The Latest: Platner clinches Democratic nomination for US Senate in Maine

Voters crossed Maine, Nevada, South Carolina and North Dakota formed ballots Tuesday successful different time of superior elections successful America, but overmuch of the governmental satellite was focused connected Maine’s high-stakes U.S. Senate contest.

The results weren't successful question. Neither Republican incumbent Sen. Susan Collins nor Democratic challenger Graham Platner faced superior absorption for their party’s nomination. And yet Tuesday's superior triumph marked an particularly important infinitesimal for Platner, the embattled seasoned and oyster farmer, who's warring to rebuild his credibility successful a run rocked by controversy.

Elsewhere, President Donald Trump’s clout wrong his enactment was being tested anew successful states similar South Carolina and Nevada, wherever he’s endorsed his favored candidates. Democrats anticipation to physique momentum successful Nevada successful their broader propulsion to reclaim cardinal governor’s seats.

And successful California, Republican Steve Hilton precocious to the wide predetermination for California governor, The Associated Press determined connected Tuesday, 1 week aft the state’s primary. Hilton argues that the authorities needs caller enactment aft years of Democratic dominance, and helium volition look Democrat Xavier Becerra, a erstwhile authorities lawyer wide and Biden medication wellness secretary, successful November.

Here's the latest:

Polls are closing successful Nevada

In-person Election Day voting is scheduled to reason astatine 7 p.m. PT, which is 10 p.m. ET, but authorities instrumentality requires polls to enactment unfastened until each voters successful enactment by canvass closing clip person formed their ballots.

Comparable primaries from past elections tin connection clues astir erstwhile to expect the archetypal ballot results and however agelong the ballot number mightiness take.

In the 2024 authorities primaries, the AP archetypal reported results astatine 11:04 p.m. ET. This was much than an hr aft the scheduled canvass closing time, but the authorities doesn’t merchandise immoderate votes until it confirms that voting has concluded successful each county. The past ballot update of the nighttime was astatine 11:55 p.m. ET successful the Republican primary, with astir 94% of full votes counted, and astatine 2:28 a.m. ET successful the Democratic primary, with astir 85% of full votes counted.

Platner makes large promises successful triumph speech

He said helium would enactment to walk Medicare for each and codify Roe v. Wade into law.

Platner has tally a progressive run focusing heavy connected affordability issues. Tuesday helium besides outlined different priorities that included stopping medicine cause terms gouging and stopping overseas wars.

“Together, we volition triumph backmost this Senate seat,” helium said. “And together, we’re going to instrumentality backmost our power.”

Maine’s 2nd District Democratic superior volition beryllium decided by ranked prime voting

No campaigner won the bulk of votes Tuesday, truthful the contention volition spell to a ranked runoff.

Democrats were choosing betwixt erstwhile Maine Secretary of State Matt Dunlap, authorities Sen. Joe Baldacci, erstwhile U.S. Senate campaigner Jordan Wood and societal idiosyncratic Paige Loud. The Republicans’ presumptive nominee is erstwhile Gov. Paul LePage.

Maine uses ranked prime voting successful immoderate races. The ranked votes travel into play erstwhile nary campaigner breaks 50% of the full vote, and the counting often takes respective days.

Incumbent 2nd District Rep. Jared Golden, a Democrat, is not seeking reelection.

The Democratic superior for Maine politician volition beryllium decided by ranked prime voting

No campaigner won the bulk of votes Tuesday, truthful the contention volition spell to a ranked runoff.

Democrats were choosing betwixt Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows; erstwhile Maine Senate President Troy Jackson; erstwhile Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives Hannah Pingree; vigor enforcement Angus King III; and erstwhile manager of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention Nirav Shah.

Maine uses ranked prime voting successful immoderate races. The ranked votes travel into play erstwhile nary campaigner breaks 50% of the full vote, and the counting often takes respective days.

Platner turns his ire to Collins

“Susan Collins,” said Platner, which prompted contiguous boos from the audience, “She has go conscionable arsenic spineless and corrupt arsenic the constitution she present serves.”

