Big Primary Question: Who Takes on DeSantis?

Florida Democratic race and congressional contests in New York are in spotlight
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted Aug 23, 2022 9:20 AM CDT
Big Primary Question: Who Takes on DeSantis?
Florida Democratic gubernatorial candidate Nikki Fried during a stop in Orlando, Fla., Monday.   (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel via AP)

Tuesday is another primary day, with a handful of races in Florida and New York getting the bulk of attention. Coverage:

  • Florida governor: Democrats will pick their nominee to face Gov. Ron DeSantis in November. Congressman Charlie Crist, who previously served as governor, is running against state Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, reports NPR. Fried has the distinction of being the only Democrat currently serving in a statewide elected office. Crist has been leading in most polls, though whoever emerges as the winner will be an underdog against DeSantis.

  • Florida governor, II: The Hill digs deeper into the Florida race, including what may unfold in November. DeSantis has become a force in conservative politics and seemed "unstoppable" a few months ago, says Democratic pollster Fernand Amandi. However, things have changed now that abortion rights have become a flashpoint issue in the wake of the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade ruling. “He now looks vulnerable,” Amandi tells the Hill. “That doesn’t mean he’s going to be defeated, but it means the dynamics have changed enough at the national level that what once looked like a sure thing is now a potentially competitive race.”
  • Bellwether: A special election to fill a vacant congressional seat in New York state has become a closely watched "bellwether" race with national implications—again, because of abortion. Democrat Pat Ryan, who has made abortion rights a central issue of his campaign, is running against Republican Marc Molinaro in the 19th District, per Politico.
  • Two veterans: Because of redrawn congressional maps, another race in New York has two longtime Democratic members of Congress opposing each other. Reps. Jerrold Nadler and Carolyn B. Maloney face each other in the Manhattan race, and their respective statures in Washington have focused much attention on the race, per the New York Times.
  • Oklahoma: Two backers of former President Trump are vying to be the Republican nominee for Senate to replace retiring GOP Sen. Jim Inhofe. The runoff contest pits Rep. Markwayne Mullin against TW Shannon, a former speaker of the Oklahoma House and a bank exec from Oklahoma City, per the AP. The winner is expected to win the general election.
(More 2022 midterms stories.)

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