Voters went to the polls on Tuesday, August 4th, in five states: Michigan, Virginia, Missouri, Kansas, and Washington.

In Michigan, the spotlight is on the Democratic Senate primary, where populist Abdul El-Sayed faces moderate Rep. Haley Stevens. The seat currently held by Sen. Gary Peters is crucial for Democrats, as it is among a handful they must retain to maintain a chance at Senate control. The nonpartisan Sabato Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia's Center for Politics rates the seat as a toss-up, noting a nearly even partisan split according to Michigan Legislative Consultants.

Elissa Slotkin, who narrowly defeated her Republican opponent by less than a point in 2024, is running unopposed in the Republican primary.

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is also in a Democratic primary against Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson, holding a commanding 60-point lead according to a July poll by The Detroit News and WDIV-TV.

Michigan Democrats swept the 2025 statewide elections, and a redistricting referendum passed earlier this year but was later struck down by the courts. Meanwhile, in Missouri, ongoing legal battles over redistricting may still impact congressional races.

In Virginia, after the state Supreme Court struck down a voter-approved plan to redraw congressional districts that would have added up to four seats, voters will use maps drafted by a nonpartisan commission in 2021.

Notable quotes from the Michigan race include a candidate stating, "I'm just trying to bring everybody to the tent pole in the middle to talk about what we really need. We need good housing. We need good schools. We need healthcare." Another remarked, "Sometimes, when the Democratic Party talks about a big tent, we push everybody into the corner and then go talk and pander to the corner." One candidate described the campaign as "six years of hard, unglamorous work that I'm signing up for. I'm Michigan's workhorse. That's what I want to be," while also noting, "My opponent, he's already got his website for president."

Additionally, Trump's first impeachment trial was won in 2024 by 2 points after Abigail Spanberger decided to run for governor.

Sources