Primary

• New York City voters will cast ballots this Tuesday in a House primary that has become a proxy war between the AI industry and safety advocacy groups. • The conflict centers on candidates like Bores, who proposed the RAISE (Responsible AI Safety and Education) Act to mandate that AI firms disclose safety protocols and report incidents. • Tech-backed organizations are opposing such candidates, arguing that strict regulations will stifle innovation and limit the potential benefits of artificial intelligence.

AI-focused Super Pacs are spending heavily in midterms, and nearly half has gone to a single Manhattan district raceThe artificial intelligence industry is spending heavily in the 2026 midterms, hoping to secure influence over the technology’s first generation of legislation – and New York City’s primary has emerged as the key battleground.AI-focused Super Pacs have raised roughly $100m this cycle, of which $44m has been spent so far, in dozens of congressional races across the country. Nearly half of all spending has converged on a single Manhattan race: Tuesday’s Democratic primary in the district of NY-12.Will Craft and Andrew Witherspoon contributed reporting Continue reading...

Republican primary runoff voters chose US representative Mike Collins to face Ossoff in November Hello and welcome to the US politics live blog.Donald Trump’s pick to face rising Democratic star Jon Ossoff in Georgia’s midterm election for senator later this year swept to victory last night.Donald Trump laid into Benjamin Netanyahu, telling a news conference at the G7 summit in France that the Israeli prime minister “has to be more responsible with respect to Lebanon”.The Republican-led US Senate on Tuesday narrowly failed to advance a war powers resolution introduced by Democrats that would have directed the president to end hostilities with Iran, by a vote of 48-47.The justice department announced charges against five men for an alleged plot to carry out an attack to kill government officials at the White House UFC event on Sunday.Kash Patel, the FBI director, reportedly surprised and angered US Secret Service officials by announcing an alleged plot to attack the White House UFC event on social media early Tuesday before about 10 suspects had been arrested. Continue reading...

• Representative Barry Moore has won the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate seat in Oklahoma, securing the nomination with the backing of President Trump. • Moore successfully defeated Jared Hudson, a political newcomer who attempted to win the seat through a conservative grassroots campaign. • The election was triggered by Senator Tommy Tuberville vacating his seat to run for governor of Oklahoma.

• Representative Barry Moore, endorsed by President Trump, won the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate seat in Oklahoma. • Moore defeated Jared Hudson, a political newcomer who ran a conservative grassroots campaign to challenge the incumbent. • The election was triggered by Senator Tommy Tuberville vacating his seat to run for governor of Oklahoma.

Race set to test Donald Trump’s iron grip on the Republican partySign up for the Breaking News US emailHello and welcome to the US politics live blog.Races for the Senate and governor in Oklahoma in primary elections begins today, as Donald Trump’s iron grip on the Republican party faces its next test.The United States and Iran have signed a memo of understanding giving them 60 days to find a way out of the war. The terms of the deal, which has not been publicly released, remain unclear. Vice-president JD Vance called the 1.5-page MOU a “very general document” whose details will be ironed out in the coming weeks of negotiations.The future of the strait of Hormuz remains cloudy. US officials have offered conflicting forecasts for the future of the straight, with Trump saying that by the end of the week it “will be completely open,” while other officials say it may take longer for shipping to return to something approximating the pre-war status quo. Iran foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghei, however, told reporters that Iran may still charge fees to pass through the straight.Trump is in Évian-les-Bains, France, to attend the G7 summit, where Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy is hoping world leaders will help him find a way out of his country’s four-year war. He spoke with Donald Trump ahead of the G7 meeting, which Russian leader Vladimir Putin is also attending.California govenor Gavin Newsom is accusing Trump of directing the US justice department to investigate him and his wife. Newsom, a prominent Democrat, tweeted that Trump was coming after him because he is considering running for the president. Continue reading...

• North Dakota is conducting its primary elections for the office of Attorney General for the 2026 cycle. • Simultaneously, Maine's gubernatorial race is moving toward ranked-choice voting tallies for both primary contests. • These elections are critical for determining the party nominees who will compete in the general elections.

