Voters in four states are heading to the polls on Tuesday to cast their votes in a range of primaries that will shape the November ballot as both parties contend for control of the House in the next year.
Republicans are focusing on several key races in Maine and Nevada that will decide their party’s candidate against some of the most at-risk Democratic incumbents in the lower chamber. At the same time, some GOP lawmakers are facing their own primary challenges, including Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) in South Carolina, which they must overcome to remain in office. Nebraska’s single House seat is also up for grabs for the first time in over a decade.
Here are five House races to watch on Tuesday:
Nancy Mace faces primary challenger as part of McCarthy speaker vote revenge tour
Mace faces a challenging primary battle on Tuesday, being the first of the eight Republicans who supported the removal of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to fight for her reelection while the ex-GOP leader actively works against her.
Mace will compete against Catherine Templeton for the GOP nomination for South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District. The race has drawn widespread attention, with Mace facing opposition from some in her own party, including McCarthy, who has embarked on a revenge tour against the hard-line conservatives responsible for his ouster.
Mace stands among the most vulnerable of McCarthy’s critics as the other five running for reelection face their primary challengers. McCarthy has criticized Mace heading into the primary election, attacking her over her voting record and recent office turnover.
Templeton has capitalized on Mace’s vote to oust McCarthy, accusing the South Carolina Republican of disloyalty to her party.
Voters choose among crowded field to replace Rep. Jeff Duncan
South Carolina voters will also select their preferred candidate to replace Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-SC), who announced earlier this year that he would not seek an eighth term in Congress.
Duncan’s retirement leaves the seat open for the first time in over a decade, attracting a crowded primary field of seven Republican candidates. The primary winner is favored to win in November, as the district is considered reliably Republican. The Cook Political Report rates it as R+21.
Due to the large field, it’s likely no candidate will secure more than 50% of the vote, potentially triggering a runoff election later this year. Among those running for his seat are state Rep. Stewart Jones and local pastor Mark Burns.
North Dakota voters to decide Kelly Armstrong’s successor
Voters in North Dakota will vote in their primary for the state’s only House seat, which is being vacated by Rep. Kelly Armstrong (R-ND), who is instead running for governor.
Armstrong’s departure has attracted a crowded field of GOP contenders vying for the Republican nomination, including former foreign service officer Alex Balazs, former state Rep. Rick Becker, Public Service Commissioner Julie Fedorchak, former Miss America Cara Mund, and Sharlet Mohr, who previously ran unsuccessfully for the Williston Basin School Board in 2023.
Balazs benefits from the endorsement of the state GOP, while Fedorchak has led the field in fundraising.
Whoever wins the Republican nomination is favored to win the seat in November, as the district is rated R+20 by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report.
Vulnerable incumbent Jared Golden to get his challenger
One of the most competitive elections of the 2024 cycle is the House seat for Maine’s 2nd District, currently held by Rep. Jared Golden (D-ME).
House Republicans see Golden’s seat as one of their top pickup opportunities, as former President Donald Trump won the district in both 2016 and 2020. However, Golden has shown resilience as a candidate, defeating Republican Rep. Bruce Poliquin in 2018 and winning reelection two years later despite Trump’s victory in the district.
But Republicans hope to unseat Golden this year. Among those running are state Rep. Austin Theriault, a former NASCAR driver backed by Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA). Trump’s endorsement could boost Theriault in the GOP primary among voters who supported the former president in the last three presidential elections.
Theriault will face state Rep. Michael Soboleski in the GOP primary. Theriault holds a significant financial advantage, with campaign finance records showing he has raised $1.2 million compared to Soboleski’s $117,000.
The district is rated R+6.
Republicans will choose challenger for Susie Lee, another vulnerable Democrat
In Nevada, Republicans will head to the polls to select their candidate to challenge incumbent Rep. Susie Lee (D-NV).
The primary has drawn a crowded field of seven candidates seeking to unseat Lee in November, in what is considered one of the most competitive races of the 2024 cycle. The district is rated D+1 by the Cook Political Report.
Among those running for the GOP nomination is Marty O’Donnell, a wealthy candidate known for composing music for popular video games such as Halo and Destiny. O’Donnell has garnered support from key Republicans in the state, including Gov. Joe Lombardo (R-NV), and has invested significant personal funds into his campaign since March.
Also running for the nomination is former state Treasurer Dan Schwartz, who may benefit from statewide name recognition after running in nearly every election cycle in Nevada since 2012. During that time, he has lost multiple congressional bids and the 2018 governor’s race.
Other candidates include attorney Steve Schiffman, entrepreneur Brian Nadell, former state Sen. Elizabeth Helgelien, tax analyst Drew Johnson, and Steve London.
