Key GOP primary races will take place tonight in West Virginia, Indiana, Ohio, and North Carolina that will feature plenty of “MAGA” candidates, reflecting how much President Donald Trump and his economic nationalist message have taken over the GOP.
Breitbart News Washington Editor Matt Boyle has a preview of the important contests in the four states that Trump carried in 2016.
In West Virginia, controversial candidate Don Blankenship may have a slight lead in the polls against West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrissey and former Democrat Rep. Evan Jenkins (R-WV). Trump has urged voters to vote for either Jenkins or Morrissey to not allow Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) to keep his seat. But as Boyle pointed out, Morrissey would most likely be well ahead of Blankenship had Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and his allies had not thrown their support behind Jenkins. As Boyle noted, Jenkins did not switch his party affiliation until after Obama’s first term and supported Hillary Clinton for president in 2008. The race has dominated headlines as the media are priming to make Republicans answer for Blankenship should he win.
In Indiana, the three candidates running to challenge vulnerable Democrat Sen. Joe Donnelly (D-IN) in the fall have embraced Trump in what has been a nasty three-way scrum. Reps. Luke Messer (R-IN) and Todd Rokita (R-IN) are longtime rivals while businessman Mike Braun is the third candidate.
In Ohio’s GOP gubernatorial primary, Mary Taylor battles former Senator Mike DeWine. In Ohio’s GOP Senate primary, Trump has backed Rep. Jim Renacci (R-OH) against Mike Gibbons.
Polls close at 7:30 p.m. eastern time in West Virginia, North Carolina, and Ohio. In Indiana, polls will close at 6 p.m. central time and eastern time.
Stay tuned to Breitbart News throughout the evening for live updates of all of the most important races. All times eastern.
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6:45 PM: May say something about Mike Braun.
Indiana Republican Errol Spears says he voted for businessman Mike Braun in the three-way GOP Senate primary but may cast his ballot for Democratic incumbent Joe Donnelly in November. pic.twitter.com/wENRCgkIQh
— AP Central U.S. (@APCentralRegion) May 8, 2018
6:36 PM: Ohio Lieutenant Governor Mary Taylor looks for an upset tonight:
I voted with my family in Green this morning. I encourage all Ohioans to get out and vote today for the Taylor/Estruth ticket. Real conservatives who will stand up for your values. pic.twitter.com/6zzu9MLRJ9
— Mary Taylor (@MaryTaylorOH) May 8, 2018
6:35 PM: Don Blankenship, who has been blasting McConnell’s “China family” while Blankenship reportedly considering becoming a Chinese citizen in the 1990s, has been angry after Trump asked West Virginians not to vote for him. He told CNN that Trump “will learn a lesson” if he wins and threatened to challenge Trump in a primary if Trump gets in his way.
To the great people of West Virginia we have, together, a really great chance to keep making a big difference. Problem is, Don Blankenship, currently running for Senate, can’t win the General Election in your State…No way! Remember Alabama. Vote Rep. Jenkins or A.G. Morrisey!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 7, 2018
Blankenship has been telling voters that he is “Trumpier than Trump” even though he has not been talking about economic nationalism for twenty years like Trump had before he decided to run for the presidency.
“He will learn a lesson if I win,” Blankenship reportedly told CNN today. “You shouldn’t blindly go out and endorse or cast doubts or favoritism on anybody unless you actually look at their record and not depend on the people who are running the swamp you are trying to drain.”
According to an interview he did with the New Yorker of all outlets:
We exchanged business cards. He told me to hold on to his for when he’s President. “If Trump gets in my way, I’ll just run against him,” he said.
via Breitbart News
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