WASHINGTON, June 9 (Reuters) - Maine Democrats shook off any misgivings they might have had about Graham Platner and overwhelmingly picked him to face Republican Senator Susan Collins in November.
Meanwhile, in the South Carolina primary for governor, President Donald Trump successfully toppled U.S. Representative Nancy Mace, who tangled with party leaders and the president.
Here are key takeaways from Tuesday's primaries:
DEMOCRATS SHED WORRIES ABOUT PLATNER
Democrats have high hopes of capturing a U.S. Senate seat from Republicans in Maine, where five-term Senator Susan Collins is running for reelection at a time when voters are soured by high consumer prices and the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.
Platner, a former combat Marine, built momentum on a pitch as a man of the people that resonated with moderates and progressives, drew substantial campaign funding and led Democratic Governor Janet Mills to suspend her primary bid.
Now, the married Platner is fighting off reports he sent sexually explicit texts to multiple women last year as well as a Nazi-associated tattoo he had covered up last year. Platner, 41, has apologized for his past behavior and said he struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder and depression following combat duty in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"I've made mistakes in my life, mistakes that I regret, that I live with, that I continue to learn from. I'm still far from perfect, but every day I wake up and I try to be a little bit better and a little bit kinder than I was the day before," Platner told supporters in Blue Hill, Maine.
On election night Maine Democrats appeared to be throwing off any misgivings they might have had about Platner, who was winning the race 72%-20% over Mills with 86% of the vote counted. Mills suspended her campaign in May but remained on the ballot.
"In November, Maine voters will elect Graham Platner, and we will win a Senate majority," Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said in a joint statement with Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, who chairs the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.
DEMOCRATS' NEVADA GAMBLE
Marty O'Donnell sailed through the Republican primary election in Nevada's third congressional district with the help of Trump's endorsement. He will face incumbent Democratic Representative Susie Lee, who vanquished three primary opponents.
The race in this Las Vegas-area district is among a handful across the country expected to be decisive in determining the balance of power in Congress, with Republicans currently holding a narrow House majority.
Of note: Trump narrowly won this district in the 2024 presidential election.
O'Donnell, a video game composer who loaned his campaign $3 million, handily defeated three Republican primary opponents. Lee won re-election in 2024 by nearly 3 percentage points -- an accomplishment in the face of Trump's victory that year.
This race is likely to draw national attention and streams of campaign contributions to both campaigns.
TRUMP’S ENDORSEMENTS MATTERED IN SOUTH CAROLINA
Already in this year's primary elections, Trump-backed candidates have defeated Republican Senators Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and John Cornyn of Texas as well as Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky.
This time, Trump appears to have ended the political career of Mace, who failed to make the top two vote-getters and will not advance to a June 23 runoff. Trump’s late endorsement of South Carolina Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette pushed her atop a crowded primary field. Evette, who ran on an “America First” platform, will face second-place finisher Attorney General Alan Wilson.
The Republican primary winner is expected to also win the November general election as it has been nearly three decades since a Democrat has been elected governor in this Republican-leaning state.
Trump also endorsed four-term Senator Lindsey Graham, who faced several primary challengers including from hard-right Greenville-area businessman Mark Lynch, whom Trump called a "lunatic." Graham will avoid a runoff, as he captured nearly 58% of the vote with 90% of votes counted.
GOLDEN MOMENT FOR REPUBLICANS?
Representative Jared Golden, one of the most moderate Democrats in the U.S. Congress, is retiring and Republicans can taste victory in the race for his replacement.
Former Republican Governor Paul LePage ran unopposed in his primary for the seat in a district Trump won in 2024, and he has Trump's "complete and total endorsement."
With 42% of the vote counted, three Democrats - Jordan Wood, Joseph Baldacci and Matthew Dunlap - remained locked in a three-way battle to take on LePage.
This is another race that could help define whether Republicans hold onto their narrow U.S. House majority.
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