Author: Douglas Kronaizl

  • Percentage of New Mexico state legislative incumbents facing primaries at its highest since 2014

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    Twelve of the 57 New Mexico state legislators running for re-election—eight Democrats and four Republicans—face contested primaries. That equals 21% of incumbents seeking re-election, the highest rate since 2014. The remaining 45% of incumbents are not facing primary challengers. While there are fewer incumbents in contested primaries this year than in 2020 (12, down from…

  • Prosecutors, public defender running in primary for Office 67 of the Superior Court of Los Angeles county

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    Three candidates—Fernanda Maria Barreto, Ryan Dibble, and Elizabeth Lashley-Haynes—are running in the nonpartisan primary for Office 67 of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County. The top two vote-getters will advance to the November general election. While the race is officially nonpartisan, meaning candidates will appear on the ballot without party labels, all three candidates…

  • Rate of state legislative incumbents facing contested primaries in Georgia at its highest since 2014

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    Image of the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta, Georgia.

    Sixty-three of the 188 Georgia state legislators running for re-election this year—27 Democrats and 36 Republicans—face contested primaries. That equals 34% of incumbents seeking re-election, the highest rate since 2014. The remaining 66% of incumbents are not facing primary challengers. A contested primary is one where more candidates are running than there are nominations available.…

  • Newcomers will represent 31% of Iowa’s state legislative districts next year

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    Forty-six state legislative districts up for election this year in Iowa are open, meaning no incumbents filed to run. That equals 33% of the 134 districts up for election and 31% of all 150 districts in the Iowa General Assembly. Since no incumbents are present, newcomers to the assembly are guaranteed to win open districts.…

  • 29 SCOTUS decisions down, 35 to go

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    Welcome to the Friday, May 20, Brew.  By: Douglas Kronaizl Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day: Looking at the two most recent SCOTUS decisions Arkansas’ upcoming statewide primaries #FridayTrivia: How many U.S. House incumbents have lost in primaries so far? Looking at the two most recent SCOTUS decisions The Supreme…

  • Percentage of Arizona state legislative incumbents facing primaries at its highest since 2014

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    Twenty-eight of the 51 Arizona state legislators running for re-election this year—nine Democrats and 17 Republicans—face contested primaries. That equals 55% of incumbents seeking re-election, the highest rate since 2014. The remaining 45% of incumbents are not facing primary challengers. Twenty-eight incumbents is, by itself, the largest number of incumbents in contested primaries since 2014.…

  • 4.7% of state legislative incumbents who filed for re-election have lost in primaries

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    So far this year, 44 state legislative incumbents—11 Democrats and 33 Republicans—have lost to primary challengers. Across the nine states that have held primaries, 4.7% of incumbents running for re-election have lost. This is both the largest number and highest incumbent loss rate in these nine states since 2014. So far this year, the loss…

  • Twenty-six incumbents face contested primaries in California, down from recent cycles

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    Twenty-six of the 69 California state legislators running for re-election this year—21 Democrats and five Republicans—face contested primaries. This is fewer than the 37 incumbents in contested primaries in 2018 and 2020, but more than in earlier cycles. California began using top-two primaries in 2012, where every candidate, regardless of party affiliation, appears on the…

  • Foushee wins Democratic primary for North Carolina’s open 4th Congressional District

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    State Sen. Valerie Foushee defeated Durham County Commissioner Nida Allam, Clay Aiken, and five other candidates to win the Democratic primary for North Carolina’s open 4th Congressional District on May 17, 2022. Incumbent Rep. David Price (D)—first elected in 1986, defeated in 1994, and re-elected in 1996—did not seek re-election. This is the first year…

  • Primary watch: number of contested state legislative primaries is up 41% compared to 2020

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    The number of contested state legislative primaries is up 41% this year compared to 2020. Democratic primaries are down 6%, Republican primaries are up 76%, and top-two/four primaries are up 18%. These figures include data from 16 states that account for 1,850 of the 6,166 state legislative seats up for election this year (30%). A…