The tug-of-war consuming Democrats nationwide continues in the Aug. 11 primaries across the country, where voters in Wisconsin and Minnesota are deciding between warring factions.
It's been a week since
Abdul El-Sayed's razor-thin win over the liberal establishment in the Michigan Senate primary, and progressive populists are aiming for two more critical seats that could redefine the party.
Minnesota voters are weighing differences between Rep. Angie Craig, a centrist, and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, a progressive, to replace retiring Sen. Tina Smith. That race has largely been shaped by the killing of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, two U.S. citizens, by federal officers in the state earlier this year.
There's intrigue on the Republican side, too, where President Donald Trump's near-perfect endorsement record in GOP primaries is at stake. He's supporting controversy-prone former MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, but polls in the final stretch were showing House Speaker Lisa Demuth within striking distance.
Democrats in Wisconsin are also weighing in on a primary featuring Francesca Hong, a chef and state lawmaker, against Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley. The contest has been consumed by worries about Hong's old tweets – including a retracted call to "cancel Thanksgiving" – that mainstream Democrats believe could tilt the swing state into Republicans hands.
There are also contests in Alabama, Connecticut, Vermont and South Carolina, where newly appointed Sen. Darline Graham, the sister of the late Lindsey Graham, who died in July, has advanced to a GOP primary runoff for her brother's U.S. Senate seat in a 10-candidate special election.
Sanford's comeback fails in SC
09:07 PM ET, August 11 2026, James PowelFormer South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford's attempt at a Congressional comeback failed as the former U.S. House representative did not advance to the runoff to replace the late Sen. Lindsey Graham as the GOP nominee in November.
Sanford had aimed to restart his political career, which has long been scandal plagued, after being ousted from the U.S. House in 2018.
Polls close in Minnesota and Wisconsin
09:00 PM ET, August 11 2026, James PowelPolls closed for the Minnesota and Wisconsin primaries at 9 p.m. ET. Results are expected shortly.
Wisconsin is rough political terrain for both parties
09:00 PM ET, August 11 2026, Jay StahlWisconsin is a complicated political landscape for any candidate running statewide. President Donald Trump won Wisconsin in 2016 and 2024, but lost the crucial swing state in 2020 to former President Joe Biden.
The Badger State is also one of three states out of 50 that have one senator from each major party.
Maine voters have sent Susan Collins, a Republican, and Angus King, an Independent who caucuses with Democrats, to the Capitol. Personal friends John Fetterman, a Democrat increasingly frustrating some within his own party, and David McCormick, a Republican, represent Pennsylvania.
But Wisconsin is represented by Sens. Tammy Baldwin, a Democrat from Madison, and Ron Johnson, a Republican from Oshkosh.
The split between the two senators underscores the rough terrain that Republicans and Democrats each face in Wisconsin. Republicans have lost marquee statewide races in recent years besides Johnson's reelection win in 2022.
Democrat-backed judicial candidates have won the state's last four Supreme Court contests, many of which garnered national attention. Republicans hope that a primary win by Democratic Socialist Francesca Hong, who they cast as extreme, could catapult Rep. Tom Tiffany to the governor's mansion. Tiffany is a member of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus.
Lamont wins Democratic gubernatorial primary in Connecticut
08:41 PM ET, August 11 2026, Margie CullenConnecticut Gov. Ned Lamont has defeated challenger Josh Elliot in the Democratic primary for governor, the Associated Press and NBC News projected Tuesday.
Elliot had run against Lamont from the left but was not able to defeat the two-term governor. USA TODAY has reached out to Elliot's campaign for comment.
Lamont will face Republican Ryan Fazio, who was unopposed, in the blue-leaning state.
Malloy wins Republican nomination for VT Congressional seat
08:29 PM ET, August 11 2026, Margie CullenGerald Malloy, a defense contractor, has won the Republican primary for Vermont’s at-large congressional seat. Malloy was also the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in 2022 and 2024, when he lost against Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., respectively.
He will face incumbent Rep. Becca Balint, D-Vt., in November, where he likely faces an uphill battle. Vermonters haven’t sent a Republican to Congress in 25 years.
Balint was uncontested in the Democratic primary.
Darline Graham advances to GOP runoff for brother Lindsey Graham's Senate seat in SC
08:10 PM ET, August 11 2026, James PowelAppointed Sen. Darline Graham, the sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, has advanced to a primary runoff to take her brother's place as the GOP nominee for the U.S. Senate in South Carolina, Decision Desk HQ and NBC News projected Tuesday.
Darline Graham was backed by President Donald Trump to replace the longtime senator from South Carolina, who died last month at the age of 71. She was endorsed by the president to replace her brother on the ballot.
Wisconsin Dem gubernatorial field sees shakeups
07:50 PM ET, August 11 2026, James PowelThe field for the Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial primary has shifted throughout the race, with one candidate dropping out then jumping back in.
