US primaries: What to watch in Kansas, Missouri, Virginia, Washington

What the report says

Voters in Kansas, Missouri, Virginia, Michigan and Washington are holding another round of US midterm primaries on Tuesday, with nominees being chosen for November’s elections. In Al Jazeera’s roundup, the contests are framed as early signals for the battle over Congress, as well as a test of Donald Trump’s influence on Republican politics and of tensions inside the Democratic Party, including disputes over Israel’s war on Gaza and the strength of its progressive wing.

In Kansas, the main race is the Republican governor’s primary to succeed term-limited Democrat Laura Kelly. The field includes Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson, Secretary of State Scott Schwab and Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt, among others. The state’s 3rd Congressional District is also drawing attention, where Democratic Representative Sharice Davids faces a primary challenge from Sarah Preu, who is campaigning from the left on immigration, military aid to Israel and corporate PAC money.

In Missouri, Representative Wesley Bell and former Representative Cori Bush are meeting again in the Democratic primary for the 1st Congressional District. Al Jazeera reports the rematch has become a proxy fight over Gaza, AIPAC’s influence and the direction of the party’s progressive movement. The race also comes after Missouri Republicans redrew the congressional map, and outside money has again poured into the contest.

Virginia’s closely watched 2nd Congressional District is set for another competitive House matchup between Republican Representative Jen Kiggans and former Democratic Representative Elaine Luria. More broadly, the primaries in these states could help determine which parties enter November with momentum in several key battlegrounds.