• Nevada is currently conducting its 2026 Governor primary elections, with live vote counting underway for both Republican and Democratic candidates across various counties. • Simultaneously, Maine's gubernatorial primaries have progressed to ranked-choice voting tallies to determine the final nominees. • These elections are critical for determining which candidates will advance to the general election to lead their respective states.

Nancy Lacore, ousted by Pete Hegseth last year, heads to a run-off in race for Nancy Mace’s seatUS politics live – latest updatesA three-star navy rear-admiral fired by Pete Hegseth last year in the defense secretary’s purge of senior US military officials advanced to a Democratic run-off in a closely-watched congressional race in South Carolina.Nancy Lacore, who served 35 years in the navy, was chief of the navy reserve when she was ousted by Hegseth in August. Continue reading...

• Maine is conducting its 2026 Senate primary elections to determine the Republican and Democratic nominees for the U.S. Senate. • Live results are being tracked and reported by candidate and township as votes are officially counted. • These primaries are critical for establishing which party candidates will compete in the general election to represent Maine in the Senate.

• North Dakota is conducting its primary election for the Secretary of State position in 2026. • Live results are being tracked to determine which candidates will advance to the general election. • This process is critical for deciding who will oversee the state's elections and business filings.

Outcome of polls in four states offer mixed signals about direction of two major parties before November’s midtermsProgressives rallied round the controversial Graham Platner after his primary victory in Maine on Tuesday, while Donald Trump again exerted his grip on the Republican party, helping defeat a politician who pushed for the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files.Primary elections were held in four states – Maine, Nevada, North Dakota and South Carolina – ahead of November’s midterms to decide control of both houses of Congress. The results offered mixed signals about the direction of the two major parties. Continue reading...

• South Carolina is holding its 2026 governor's primary elections to determine the Republican and Democratic nominees for the state's highest office. • This marks the first open governor's race since 2010, as incumbent Republican Governor Henry McMaster is barred from seeking another term due to term limits. • The Republican field is highly competitive and crowded, featuring Trump-backed Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, the state attorney general, and two members of Congress.

• NBC News is providing live coverage and maps for the 2026 South Carolina House District 5 primary election. • The reporting includes updates on state, county, and district-level results as votes are tallied. • In a related political development, Rep. Sarah McBride has publicly mocked Rep. Nancy Mace following Mace's failure to advance in the South Carolina governor's race.

Platner, whose campaign was hit by series of negative headlines, to face Susan Collins in key midterm contest Graham Platner, a Marine veteran, oyster farmer and progressive activist, has scaled a mountain of personal controversies to win the Democratic nomination for the US Senate in Maine.Victory on Tuesday caps a remarkable rise for a candidate who has never held elected office and whose campaign was shadowed by negative headlines that might have ended a more conventional political career. Continue reading...

• Maine is conducting its 2026 gubernatorial primary elections to determine the Republican and Democratic nominees. • Live results are being tracked and reported by candidate and township as votes are counted across the state. • These primaries are critical for narrowing the field of candidates before the general election.

Oysterman and marine veteran favored to win Democratic primary amid a string of controversiesVoters are headed to the polls on Tuesday for primary elections that include a crucial Senate race involving the scandal-haunted Graham Platner.In Maine, Platner is favored to win the Democratic primary after his main opponent, former governor Janet Mills suspended her campaign. Incumbent senator Susan Collins remains safely at the top of the Republican ticket – just slightly behind newcomer Platner’s lead in polling. Continue reading...

All eyes on US Senate race as Graham Platner, embroiled in controversy, is set to advance as Democratic nomineeVoters in Maine head to the polls on Tuesday for one of the most closely watched primary elections in the country. The US Senate race has become a national fixation as Democrats try to unseat a longtime Republican with a political newcomer who has spent months under fire.Graham Platner, 41, is set to advance as the Democratic nominee for the Senate, after his primary rival – the state’s two-term governor, Janet Mills – suspended her campaign in April. The primary result will likely set up a months-long run-up between Platner, an oysterman and marine veteran with a groundswell of popularity and a mounting list of scandals, and Susan Collins, a 73-year-old Republican senator who has held the seat for nearly three decades. Continue reading...