Platner launched into a diatribe against the legislator he’ll present beryllium facing successful the wide election, saying she’s “getting affluent portion we’re getting screwed,” and attacking her for voting alongside Trump and to enactment blimpish judges connected the U.S. Supreme Court.

“Susan Collins has ne'er met a warfare she didn’t like, she’s been supporting endless wars since I was a teenager, and I know, I had to combat successful 2 of them,” helium said. “You and your friends profited, and my friends died.”

Platner nods to his idiosyncratic travel successful triumph speech

“If you believe, arsenic I do, that we tin alteration our authorities and alteration our country, past you indispensable besides judge that radical tin change,” said Platner to a cheering, run motion wielding crowd. “And the crushed I judge that is due to the fact that I person lived it.”

“Every time I aftermath up and I effort to beryllium a small spot amended and a small spot kinder than I was the time before,” said Platner.

He thanked his supporters and promised to combat for them.

In a rising voice, Platner declared “I volition beryllium the champion for your dreams arsenic if they were my own!”

Platner tells supporters that ‘people tin change’ and Collins tin beryllium defeated

Platner told cheering supporters that they person built a formidable governmental question that tin decision the longtime Republican senator.

“And erstwhile we yet decision Susan Collins,” Platner said, “that volition beryllium due to the fact that of you, too.”

Platner’s run has been rocked by a bid of controversies implicit the past respective months. Tuesday, helium said helium tin “be a legislator for the radical who cannot spend to bargain a senator” and basal up to billionaires and corporations.

“I volition combat for you,” Platner said.

Platner acknowledgment Gov. Janet Mills successful triumph speech

The Democratic nominee for Senate successful Maine has taken the signifier astatine his predetermination nighttime ticker enactment and thanked his supporters and hostile Mills.

“It is an honor, and I volition not fto you down,” Platner told the crowd. “Until precocious I thought that harbormaster would beryllium the tallness of my governmental career.”

Sen. Lindsey Graham says helium wants to instrumentality to the US Senate to assistance Trump

“President Trump,” said Graham successful a triumph code aft winning the Republican information successful South Carolina. “I’m coming backmost to the Senate successful ’27. I’m going to triumph successful November and I’m going to assistance you alteration this satellite and alteration this country.”

After thanking a slew of radical for his superior victory, helium said he’s going to repay them by “helping President Trump enactment arsenic galore blimpish judges connected the Court arsenic we can.”

Graham Platner wins Maine Democratic primary, volition look GOP Sen. Susan Collins

It’s a high-stakes Senate run that pits the seasoned Collins, the lone Republican legislator from New England, against a progressive with nary acquisition successful precocious office. Platner, a brash governmental newcomer who has energized crowds, has faced a bid of controversies that the GOP volition absorption connected passim the campaign.

An oyster husbandman and erstwhile seat of the readying committee successful the tiny municipality of Sullivan, Platner has drawn hundreds of radical to rallies astir the state.

He was endorsed by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who campaigned with him successful the run-up to the primary. He has said helium plans to absorption connected economical issues specified arsenic lodging and healthcare.

Platner’s ma tells Maine assemblage her lad represents ‘real change’

The parent of the Maine Senate campaigner told those gathered astatine his predetermination nighttime ticker enactment that she’s arrogant of her lad and hopeful for a large win.

“Graham has ever been precise passionate astir serving others and making beingness amended for the radical astir him,” Leslie Harlow said astatine the lawsuit successful the tiny municipality of Blue Hill.

Harlow, who has been a fixture astatine Platner’s run events, told the cheering assemblage that her lad has been a dedicated idiosyncratic since his younger days arsenic a blueberry raker and supermarket market bagger. She said he’ll bring that dedication to the Senate.

Trump calls South Carolina’s Evette, says he’ll assistance her successful coming gubernatorial runoff

The president called Evette arsenic she precocious to a runoff to congratulate her.

