulkingham (R), who is running for a seat in the State Senate. Democrats have held majorities in both chambers since 2019 and are expected to retain control post-November.
Nevada
Governor
Yesterday's primary set the stage for what promises to be a competitive general election, with Governor Joe Lombardo (R) fending off six Republican challengers and six Democrats appearing on the ballot. With no presidential or U.S. Senate seat on the ballot this cycle, Nevada's gubernatorial contest has drawn considerable attention and is shaping up to be one of the more closely watched governor's contests of 2026.
Unsurprisingly, Lombardo secured the Republican nomination, earning 91% of the vote. The seat last changed hands in 2022, when Lombardo became the only challenger in the nation to unseat an incumbent governor that cycle, defeating Governor Steve Sisolak (D) by 1.5 percentage points. Before elected office, Lombardo served as Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Sheriff from 2015 to 2022, having spent the previous 26 years as an officer on the force. He is running on his gubernatorial record, highlighting historic education funding investments, charter school expansion, tax reductions for businesses, permanent pay raises for teachers and law enforcement, and his championing of the Nevada Housing Access and Attainability Act.
Attorney General Aaron Ford advanced from the Democratic primary with 64% of the vote. Ford has held the office since 2019, when he narrowly won by 0.4 percentage points, and later secured reelection in 2022. Prior to serving as attorney general, Ford represented District 11 in the Nevada State Senate, where he held leadership roles including Senate Majority Leader, Minority Leader, and Assistant Majority Whip. His campaign platform centers on relieving medical debt, expanding access to clean and affordable energy, banning the use of algorithms and AI to set rental prices, growing Nevada's rental assistance programs, enacting comprehensive insurance approval reform, and expanding early childhood education.
The Cook Political Report has rated this race as a toss-up while Sabato’s Crystal Ball rated it as Lean Republican.
Attorney General
The Nevada Attorney General seat is open after two-term incumbent Aaron Ford (D) reached his term limit and opted to seek the Democratic nomination for governor. Historically viewed as a springboard to higher office, the position drew four serious candidates, two from each party, setting the stage for competitive primaries on both sides.
Douglas County Commissioner Danny Tarkanian and former Cannabis Compliance Board Chair and Trump-endorsed Adriana Guzmán Fralick each made their case to Republican voters hoping to flip the seat. Fralick easily defeated Tarkanian securing approximately 60% of the vote. She has a deep resume in Nevada government, serving as Legal Counsel to the Nevada Commission on Ethics, General Counsel to Governor Jim Gibbons (R), Assistant General Counsel to the Public Utilities Commission, and Executive Secretary to the Nevada Gaming Control Board and Nevada Gaming Commission. Her priorities for office include passing the SAVE Nevada Act, which would end universal mail-in balloting and eliminate automatic voter registration, as well as stronger enforcement of restraining orders, improved school safety, greater government transparency, and expanded support for law enforcement.
The Democratic contest drew significant attention and significant spending. The race between Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro and State Treasurer Zach Conine generated the highest level of ad spending of any Democratic primary in the state this cycle, reflecting both candidates' statewide profiles and the seat's perceived importance heading into November. In the end, Cannizzaro advanced to the general election after receiving approximately 60% of the vote.
Cannizzaro has represented District 6 in the Nevada Senate since 2016 and made history in 2019 when she became the first woman elected as Senate Majority Leader. Before entering elected office, she spent eleven years as a prosecutor with the Clark County District Attorney's Office, experience she has leaned on heavily in making the case for her candidacy. Her campaign priorities include protecting children online, supporting law enforcement, enforcing wage and benefit laws, defending public lands, and opposing federal overreach by the Trump administration.
Nevada has a long history of competitive statewide races, and this fall's attorney general contest is expected to reflect this precedent.
Treasurer
The State Treasurer's office is open this cycle, as incumbent Zach Conine is term-limited. On the Republican side, financial investor and businessman Jeff Carter and think tank founder Drew Johnson are vying for the nomination. The race has yet to be called.
Carter brings an extensive financial background to the race, having spent 25 years as a professional trader and market maker in interest rate futures and agricultural markets on the floor of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. He also founded a venture fund focused on early-stage B2B fintech companies. His campaign priorities include modernizing the state treasury, protecting public pensions, and increasing government transparency and accountability. Johnson prides himself on his abilities to uncover government waste and has made appearances on national news programs on Fox, BBC, NPR, and CNN. His campaign priorities centered around financial literacy, refinancing state bonds, and reducing what he deems as government waste.