Silicon Valley is fighting against regulation, taxes and growth of AI and will benefit from having political leverageSilicon Valley had a big night in California’s primary election, proving that the tens of millions of dollars funding candidates across the state was money well spent. While the tech industry’s preferred candidate for governor came in a scant sixth place, donations to smaller elections proved to be a successful strategy.Tech billionaires have in past months thrown their full weight into politics as the industry fights regulations, taxation and promotes the unfettered growth of artificial intelligence. Getting the right candidates in office, especially in its home turf of California, is existential. With favorable candidates, tech companies can gain both political and regulatory leverage to maintain their dominance in business. Continue reading...

• South Korean citizens began casting their ballots early Wednesday morning in critical nationwide local elections. • The elections serve as the first major referendum on the progressive administration of President Lee Jae Myung. • International and regional experts are closely monitoring the results to gauge public support for the current government's policies.

• Primary election races are currently unfolding across six states, including New Jersey, California, and Iowa, as candidates advance toward midterm battles. • In separate political developments, Senator Marco Rubio is engaging with lawmakers to answer critical questions regarding government policy. • The Trump administration is weighing a decision to relocate certain groups to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, despite the region's severe humanitarian crisis.

Mixed picture emerges from races across the US, as Trump’s pick fails in Iowa. Plus: Jill Biden speaks about her husband’s decision to drop out of the 2024 electionGood morning. It has been a night of drama as crucial election results have unfolded – or not – across the US.In California, the crucial race for governor remains too close to call. With mountains of ballots left to count, the Republican Steve Hilton was leading the field with the Democrats Xavier Becerra and Tom Steyer following. A quirk of the state’s political system means the top two candidates face off in the general election regardless of which party they belong to.Where else were primary elections held? In many other states. Many eyes were on Iowa, where Josh Turek, backed by millions in outside spending, clinched the state’s Democratic primary, defeating the state senator Zach Wahls, who had pitched himself as an anti-establishment outsider. On the Republican side, Randy Feenstra’s second-place finish in the gubernatorial race ended Donald Trump’s perfect endorsement streak, which had held strong since March.When will we know the full results? Voting experts say it could take weeks to finalize the tightest races.What was Pelley said to have done? In an email, the newly appointed executive editor, Nick Bilton, claimed Pelley had “hijacked my first meeting … to disparage me, my qualifications, and my intentions with remarkable incivility and contempt”. In a message to staff he said that after repeated, failed attempts to find common ground over the weekend, “we have parted ways with Scott Pelley”. Continue reading...

Democrats seek to oust Republicans in New Jersey and Iowa, while other major races remain up in the airHello and welcome to the US politics live blog.California’s crowded primary for governor remains up in the air after three leading candidates tested voters’ appetites for an experienced politician or promises of sweeping change.Karen Bass came out ahead in Tuesday’s heated primary for Los Angeles mayor, but with less than 50% of the vote will have to defend her seat in November’s general election. She’ll likely run against either Spencer Pratt, a former reality TV star, or city council member Nithya Raman.Iowa state representative Josh Turek won the Democratic nomination for the state’s open US Senate seat – setting him up to face off against Ashley Hinson in the November general election. A former television anchor turned state senator, Hinson was endorsed by Donald Trump and retiring senator Joni Ernst.Adam Hamawy won the Democratic nomination for New Jersey’s 12th congressional district, teeing the army doctor and political newcomer up to face off against Republican Gregg Mele in November’s general election. Hamawy decided to run for office after returning from a medical mission in Gaza in 2024 and meeting congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman, who announced her retirement in November 2025.Deb Haaland won the Democratic nomination for governor in New Mexico. If elected in the November general election, Haaland would become the first Native American woman governor elected in the country.Christina Bohannan won the Democratic nomination for Iowa’s 1st congressional district. She will compete against incumbent Republican congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks in the November general electionZach Lahn narrowly won the Republican nomination for governor, and will face off against Democrat Rob Sand in Iowa’s general election this November. Five Republicans competed for the nomination to replace retiring Republican governor Kim Reynolds.Former Navy helicopter pilot Rebecca Benett won the Democratic nomination for New Jersey’s 7th congressional district, and will challenge Republican congressman Tom Kean Jr. in the general election. Kean, who’s been absent from Congress, citing a health issue, since March shared a statement on social media saying he’s “more energized than ever” and will “be completely transparent as to the nature of my medical condition” when he returns to work in “a matter of weeks”. Continue reading...