A idiosyncratic with cognition of Evette’s superior nighttime activities but not authorized to publically talk astir them said Trump besides told his chosen prime successful the governor’s contention helium would lend his enactment implicit the adjacent 2 weeks.

Trump endorsed Evette little than 2 weeks earlier Tuesday’s votes successful South Carolina’s five-way GOP gubernatorial primary. He is besides a adjacent protagonist of existent Gov. Henry McMaster.

— By Meg Kinnard

Alan Wilson advances to GOP runoff for South Carolina governor

Wilson moved guardant contempt not securing Trump’s endorsement successful a contention successful which the apical contenders vied for the president’s support.

Wilson has served arsenic the state’s lawyer wide since 2011, taking actions to enactment Trump’s governmental and idiosyncratic moves. In 2024, Wilson traveled to New York to enactment Trump arsenic helium stood proceedings successful a hush wealth case.

He is the lad of longtime U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson.

Pamela Evette advances to GOP runoff for South Carolina governor

Evette’s accomplishment came astir a week aft securing Trump’s backing.

The Ohio autochthonal has for 8 years served arsenic lieutenant politician to existent Gov. Henry McMaster, who is term-limited and was among Trump’s earliest supporters successful his archetypal statesmanlike campaign.

All polls person closed successful North Dakota

In-person Election Day voting concluded successful North Dakota astatine 9 p.m. ET. Some polls located successful Central clip closed an hr earlier, astatine 8 p.m. ET.

Comparable primaries from past elections tin connection clues astir erstwhile to expect the archetypal ballot results and however agelong the ballot number mightiness take.

In the 2024 authorities primary, the AP archetypal reported results astatine 9 p.m. ET, conscionable arsenic the past polls closed. The past ballot update of the nighttime was astatine 11:56 p.m. ET, with astir 99% of full votes counted.

Lindsey Graham wins South Carolina GOP superior arsenic helium seeks 5th Senate term

The cardinal Trump state defeated challengers including businessman Mark Lynch, who said Graham wasn’t blimpish capable for the state.

Trump aboriginal connected endorsed Graham, his governmental confidant and regular golfing partner, contempt their on-again-off-again relationship.

In announcing helium would question a 5th word successful the Senate, Graham besides secured the state’s starring Republicans, Sen. Tim Scott and Gov. Henry McMaster, to seat his 2026 run.

No Democrat has won a U.S. Senate spot successful South Carolina successful decades, and Republicans successful caller past typically instrumentality statewide seats by double-digit margins. When helium past ran successful 2020, Graham defeated his Democratic opponent, Jaime Harrison, by a 10 percent constituent margin.

Lindsey Graham’s quality to navigate Trump stood retired for 1 of his superior supporters

A fig of Republican challengers are vying against Graham, but 1 elector said he’s not disquieted astir arguments the incumbent isn’t blimpish enough.

“I deliberation he’s perfectly fine,” said Jimmy Hunt, a Spartanburg businessman, arsenic helium watched returns travel successful astatine Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette’s predetermination nighttime office successful Greenville.

“He navigates beauteous good with President Trump,” Hunt said. He’s benignant of ever connected the borderline of being successful trouble, but that’s a pugnacious crippled — truly tough.”

Jermaine Johnson wins Democratic superior for South Carolina governor

The authorities lawmaker who has represented a territory successful the Columbia country for 3 presumption defeated businessman Billy Webster and lawyer Mullins McLeod.

Seen arsenic a rising prima successful the authorities party, Johnson was tapped to springiness this year’s Democratic effect to Republican Gov. Henry McMaster’s authorities of the authorities address.

The victor of the November wide predetermination volition win McMaster, who has been successful bureau since Nikki Haley near her word aboriginal to articulation the archetypal Trump administration.

Democrats person not won a wide predetermination for politician successful South Carolina since 1998, and Republicans person controlled each statewide elected offices for much than a decade.

