AILSA CHANG, HOST:
Five states head to the polls today to cast their ballots in primary elections. Some of the races in Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Virginia and Washington are quite competitive. They could help decide which party has control of Congress next year. And a number of Democratic primaries follow a similar pattern that we've seen this election cycle - progressive political hopefuls attempting to take on establishment-backed candidates. NPR politics reporter Saige Miller is here to tell us what is at stake. Hi, Saige.
SAIGE MILLER, BYLINE: Hi.
CHANG: Hi. OK, so there's a bunch of Democratic progressives who want to be in Congress, but that, of course, means winning against incumbents or other establishment figures. So how is that particular face-off playing out now in Michigan's Senate race?
MILLER: I know. It feels a little bit like deja vu...
CHANG: Yeah.
MILLER: ...Because it's something we've seen all throughout the nation. But progressive Democrats have been fairly successful this cycle, and a handful of them have beat longtime incumbents or candidates backed by the national party. That heated-up match in Michigan puts Congresswoman Haley Stevens against Abdul El-Sayed. Stevens is taking the more establishment, moderate approach. She flipped her suburban House district in 2018. That was the last wave year for Democrats. And El-Sayed's performance is rooted in progressive populism. And I'm talking Medicare for all, getting corporations out of politics and taxing the rich. The Senate race is also important for Democrats if they want to take control of the chamber in November.
CHANG: Right. And that Senate contest, I mean, it's not the only one with this same theme. So, like, what other races mirror this progressive versus moderate picture, you think?
MILLER: While the results in the Michigan Senate Democratic primary will tell us the appetite for progressive candidates in a swing state, there's another race in Michigan that'll do the exact same thing. In Michigan's 7th District - that's the only true toss-up congressional district - three Democrats are running in the primary. That includes a Democratic socialist. They argue the progressive policies are just what the swing state needs. And also in the Midwest, there's a rematch between Missouri Congressman Wesley Bell and former Congresswoman Cori Bush. Bush is backed by the Democratic Socialists of America, and Bell has the more moderate lane of the party.
CHANG: Right. That's a pretty intense fight over there. OK. That is what Democrats are wrestling with. Anything interesting on the Republican side?
MILLER: Yes. Republicans are facing a lot of the same types of questions about their future and what kind of candidate best represents the party, like Washington state's 4th Congressional District race. Not only do I live in Washington state, but it'll show which direction Republican voters want the party to go. The district is mostly rural, heavily dependent on agriculture and more than 40% Latino - all demographics Trump has struggled with while in office this term. And it's a totally open seat. It's also a crowded field. But the top three Republican contenders exemplify three distinct arms of the party. You got the Trump-endorsed candidate, the antiestablishment, political outsider candidate and the moderate state lawmaker, though a Trump-endorsed candidate has never won in Washington's 4th Congressional District.
CHANG: OK. Well, I know that there are also some interesting governor races. What can you tell us about those real quick?
MILLER: Both Democratic governors in Kansas and Michigan are term limited and can't run for reelection. Trump won both of these states in 2024, but they are very different states. Michigan, as I mentioned, is a swing state, and Democrats have held the governor's mansion since 2019. So it's a question if Democrats can continue hanging on to the office come November. In Kansas, the unlikely Democratic governor served two terms, but it's a solidly red state, and it's not clear if that can happen again. And it'll also test Trump's influence. He issued endorsements for Republican candidates in both states, and this race will definitely show if the Republican base remains tied to the president or if they will opt for someone outside the president's circle.
CHANG: That is NPR's Saige Miller. Thank you, Saige.
MILLER: Thank you. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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