Democrats seek to oust Republicans in New Jersey and Iowa, while other major races remain up in the airVoters in Tuesday’s primary elections across the US chose candidates who could flip critical districts in the US House and Senate in November, setting up a series of high-stakes general election contests in a midterm year expected to favor Democrats.Among the most watched races are: a New Jersey Democrat who could oust a Republican incumbent absent with a mystery medical issue for months; several Iowa Democrats hoping to flip their red-leaning state; and California’s redrawn maps that have given Democrats an advantage in the heavily blue state. Continue reading...

Early results show Steve Hilton, Xavier Becerra and Tom Steyer emerging in front, with many ballots to be countedThe high-stakes gubernatorial race in California remained too close to call on Tuesday night, with early results showing a tight contest in the crowded race.With many ballots still left to be counted, three candidates emerged at the top: Republican Steve Hilton and Democrats Xavier Becerra and Tom Steyer. And results were clear enough that two Democratic candidates – San Jose mayor Matt Mahan and former Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa – conceded the race shortly after polls closed. Continue reading...

Democratic state house representative beats Zach Wahls and will face off against Trump-backed Republican HinsonSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter emailIowa voters nominated candidates in primary elections held on Tuesday, setting the stage for months of fervent campaigning ahead of the November midterms in which the state may play a significant role in deciding the balance of power in Congress.A red state that the GOP has dominated for the past decade, Democrats believe they can be competitive in three of its four House races, its Senate election, and the contest to replace Kim Reynolds, the retiring Republican governor. Continue reading...

Tom Kean has been out with a health issue since March. Democrats are sharpening their knives for the general electionUS politics live – latest updatesOn the day Donald Trump endorsed him as a tireless advocate for New Jersey’s seventh district, the representative Tom Kean Jr was, as he has been since early March, nowhere to be found.Kean, a New Jersey Republican, was last seen when he cast a House floor vote on 5 March, and he is running unopposed in Tuesday’s Republican primary. The Democratic race in his district, meanwhile, has attracted multiple candidates and ample fundraising. Continue reading...

Other races also taking place in state as well as primaries in New Jersey, South Dakota, New Mexico, Iowa and MontanaSign up to the Breaking News US emailHello and welcome to the US politics live blog.Californians go to the polls today in the first round of voting for a new governor, with a tight three-way race for two run-off spots.Democrats in the US Senate vowed to force Republicans to vote on a $1.8bn “Maga slush fund” established as part of a resolution of Donald Trump’s long-shot lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service. The US president has described the secretive and loosely controlled “anti-weaponization fund” as a means of paying the victims of politicized prosecutions.Tina Peters, the former clerk convicted of participating in a scheme to chase election conspiracy theories promulgated by Donald Trump, was released from prison on Monday after the president successfully pressured Colorado’s Democratic governor into commuting her sentence.On Monday afternoon, over an hour south of Newark, a few dozen protesters outside the New Jersey state legislature in Trenton condemned Democratic governor Mikie Sherrill’s decision to send in the state police to Delaney Hall, the Newark immigration detention center that has seen more than a week of chaotic and often violent clashes.Transgender troops can remain in the US military, but the armed services can continue to block their enlistment, an appeals court ruled on Monday in a split decision with potentially significant consequences for the Trump administration’s anti-diversity agenda. Continue reading...