Five things to watch in Tuesday's primaries as New York races take center stage

Primaries Scheduled Tuesday in New York, Maryland, Utah, and South Carolina

Voters in New York, Maryland, Utah, and South Carolina will participate in primary elections on Tuesday. The contests involve races for open seats and challenges to incumbents, with attention on outside spending, party endorsements, and candidate alignments.

The most prominent contest is in New York’s 12th Congressional District, where Democrats are selecting a nominee to succeed retiring Representative Jerry Nadler. The field includes Assembly members Alex Bores and Micah Lasher, as well as Jack Schlossberg. Bores’s positions on artificial intelligence regulation have drawn outside spending from aligned groups.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who is not on the ballot, has endorsed three candidates: Darializa Avila Chevalier in the 13th District, former Comptroller Brad Lander in the 10th District, and Assemblywoman Claire Valdez in the 7th District. Some of these endorsements have drawn opposition from labor unions, Latino organizations, and other elected officials, including Representative Adriano Espaillat and Representative Nydia Velázquez.

A survey conducted by Honan Strategy Group reported that 63 percent of New York City Democratic voters view the Democratic Party favorably and 35 percent view it unfavorably. Half of respondents identified electing a younger, more progressive generation as a top priority. Forty-three percent described primary challenges to incumbents as healthy for the party, while 13 percent described them as divisive.

Outside spending has appeared in several New York races. In the 13th District, the United Democracy Project, affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, contributed $650,000 to BOLD America, which has spent at least $2.8 million supporting Espaillat. Additional spending has come from the Latino Victory Fund, Project 218, and the Progressive Unity Fund. Avila Chevalier has received support from Justice Democrats and American Priorities. In the 10th District, a super PAC supporting Representative Dan Goldman has spent more than $300,000. In the 12th District, groups aligned with technology interests have backed Bores, and former Mayor Michael Bloomberg has contributed $10 million to Lasher.

In Maryland’s 5th Congressional District, a 24-candidate primary is underway following the retirement of former House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer. Candidates include state Delegate Adrian Boafo and former U.S. Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn. Boafo has received endorsements from Hoyer, Governor Wes Moore, and Senator Angela Alsobrooks, along with $8.8 million in outside spending, including $4.9 million from Protect Progress, $2.9 million from the United Democracy Project, and $500,000 from Hoyer’s leadership PAC, according to Roll Call.

In the 6th District, Representative April McClain Delaney is facing a challenge from former Representative David Trone, who has loaned his campaign $25 million.

Utah’s new congressional map, ordered by a court, created a Democratic-leaning 1st District centered on Salt Lake City. Former Representative Ben McAdams is running against state Senator Nate Blouin, tax attorney Michael Farrell, and Liban Mohamed. On the Republican side, Representative Blake Moore faces Karianne Lisonbee in the 2nd District, and Representative Celeste Maloy faces Phil Lyman in the 3rd District.

In New York’s 21st District, the Republican primary to succeed Representative Elise Stefanik features state Assemblyman Anthony Constantino, endorsed by President Donald Trump, and state Assemblyman Robert Smullen, supported by most county Republican committees and the Conservative Party. Trump received approximately 60 percent of the vote in the district in 2024. Constantino has self-funded his campaign with several million dollars. Smullen has received endorsements from 12 of the district’s 15 Republican county committees.

Early voting has already occurred in some New York locations, including Brooklyn.