Annie Andrews wins Democratic superior for US Senate successful South Carolina

The Charleston pediatrician secured the information successful her run to support Republican U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham from a 5th term.

Andrews, who unsuccessfully challenged U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace successful 2022, has challenged what she’s characterized arsenic Graham’s waffling positions implicit the people of his governmental career.

No Democrat has won a U.S. Senate spot successful South Carolina successful decades, and Republicans successful caller past typically instrumentality statewide seats by double-digit margins.

When helium past ran successful 2020, Graham defeated his Democratic opponent, Jaime Harrison, by a 10 percent constituent margin.

Supporters filling up Platner ticker enactment successful Maine

Platner is holding his lawsuit astatine Blue Hill YMCA successful the municipality of Blue Hill, astir 30 miles from his hometown of Sullivan. Supporters were gathering to perceive a code from Platner, which is expected aft results travel in.

Platner is expected to triumph the superior due to the fact that his main competition, Democratic Gov. Janet Mills, suspended her run weeks ago. The victor volition look longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins.

The temper astatine his lawsuit is high, with the assemblage expecting a triumph and opening to assemble successful beforehand of a podium wherever Platner volition speak.

Democratic voters measurement successful connected Nevada superior for governor

Las Vegas nonmigratory Laurie Trowbridge voted for Alexis Hill due to the fact that of Hill’s stance connected information centers. Hill has pledged to halt caller taxation abatements connected information centers and necessitate them to instrumentality renewable vigor policies.

“We don’t person capable h2o for information centers,” Trowbridge said. “And they pollute everything, and we can’t person it. We person capable problems successful the authorities without adding that to it.”

Teresa Ray, besides a Las Vegas resident, voted for Attorney General Aaron Ford due to the fact that of his acquisition arsenic a leader.

“He has shown maine since he’s been lawyer wide that he’s going to beryllium the 1 that should beryllium capable to pb Nevada into a amended spot than wherever we are now,” Ray said.

She hopes that if helium is elected, helium volition beryllium capable to promote different Democrats to “grow immoderate spine” and nonstop a amended connection to voters.

Tough prime successful South Carolina leads Republican elector to outsider

Juliana Palyak studied the Republican candidates for South Carolina politician for months. She didn’t similar immoderate of them.

Finally arsenic superior time came, she said she decided to ballot for self-funded businessman Rom Reddy.

“I bash not privation vocation politicians immoderate more. I americium tried of it,” Paylak said of the different 4 candidates who are each presently successful elected office.

Her disgust extends to Trump, who has mislaid her enactment by going to warfare successful Iran and not keeping different promises made during his campaign.

“His societal media. It’s ridiculous,” Paylak said.

Polls person closed successful Maine

In-person Election Day voting concluded successful Maine astatine 8 p.m. ET.

Comparable primaries from past elections tin connection clues astir erstwhile to expect the archetypal ballot results and however agelong the ballot number mightiness take.

In the 2024 wide election, the AP archetypal reported results astatine 8:44 p.m. ET, oregon 44 minutes aft polls closed. About 50% of the full ballot had been counted by 12:54 a.m. ET, and counting stopped for the nighttime astatine 4:11 a.m. ET. By 3:13 p.m. ET the time aft Election Day, astir 90% of the ballot had been counted.

Some of Maine’s superior elections could beforehand to ranked prime voting if nary campaigner wins a bulk of first-choice votes. This could hold the merchandise of last results for different week oregon two.

Republican Steve Hilton advances to wide predetermination successful contention for California governor

Hilton has made the lawsuit that the authorities desperately needs caller enactment pursuing much than 15 years of Democratic dominance.

He’ll look Democrat Xavier Becerra, a erstwhile authorities lawyer wide and Biden medication wellness secretary, whom The Associated Press antecedently determined had won capable votes. Election time was a week ago.

Hilton faces a challenging electorate successful the November election, arsenic California has astir doubly arsenic galore registered Democrats arsenic Republicans. If elected helium would beryllium the archetypal GOP campaigner to triumph statewide bureau since 2006.

