From Kentucky to Georgia, Primary Night Sparks Surprising Political Shakeups

The country is one step closer to the highly anticipated November election showdown, which is predicted to shake up Congress. After Tuesday’s (May 19) primaries, however, President Donald Trump has already claimed major victory.

All eyes were on last night’s primaries as several Republicans were ousted from their seats, Black candidates became close to making history and redistricting efforts resulted in voter confusion. In case you missed it, here are all the takeaways from primary night!

Trump-backed Ally Beats Thomas Massie

The biggest win for Trump went down in Kentucky when former Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein bested longtime Republican Rep. Thomas Massie. Gallrein’s policies echo Trump’s own beliefs, including strict southern borders– despite Kentucky being over 400 miles away– and ending the “woke agenda.” On the flip side, Massie has drawn a bold line between himself and the president over issues including the administration’s handling of the Epstein files and war in Iran.

Trump was very explicit about his plot to axe Massie. “We got to get rid of this loser,” the president previously told a Kentucky crowd back in March. The Kentucky race also goes down as one of the most expensive House primaries in history, with both Gallrein and Massie shelling out millions to fund their campaigns, according to the Federal Election Commission.

The Black Man Who Could Replace Mitch McConnell

Also in Kentucky, Democrat Charles Booker secured the party nomination for the Senate. The Black man is hoping to flip the Republican seat for the first time since 1999, according to The Hill. He previously lost the Senate race to Sen. Rand Paul in 2022. He’ll face Rep. Andy Barr, the Republican Senate nominee.

Oregon Voters Put Their Foot Down

Folks in Oregon voted no to a gas tax, which would’ve funded the maintenance and operations of public roads and bridges, according to the Associated Press. Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek and Republican Christine Drazan also advanced toward a rematch in the governor’s race.

Keisha Lance Bottoms Takes Back Control

Down in the deep South, former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms won the nomination for governor. If elected, she’d be the first Black female governor in U.S. history and the first Democrat elected to serve as governor of Georgia since 1998.

On the Republican side, a runoff between Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and businessman Rick Jackson is set to take place, according to POLITICO.

Alabama Voters Face Ballot Uncertainty

We previously reported that the Supreme Court’s recent decision on Louisiana v. Callais opened the floodgates for states to redraw their district lines and slash majority-Black districts. Activists warned the racial gerrymander would impact voters across the spectrum, especially in states like Alabama, where the primary elections were already underway.

As a consequence, voters reported much confusion on the days leading up to and on election day, according to the Democracy Docket. Still, elections went on with Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville winning the GOP gubernatorial nomination. He’ll go head-to-head with Democrat Doug Jones in November.

Tuberville and Jones previously faced each other in 2021 during the race for Senate.

Idaho Republicans’ Big Loss

Five members of the Idaho Legislature’s Gang of Eight, an ultra-conservative group in the state, lost their Republican primaries on Tuesday, marking a major blow to the far-right conservative stronghold in the state.

Three other incumbent Republicans– Rep. Tanya Burgoyne, Rep. Mark Sauter and Sen. Jim Woodward– were also met with defeat in their respective bids.

Black Man All But Wins Pennsylvania House Seat

In Pennsylvania, Democrats backed by Gov. Josh Shapiro won several competitive congressional primaries. State Rep. Chris Rabb, a Black man, secured the Democratic nomination. During a victory speech, the progressive became emotional.

“I have been critiqued along this campaign for being too radical, being too bold. They ain’t seen nothing yet.” he said. “This is just the beginning because I see you. I see you. I know what we’re capable of. I see your beauty. I see your power.”