Democratic primary voters are set to choose between state legislator Francesca Hong, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, State Sen. Kelda Roys and former Department of Administration Secretary Joel Brennan.
Crowley returned to the race a week after he dropped out in the wake of the rapid implosion of Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez's campaign and her subsequent withdrawal. He told USA TODAY that Hong's stumbles when questioned about past social media posts were part of the reason he jumped back in the race.
Rodriguez's campaign was felled when she announced it had "hundreds of thousands of dollars" less than she previously believed due to "serious mismanagement and inaccuracies" by the campaign manager she fired.
Former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes dropped out on July 30 amid reporting by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel into allegations that Barnes was taking advantage of his role in the party to have sexual encounters with young adult women. The Journal Sentinel, part of the USA TODAY Network, is continuing to report the story.
Contributing: Philip M. Bailey, Mary Spicuzza, Molly Beck, USA TODAY Network
Black representation on the Alabama ballot
06:52 PM ET, August 11 2026, Phillip M. Bailey
One of the lesser-known races taking place Aug. 11 carries major implications for the U.S. Supreme Court's decision earlier this year weakening the Voting Right Act and Black political representation.
Republicans are keen on flipping Alabama's 2nd Congressional District which was quickly redrawn after the high court's April ruling to increase Republican chances of winning the seat by reducing the Black proportion of the electorate. Originally the district was anchored in Mobile, Alabama with a voting population that was roughly 48% Black, but that has drooped to about 40%, according to the Associated Press.
Rep. Shomari Figures, a Democrat, won the seat in 2024, after a federal court ordered the map redrawn because it ruled the state's GOP-controlled legislature deliberately diluted minority voter's power.
As a result the Yellowhamer State, which is 27% Black, had two Black representatives out of its seven-member delegation for the first time in history.
Six GOP contenders have entered that primary, with many observers believing Rhett Marques, a state representative and small-business owner, has the edge given he is carrying a Trump endorsement.
'So be it': Hong responds to Democratic naysayers
05:44 PM ET, August 11 2026, Phillip M. BaileyMuch like Abdul El-Sayed did in Michigan, Francesca Hong's candidacy has energized left-leaning voters while also making centrist Democrats nervous given some of her previous positions.
Besides criticizing Thanksgiving, for instance, she has been grilled about other old social media posts such as one in favor of abolishing the police, which the Biden administration tried to stiff arm in 2020. Hong has reversed course on many of those views and deleted some previous messages, but there's an ongoing debate about whether these were rookie errors or a flawed candidate too far on the political left to win a swing state.
"Francesca Hong is just not a good candidate, and anybody who says otherwise is just not necessarily paying attention to the realities of the matter," Democrat Bakari Sellers, a CNN political analyst, said in an interview.
Hong, who was first elected in 2020, told USA TODAY that her "values have not changed," but that she is listening to a wider coalition. She also addressed critics who say she lacks message discipline.
"We will continue to speak about the issues that voters care about the most, but I also think that one of the reasons why we built such a strong coalition is that people in Wisconsin, many say that I'm one of them," Hong said.
"For me that’s an honor and that means that people know that there's somebody fighting for the people," she added. “So if that's not a polished candidate to the pundits – so be it."
Change candidates challenge Democratic incumbents in CT
05:30 PM ET, August 11 2026, Margie CullenConnecticut will see a few contested primaries on Aug. 11 that reflect the national trend of change candidates taking on established Democrats.
In the 1stCongressional District, 78-year-old Rep. John Larson, D-Conn., who has served since 1999, has three primary challengers, including 47-year-old former Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin, who won the party’s endorsement at the state nominating convention and is stressing the need for a “new direction.”
In the Democratic gubernatorial primary, state Rep. Josh Elliot is challenging two-term Gov. Ned Lamont from the left. Lamont held a sizeable lead in an early August Sacred Heart University poll, which also found Elliot drawing support from younger and more progressive voters. The winner will face Republican Ryan Fazio in the blue-leaning state.
There are contested Republican primaries in Connecticut’s 4th and 5th Congressional Districts, too. However, all five of the state’s Congressional Districts are rated “Solid D” by the Cook Political Report.
Francesca Hong could be first person of color, woman to serve as Wisconsin governor
05:17 PM ET, August 11 2026, Emily R. CondonFrancesca Hong made history in 2022 as the first Asian American member of the Wisconsin Legislature. Now, she's vying to become the first person of color and woman to serve as governor of Wisconsin.
Hong, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, is leading her four Democratic opponents in the polling for Tuesday's primary. An Aug. 7 State Navigate poll found Hong had a 22-point lead over Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley.
In the Wisconsin Legislature, Hong proposed an Asian American and Pacific Islander education bill in 2024, which was passed with unanimous support from both sides of the aisle. In 2025, she also created the State Assembly's first Asian Caucus.
