Category: 2022 elections

  • Primary watch: number of contested state legislative primaries is up 30% compared to 2020

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    There are 30% more contested state legislative primaries this year than in 2020, including 62% more Republican primaries and 18% more top-two/four primaries. Democratic primaries are down 9%. These figures include elections in 29 states that account for 3,661 of 6,166 state legislative seats up for election this year (59%). A primary is contested when…

  • Incumbent O’Connor faces challenger Drummond in Republican primary for Oklahoma attorney general

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    Incumbent John O’Connor and Gentner Drummond are running in the Republican primary for attorney general of Oklahoma on June 28. Libertarian candidate Lynda Steele is running in the general election, but no Democratic candidate filed to run, meaning that the winner of the Republican primary will be heavily favored in November. Republicans have held the…

  • Across 10 states, attorneys general have collectively raised $48.4 million this election cycle

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    In the current election cycle across 10 states, attorneys general have collectively raised $48.4 million. Nearly half of that number has come from Josh Shapiro (D-Pa.), who has raised $20.5 million running for governor rather than for re-election. Two other attorneys general—Rob Bonta of California ($8.7 million) and Ken Paxton of Texas ($5.9 million)— have…

  • New York sees increase in state legislative incumbents facing contested primaries this year

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    Fifty-one of the 191 New York state legislators running for re-election this year—46 Democrats and five Republicans—face contested primaries. That equals 27% of incumbents seeking re-election, an increase from previous election cycles. The remaining 73% of incumbents are not facing primary challengers. A contested primary is one where more candidates run than nominations available, meaning…

  • Decade-high 23% of state legislative seats are open so far this year

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    A decade-high 23% of state legislative seats up for election this year are open, meaning no incumbents filed to run. This is based on an analysis of 30 states where Ballotpedia has collected post-filing deadline data in 2022. Open seats typically occur when an incumbent leaves office. In post-redistricting years, it is also common to…

  • 5.4% of state legislative incumbents who filed for re-election have lost in primaries

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    So far this year, 111 state legislative incumbents—18 Democrats and 93 Republicans—have lost to primary challengers. Across the 21 states that have held primaries, 5.4% of incumbents running for re-election have lost, an elevated level of incumbent losses compared to previous cycles. In addition to earlier primaries, these totals include initial results from primary runoffs…

  • Yesli Vega wins Republican primary in VA-07

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    Yesli Vega defeated Derrick Anderson, Bryce Reeves, Crystal Vanuch, and two other candidates in the Republican primary for Virginia’s 7th Congressional District on June 21, 2022. Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D) is running for re-election in the redrawn 7th District. Vega had 29% of the vote to Anderson’s 24%, Reeves’ 20%, and Vanuch’s 17%. At the…

  • Guest faces Cassidy in Republican primary runoff in Mississippi’s 3rd District on June 28, 2022

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    Incumbent Michael Guest (R) and Michael Cassidy (R) are running in a Republican Party primary runoff in Mississippi’s 3rd Congressional District on June 28, 2022, to determine which Republican candidate will run in the district’s general election on Nov. 8, 2022. Guest has represented this district in Congress since 2019. In the June 7 primary,…

  • Allen defeats Zeigler in Republican primary runoff for Alabama secretary of state

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    Wes Allen defeated Jim Zeigler in the Republican primary runoff for Alabama secretary of state on June 21, 2022. Incumbent John Merrill (R) was term-limited. Each candidate said his experience prepared him for the position. Allen was a Pike County Probate Court judge and said he administered more than a dozen elections without error. Zeigler,…

  • Britt wins Republican primary runoff for U.S. Senate in Alabama

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    Katie Britt defeated Mo Brooks in the Republican primary runoff for U.S. Senate in Alabama on June 21, 2022. The pair advanced from a field of six candidates in a May 24 primary. Britt had 63% of the runoff vote to Brooks’ 37%. In the primary, Britt received 45% of the vote and Brooks received…