Three Democrats competed for their party's nomination: Deputy State Treasurer Tya Mathis-Coleman, State Assemblymember Joe Dalia, and Jay Maharjan. Mathis-Coleman secured the Democratic nomination with 55% of the vote. In her current role as deputy treasurer, she leads the College Savings Division. Her platform focuses on economic security for all Nevadans, expanding college savings and financial education opportunities, and ensuring the long-term fiscal health of the state.
Legislature
All 42 assembly seats and 11 of 21 senate seats are on the ballot this cycle. Democrats are expected to retain control of both chambers heading into the next legislative session. Current Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager (D) and Floor Leader Sandra Jauregui (D) announced their retirements earlier this year.
South Carolina
Governor
Incumbent Governor Henry McMaster (R) is term limited and cannot seek reelection. With a wide-open seat for the first time in over a decade, South Carolina’s Republican primary proved a contentious affair with no clear frontrunner ahead of election day. The primary featured seven candidates: Lt. Governor Pamela Evette, Congresswoman Nancy Mace, Congressman Ralph Norman, Attorney General Alan Wilson, businessman Ron Reddy, State Senator Josh Kimbrell, and Jacqueline Hicks DuBose. Both Kimbrell and DuBose unofficially withdrew from the race but still appeared on the ballot. Polls showed a tight race between Evette and Wilson, with Norman, Mace, and Reddy splitting a handful votes amongst themselves and a large block of voters left undecided.
Neither Evette nor Wilson received the majority of votes on Tuesday night and will go head-to-head in a runoff election on June 23.
While Evette received key endorsements from President Trump and Governor McMaster, they did not prove enough to push her past the majority threshold. First elected Lt. Governor in 2019, Evette has been a staunch ally of Trump during her time in office, championing his America First agenda to slash red tape, secure US borders, decrease violent crime, and expand access to energy sources. Prior to her time in office, Evette founded Quality Business Solutions, a payroll, HR, and benefits services firm. She is also a trained accountant and served on South Carolina’s Small Business Regulatory Review Committee prior to taking office. Evette’s campaign centers “Putting South Carolina First” prioritizing issues that strengthen the economy and workforce, champion small businesses, secure elections, and hold elected officials accountable.
Wilson has served as Attorney General of South Carolina since 2010 where he has worked to strengthen public safety and defend the state constitution against federal overreach. He has worked to crack down on violent crime in the state, launching the Violent Crimes Case Reduction Unit and hiring additional prosecutors and victim advocates to fill the state’s backlog. Wilson is also strong supporter of President Trump, defending Trump’s executive orders against legal challenges. In May 2021, he was elected as Chairman of the Republican Attorneys General Association. Prior to his time as attorney general, Wilson served as an Assistant Solicitor and Assistant Attorney General. Wilson’s platform centers conservative values and will prioritize strengthening public safety, making the state affordable again, defending constitutional freedoms, reducing wasteful spending and fraud within the state government, and aligning with the president and an America First Agenda.
The Democratic primary for governor featured three candidates: South Carolina Representative Jermaine Johnson, attorney Mullin McLeod, and businessman Billy Webster.
Johnson won the party’s nomination with approximately 59%. In 2020, he defeated a 22-year incumbent, former state Representative Jimmy Bales (D), to secure his seat in the state House of Representatives. He currently sits on the Labor, Commerce, and Industry Committee and previously served as the chair of the House Legislative Oversight Committee. His career experience includes working as a consultant, business investor, and global career development facilitator. He currently runs his own consulting firm, Dream Team Consulting Firm, and serves as an adjunct professor at Midlands Technical College. His campaign prioritizes issues related to affordability, strengthening infrastructure, improving the education system, and expanding access to healthcare.
The Cook Political Report and Sabato’s Crystal Ball label this race as Safe Republican.
Attorney General
Incumbent Attorney General Alan Wilson threw his hat in the race for governor, leaving the seat open for the first time in almost 15 years. Three candidates competed in Tuesday’s primary: South Carolina Senator Stephen Goldfinch Jr., attorney David Pascoe, and solicitor David Stumbo.