Other women and people of color have unsuccessfully run for the Wisconsin gubernational seat. In 2014, Democrats nominated Mary Patricia Burke to run in the general election, but she fell just under six points short to the Republican incumbent former Gov. Scott Walker.
Klobuchar could be first female Minnesota governor
05:14 PM ET, August 11 2026, Emily R. CondonOn the Democratic side of the Minnesota race to succeed Gov. Tim Walz, U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar is highly favored in the seven-candidate Democratic primary.
Klobuchar could prevail in November's general election as the first female governor of Minnesota. The gubernational seat is seen as a Democratic safehold in the blue-leaning state.
First elected to the Senate in 2006, Klobuchar holds a +7 favorability rate in Minnesota, according to an Aug. 7 KSTP/Survey USA poll. She previously ran for president in 2020 and is currently the top Democrat on the Senate's Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry. She's also a member of the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee.
Ex-Gov. Sanford seeks comeback, despite checkered history
04:43 PM ET, August 11 2026, James PowelFormer South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford is eying a congressional comeback in Tuesday's South Carolina special Republican primary to replace the late Sen. Lindsey Graham.
Sanford served as a representative for the state's 1st Congressional District from 1995 to 2001, held the governorship from 2003 to 2011 and returned to the House for a second time from 2013 to 2019.
Prior to his second stint in Congress, Sanford left politics in the wake of a six-day disappearance while governor and subsequent revelation of an affair with a woman in Argentina. At the time a spokesperson said that Sanford was "hiking the Appalachian Trail" during his disappearance.
Journalist Ryan Lizza alleged Sanford had an affair with his then girlfriend, media personality Olivia Nuzzi, during the 2020 presidential primaries in a 2025 Substack post.
Why some Democrats worry Hong isn’t electable
04:08 PM ET, August 11 2026, Sarah D. WireWisconsin Democrat Francesca Hong drew national attention when she left the door open to canceling Thanksgiving in an Aug. 3 CNN interview.
The 37-year-old state legislator, a democratic socialist, is the front-runner in a crowded field for the state's Democratic nomination for governor. The interview led to an unearthing of previous social media posts criticizing Valentine's Day, favoring abolishing the police and being uncomfortable around White people, all of which has some mainstream Democrats bracing for a tough road to November if she wins the nomination.
"Cancel Thanksgiving," Hong said in a since removed post on X, then known as Twitter. "Should have done this in 1621."
Milwaukee County's first Black executive David Crowley, reentered the race last month with a powerful ally ‒ term-limited Gov. Tony Evers. The former lawmaker told USA TODAY that Hong's stumbles ware part of the reason he jumped back in the race.
Republicans have already launched fiery responses to the prospect of Hong being the Democratic nominee, highlighting those old social media posts.
Contributing: Phillip M. Bailey
Key races to watch in Vermont
04:04 PM ET, August 11 2026, Margie CullenOne of the bluest states in the country will see a couple of Democratic primaries Tuesday that could result in Republican Vermont Gov. Phil Scott’s strongest challenger yet and reveal whether voters still approve of progressive policing.
In the gubernatorial primary, Amanda Janoo and Aly Richards are vying for the Democratic nomination to take on Scott, a five-year incumbent. Scott has been the country’s most popular governor for years, despite leading a state that voted for Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election. Experts say he still has a good chance of winning, but with falling approval ratings, an unfriendly national climate and an influx of money on the Democratic side, he is perhaps more vulnerable to a Democratic challenge now than ever before. Scott is uncontested in the Republican primary.
Other races to watch include a Democratic primary for county prosecutor that has become a referendum on progressive policing. Challenger Bram Kranichfeld is arguing that incumbent Sarah George’s more progressive approach to law enforcement has made Burlington, the largest city in the state, less safe. It’s a debate that’s been seen playing out in other cities across the country too, from San Francisco to New York City.
There’s also a Republican primary for Vermont’s one at-large Congressional district, which has not sent a Republican to Washington in 25 years. The winner will face incumbent Rep. Becca Balint, D-Vt.
Neither of Vermont’s senators, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., or Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., are up for re-election this year.
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Who is Mike Lindell? 'MyPillow Guy' runs for Minnesota governor
03:01 PM ET, August 11 2026, Jay StahlMike Lindell, the founder and former CEO of MyPillow, who long starred in the company's commercials and in corporate marketing campaigns, is the frontrunner to secure the Republican nomination for Minnesota governor.
Republicans in the reliably blue state believe that a fraud scandal from earlier this year may catapult Lindell and Senate candidate Michele Tafoya to the governor's mansion and Capitol, respectively.
Lindell, running to replace Gov. Tim Walz, is endorsed by President Donald Trump but faces a packed primary field Tuesday. "He will not let you down," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform earlier in the day.
