"I better just retire, because I don’t know how the f*ck she did that"
— Meryl Streep bestowed the ultimate praise on a fellow actress after seeing her on Broadway. As for what she did after the show…
Politics
Reading the Primary Tea Leaves
What’s going on: As midterms approach, the political landscape has been ablaze with Summer House reunion-level drama. That likely won’t end today, as pivotal congressional primary elections kick off in six states: California, Iowa, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, and South Dakota. A few races that have analysts on their toes:
California: The race to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) has been full of scandal and surprise. Big-name Democrats like former VP Kamala Harris opted out, and then frontrunner and former Rep. Eric Swalwell dropped off the ticket in disgrace. This left a crowded field of lesser-known Democrats — and a chance (albeit a small one) for Republicans to shut Dems out come November. There’s also the LA mayor's race, with Karen Bass (D) up against councilmember Nithya Raman (D) and The Hills antagonist (and registered Republican) Spencer Pratt — and there’s no clear frontrunner. In California, where Democrats usually win state elections, Pratt’s success bashing the current state administration captures larger Republican sentiment, some analysts say.
Iowa: The Democratic Senate primary in the Hawkeye state could serve as something of a bellwether for the direction of the party: Do voters prefer a moderate candidate like state Rep. Josh Turek, or a progressive railing against the establishment (aka, bashing Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer) like state Sen. Zach Wahls? This race — plus excitement over gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand and an economy that’s harmed rural counties and farmers — has Iowa Dems hopeful they can finally pull a state that went red for President Donald Trump in the last three elections back towards the left.
The big picture: All these primaries are pieces of a large, complex puzzle. But what we’ve seen so far (with Trump-backed candidates easily winning primaries) won’t necessarily translate to November. For those Republicans to continue their win streaks in the general election, they’ll need non-MAGA voters — those who may also be turned off by skyrocketing gas prices and the war in Iran. Meanwhile, as Democrats fight to establish a new identity, what works in a state like Iowa may not work in New Jersey or New Mexico. But the push for fresh blood on both sides is obvious, particularly as incumbent members of Congress struggle to hold onto their seats.