Nevada politician looks up to November and lays retired the biggest issues

Gov. Joe Lombardo thanked run volunteers Tuesday day successful beforehand of a Las Vegas polling location, taking pictures and signing supporters’ shirts arsenic radical huddled nether a structure successful the 94 grade heat.

The Republican governor, who is expected to easy triumph his primary, touted his grounds connected improving acquisition and “expanding upon the system and the jobs front, healthcare, and nationalist safety.” He said adjacent connected the database is moving connected affordable housing.

“We’re moving again due to the fact that we inactive got a batch of enactment to bash successful that space,” Lombardo said astatine his campaign’s booth. Along the sidewalk starring to the polling location, campaigns sent up booths successful a past effort to sway voters.

Lombardo volition apt look either Attorney General Aaron Ford oregon Washoe County Commissioner Alexis Hill successful November.

California waiting crippled leaves candidates guessing

Election time successful California was 1 week ago, but candidates successful the contention for politician are inactive waiting to find retired who volition beryllium paired successful a November runoff for the state’s highest office.

Democrat Xavier Becerra qualified past week, but it’s inactive not wide if the 2nd spot volition beryllium claimed by Republican Steve Hilton oregon Democrat Tom Steyer.

Becerra told reporters Tuesday that helium was “anxious to find retired who … is going to beryllium successful determination with me.”

California has a notoriously dilatory ballot count, and Becerra said, “I don’t deliberation it’s a large happening that it takes specified a agelong time.” But helium besides defended the system, saying helium would reason “anything that reduces a Californian’s accidental to vote.”

Earlier successful the day, Hilton said the vote-counting strategy that tin sometimes instrumentality weeks oregon longer to find a victor desperately needed a implicit overhaul.

“It’s insane,” Hilton said.

Maine Republican politician candidates chide usage of ranked prime voting

Two of the GOP candidates said they felt the usage of ranked prime voting successful the GOP superior made for an uglier predetermination season.

Maine uses the ranked the benignant of voting for immoderate races, including politician primaries, though it volition not beryllium utilized successful the wide predetermination for governor. Ranked voting could origin heavy successful Tuesday’s results due to the fact that determination are 7 Republican candidates and 5 Democrats.

Jonathan Bush, 1 of the Republican candidates, said the relation of ranked prime voting is to “make radical little trusting of our ideology close now.” Another Republican, Owen McCarthy, said it led to candidates attacking each other.

“The happening with ranked prime voting is it’s expected to marque the contention nicer. It didn’t marque the contention nicer,” helium said.

South Carolina redistricting came down to the midterms wire, past failed

The state’s primaries seemed to beryllium connected the verge of being upended implicit Trump’s propulsion to reshape legislature districts up of the November elections.

However, the Republican-controlled authorities Senate rejected a program to cancel legislature votes and docket a caller superior nether revised districts.

The caller lines had been designed to assistance Republicans oust U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, presently seeking his 18th word and the state’s sole legislature Democrat.

Some senators, including Republicans, said it was simply excessively precocious to marque a change. Last weekend, South Carolina Democrats celebrated during their yearly fundraising meal and convention.

Platner’s texting contention explained

The Maine Democratic Senate campaigner has been scrutinized precocious aft reports that helium sent sexually explicit substance messages with respective women portion joined to his wife, Amy Gertner.

Gertner has called quality sum of the contented “gossip.”

Genevieve McDonald, a then-campaign staffer for Platner, told The Associated Press that Platner was “sexting aggregate women portion married” and “the run tried to measure that arsenic an predetermination vulnerability.”

According to The Wall Street Journal, Gertner told the run successful August astir the messages, which she had discovered connected Platner’s telephone past year. Platner’s run squad reportedly decided that the texts were backstage and being handled by the couple, who were joined successful 2023.

The 2 are successful counseling, Gertner has said, and Platner has his ain therapist.

Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This worldly whitethorn not beryllium published, broadcast, rewritten oregon redistributed without permission.