Lindell has repeatedly argued, falsely, that Trump won the 2020 election. Lindell entered the race for governor months after a federal judge ruled in September 2025 that he had defamed technology company Smartmatic. Lindell alleged that Smartmatic's voting machines helped rig the 2020 presidential election in Joe Biden's favor.
He stepped down as CEO of MyPillow last week. He also touted unproven drugs at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Contributing: Fernando Cervantes Jr.
Darline Graham's biggest test still lies ahead
02:26 PM ET, August 11 2026, Jay StahlSen. Darline Graham is expected to glide through the Aug. 11 primary to replace her late older brother on November's ballot. But a bigger test could await her after Tuesday ends.
Graham is President Donald Trump's handpicked candidate to succeed Lindsey Graham, but the president has been known to make dual endorsements. For example, after Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette failed to garner significant support in the Palmetto State, Trump dually endorsed Alan Wilson, the state's attorney general, to replace Gov. Henry McMaster.
A candidate must garner 50% of the vote or more to prevent a runoff.
Graham will likely face an easier Senate return if former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford heads to the runoff, but many political observers expect either U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman or his colleague, Russell Fry, a MAGA rising star, to prevail alongside Graham.
Minnesota will pressure test progressives
01:43 PM ET, August 11 2026, Jay StahlIn Minnesota, a less visible primary battle is brewing that will gauge Democratic voters in a reliably blue state. The Democratic Senate race between Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, a staunch progressive, and U.S. Rep. Angie Craig, a reliable moderate, is set to pressure test progressives.
Michigan's Abdul El-Sayed and Illinois' Juliana Stratton have clinched key Senate primaries for the party's left flank. Democrats are wondering if Flanagan will be next as she competes against Craig, a centrist congresswoman endorsed by Gwen Walz, the state's first lady. Flanagan is supported by Sen. Tina Smith, who both candidates are seeking to succeed in Washington.
Flanagan has served two terms as Gov. Tim Walz's lieutenant governor while Craig was elected to Congress in Democrats' 2018 "blue wave" alongside Haley Stevens, a fellow centrist who lost her Michigan primary Aug. 4 to El-Sayed. Pundits are unsure whether Minnesota will yield a similar result. The two candidates are locked in a dead heat. Craig boasts a 42% to 40% polling edge over Flanagan, which lands within the margin of error, in the latest KSTP/SurveyUSA results.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, told CBS on Aug. 9 that he was "not confident" that Flanagan, who he is supporting in the race, would win the contest.
Contributing: Terry Collins
When do polls close today?
01:13 PM ET, August 11 2026, James PowelHere's when polls close for the elections taking place today:
- Alabama: 8 p.m. ET (7 p.m. CT)
- Connecticut: 8 p.m. ET
- Minnesota: 10 p.m. ET (9 p.m. CT)
- South Carolina: 7 p.m. ET
- Vermont: 7 p.m. ET
- Wisconsin: 9 p.m. ET (8 p.m. CT)
What to watch for in Wisconsin
01:10 PM ET, August 11 2026, Sarah D. WireThere are two closely watched races in Wisconsin tonight.
Democratic socialist Francesca Hong is the frontrunner for the Wisconsin Democratic nomination for governor – a prospect scaring establishment Democrats who are trying to coalesce around Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley.
Hong leads polls despite facing criticism for past social media comments. Outgoing Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat who endorsed Crowley, is publicly questioning if Hong could win the general election.
Democratic socialists have won a tide of nominations this cycle, but despite this being their best chance to secure a governorship Hong hasn't secured endorsements from the most well known voices on the left, Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Democrat Rebecca Cooke, a progressive, is hoping to emerge from the primary for a third rematch against GOP Rep. Derrick Van Orden in Wisconsin's 3rd District. Cooke, who runs a nonprofit and has worked as a fundraiser for other Democrats, has raised $8.6 million, an amount 17 times more than her primary opponent, Emily Berge, a mental health counselor and former president of the Eau Claire City Council. She's even raised more than the Republican incumbent, who has more than $7.5 million.
What to watch in South Carolina
12:06 PM ET, August 11 2026, Sarah D. WireRepublicans are voting to select the late Sen. Lindsey Graham’s replacement on the ballot in November.
President Donald Trump has endorsed Sen. Darline Graham to fill her brother’s seat on a permanent basis after she was picked to serve the last few months of his term. Graham faces a crowded field of competitors, including GOP Reps. Ralph Norman and Russell Fry, in addition to businessman Mark Lynch.
Trump pushed Darline Graham to run for the full six-year term, and a lot of eyes will be on whether the family name and his support will be enough to secure the nomination even though voters haven’t known her for long.
If no candidate cracks 50% in the primary, the top two will advance to an Aug. 25 runoff.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Live election results: Polls close in Wisconsin, Minnesota primaries; Darline Graham advances to runoff