Neither Goldfinch or Stumbo secured the majority of votes and will compete in a runoff election on June 23.
Goldfinch founded a Charleston-based biotechnology company. He later went on to earn his law degree at the Charleston School of Law. He currently practices at his firm, Stephen Goldfinch Attorney at Law, focusing on civil, criminal, estate, and probate litigation. Goldfinch was first elected to the state House of Representatives in 2013 and later elected to the state Senate in 2016. His campaign prioritizes cracking down on violent crime, enforcing immigration laws, pushing back against federal overreach, and defending and strengthening conservative values.
Stumbo is currently serving his fourth term as Solicitor for the Eight Judicial Circuit of South Carolina. Prior to being elected, he served as supervising prosecutor for the Statewide Grand Jury and Criminal Prosecution Divisions in the Attorney General’s Office. His campaign centers strengthening community safety, supporting law enforcement, defending constitutional rights, and protecting religious freedom.
With Richard Hricik being the only Democratic candidate declared by the filing deadline, the Democratic primary for Attorney General was cancelled and Hricik automatically advanced to the general election. Hricik brings more than 30 years as a trial and appellate attorney where he has litigated wrongful death, serious personal injury, and constitutional civil rights violations. He currently serves as an attorney to assist the office of disciplinary counsel where he helps investigate attorney misconduct.
Treasurer
The Republican primary for Treasurer was cancelled as incumbent Curtis Loftis was the only candidate declared by the filing deadline. He automatically advances to the general election where he will face (Coe/Robertson). First elected in 2010, Loftis is vying for a fifth consecutive term in office. Throughout his time in office, he has advocated for greater accountability, transparency, and fiscal management. His campaign builds upon his accomplishments in office where he has worked to return millions in unclaimed funds to residents and has more than quadrupled to size of the Future Scholar 529 College Savings Plan.
Vincent Coe and Trav Robertson Jr. competed in the Democratic primary for treasurer. Coe won the party’s nomination with 56% of the vote. Coe is a seasoned financial professional, trained lawyer, and public servant. He currently serves as Vice President and Fair Lending & Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) Officer at a Greenville-based regional bank. As a certified Risk Compliance Manager (CRCM) and FINRA Arbitrator, he has advised banks and financial institutions on regulatory compliance, risk management, and growth throughout his career. Following the 2008 financial crisis, Coe received the Mission Achievement Award from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation for his work in restoring confidence in financial institutions. His campaign priorities include restoring transparency to the treasury, ending political investing, renegotiating Wall Street contracts, and investing in local government.
Legislature
All 124 state house seats are up for election. A total of six house incumbents did not file for reelection, including Jermaine Johnson who won the Democratic nomination for governor. District 99, a seat currently held by Mark Smith (R) who is advancing to the Republican primary runoff for US House District 1, will head to a Republican primary runoff on June 23. The top two candidates of the night, Jarrod Brooks and Kristy Gore, will compete for the Republican nomination. The state senate is not on the ballot this year.
North Dakota
Attorney General
With no Republican primary challenger, incumbent Attorney General Drew Wrigley (R) is poised for a second term. Wrigley first assumed the Attorney General Office in 2022, after being appointed by former Governor Doug Burgum (D) following the death of former Attorney General Wayne Stenehjm (R). (Wrigley subsequently won the 2022 race in his own right.) Prior to the office, Wrigley had a long career in public service where he served as North Dakota U.S. District Attorney from 2001 to 2009 and as the Lieutenant Governor of North Dakota from 2010 to 2016. His campaign is running on the accomplishments from his first term in office, including increasing transparency and accountability for the office and reducing the backlog of tests at the state’s crime lab.
Grand Forks attorney Tim Lamb was the only Democrat to announce this year. In 2024, he ran for North Dakota State Auditor, losing to incumbent State Auditor Josh Gallion. Lamb also ran for attorney general back in 2022 losing to his upcoming general election competitor Attorney General Wrigley.
Legislature
Twenty-four (24) of 47 state senate seats and 47 of 94 house seats are up for reelection. Two senate incumbents did not file for reelection, including Minority Leader Kathy Hogan (D). Seventeen (17) house incumbents are retiring, including Majority Leader Mike Lefor (R) and Minority Leader Zac Ista (D). Republicans will likely maintain their supermajorities in both chambers.