8 Key Takeaways from Tuesday's Primary Elections

Tuesday's primary elections across the country produced some surprising results and some very close races. In Wisconsin, the vote for the Democratic candidate for governor was so tight that no one knew who won even after midnight. Across the Midwest and the South, voters made big choices about who will represent their parties in the fall elections. Here are eight things we learned from a long night of results.

A very close race in Wisconsin caused trouble for progressives. For weeks, polls showed State Representative Francesca Hong, a democratic socialist, as the clear leader. But Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley did much better than expected on Election Day, and the two candidates were nearly tied when Wednesday began. This was the second week in a row that a democratic socialist came much closer to losing than polls predicted.

Ms. Hong had some problems as a candidate going into Election Day. In the final days of the race, she faced negative news stories about past comments she made online, including jokes about Thanksgiving and other holidays. She later said she regretted those comments, but the damage may have already been done with some voters. Big names in progressive politics — like Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — also chose not to support her.

Even so, Ms. Hong's campaign worked very hard to reach voters across the whole state. She spent more time campaigning in rural parts of Wisconsin than any other candidate, and that effort seemed to pay off. The lesson is simple: visiting voters and making your case in person really matters.

In neighboring Minnesota, Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan won the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. She beat Representative Angie Craig, even though Craig had much more money to spend on her campaign. Ms. Flanagan called for universal health care, a higher minimum wage, and changes to U.S. support for Israel. She earned support from well-known senators and will face Republican Michele Tafoya in November.

On the Republican side in South Carolina, Senator Darline Graham moved on to a runoff election. Ms. Graham is a newcomer to politics who was chosen to take over her brother's Senate seat after the late Senator Lindsey Graham died last month. President Trump supported her, and his backing helped her beat a group of more experienced candidates. On election night, she spoke calmly about her grief and said she believed her brother would be proud.

Also moving on to the runoff was Representative Ralph Norman, a five-term congressman. Mr. Norman had lost a race for governor earlier this year, but running that statewide campaign helped more people get to know his name. He used that name recognition to quickly enter the Senate race after Senator Lindsey Graham's death. His support for Nikki Haley during the 2024 presidential race may have kept President Trump from endorsing him.

In Connecticut, 78-year-old Representative John Larson lost his primary to Luke Bronin, the 47-year-old former mayor of Hartford. Mr. Bronin ran his campaign on the idea that it was time for a new generation of leaders, and voters agreed. Mr. Larson had served 14 terms in office and had also suffered a medical episode on the House floor last year. His loss was part of a trend of younger candidates defeating older ones this election season.

Finally, Mike Lindell — known as the 'MyPillow guy' and a well-known election denier — lost his run for the Republican nomination for governor of Minnesota. He had claimed for years that the 2020 presidential election was stolen, without providing proof. His defeat showed that being famous for something outside of politics does not automatically win votes. Voters in Minnesota chose to move in a different direction.