SC incumbents challenged in primary

Associated Press

Primaries took place in five states Tuesday. Here’s a look at some of the races:

Democrats have elected state Sen. Jennifer Wexton as their nominee in a northern Virginia congressional district key to the party’s hopes of gaining control of the U.S. House. In another big Virginia race, Republican Corey Stewart won the Republican primary to face Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine.

Longtime state Rep. James Smith has won the Democratic nomination in South Carolina’s gubernatorial race. Smith defeated Charleston consultant Phil Noble and Florence attorney Marguerite Willis in Tuesday’s primary. Incumbent Henry McMaster was forced into a runoff with John Warren for the Republican nomination in South Carolina’s gubernatorial primary.

U.S. Rep. Kevin Cramer defeated a little-known opponent to win North Dakota’s Republican primary for U.S. Senate. Republican state Sen. Kelly Armstrong won North Dakota U.S. House primary.

Republican state Attorney General Adam Laxalt won the GOP primary for Nevada governor.

History was being made, in slow motion, in Maine where ranked-choice voting was being used for the first time in a statewide primary election. Democrats and Republicans ranked candidates for governor from first to last in Tuesday’s primaries in a system that’s sometimes called instant runoff voting in 11 local jurisdictions where it’s currently in use.