What to know about this week’s US primary elections in Tennessee and Hawaii

What the report says

Voters in Tennessee and Hawaii are taking part in primary elections that will help determine November’s ballot in the two states, according to Al Jazeera. In Tennessee, Republicans are aiming to strengthen their control of a state that already leans heavily Republican, while Democrats are trying to compete in several races that now look more difficult after court-driven redistricting changed the congressional map.

Al Jazeera reports that Tennessee’s Ninth Congressional District was redrawn after a Supreme Court decision weakened federal protections for minority voters, breaking up the state’s only Black-majority district and making the seat more competitive for Republicans. That shift has reshaped the race involving state Representative Justin Pearson, who originally entered the contest against longtime Democrat Steve Cohen. Cohen has since exited, leaving Pearson in a crowded Democratic primary with state Senator London Lamar and healthcare executive Jim Torino. Other notable Tennessee contests include the Republican governor’s race, where US Senator Marsha Blackburn is among the contenders, and a Democratic Senate primary in a state that has not elected a Democratic senator since 1995.

In Hawaii, voters are choosing nominees in a primary scheduled for August 8. The main contest highlighted by Al Jazeera is the Democratic primary in the First Congressional District, where incumbent Ed Case faces challengers. Fellow Democratic incumbent Jill Tokuda is also seeking reelection. Governor Joshua Green is running for a second term in a crowded Democratic field.

The primaries matter because they will shape party nominees in states with different political dynamics: Tennessee remains strongly Republican, while Hawaii is dominated by Democrats but still features intraparty competition.