New York, Other States Hold Primaries, Runoffs: What to Watch

Voters in New York, South Carolina, Maryland, and Utah head to the polls on June 23.

In New York, the biggest races will be in a handful of congressional districts where progressives are looking to win the Democratic primaries in heavily blue seats.

Down in South Carolina, voters will cast their ballots in runoff elections in the GOP primaries for governor and the House.

Meanwhile, people in Maryland will vote in primaries for governor and in a couple of competitive House districts.

In the West, voters in Utah will vote in a couple of competitive House races.

Here is what to know.

New York

In the Empire State, the most-watched races are mostly in Democratic-heavy congressional districts.

In the Seventh Congressional District, there are four Democrats on the ballot. The winner is all but assured to succeed longtime Democratic Rep. Nydia Velázquez, who declined to run for reelection. The candidates include New York State Assemblymember Claire Valdez, lawyer Vichal Kumar, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, and City Councilwoman Julie Won. Valdez is a democratic socialist endorsed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

The winner will face community activist Melvin Rivera, a Republican.

Over in the Tenth Congressional District, incumbent Democratic Rep. Dan Goldman, a liberal, faces a party challenge from former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, a progressive. Mamdani has endorsed Lander, who also has the support of Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). Support for Israel has been an issue as Goldman, who is Jewish, has had a record favorable of the Jewish state, while Lander, who is also Jewish, has been critical of the country.

The winner is expected to face Jennifer Moore, a Republican.

In the 12th Congressional District, the Democratic race to succeed retiring Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler includes New York State Assemblymember Micah Lasher, New York State Assemblymember Alex Bores, lawyer George Conway, writer Jack Schlossberg, and four other candidates.

Schlossberg is a member of the Kennedy family, while Conway was married to former Trump aide Kellyanne Conway. Lasher has been endorsed by Nadler and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul.

The primary is the second-most expensive House primary on record, according to AdImpact. At least $26.3 million has been spent on ads.

The winner will face lawyer Caroline Shinkle, a Republican.

Located on Long Island, the 17th Congressional District has a Democratic primary with five candidates looking to take on incumbent Republican Rep. Mike Lawler. They include Air Force veteran John Cappello, Army veteran Cait Conley, Rockland County Legislator Beth Davidson, Tarrytown Trustee and nonprofit executive Effie Phillips-Staley, and journalist Mike Sacks.

The Cook Political Report rates the race as a toss-up.

In the 21st Congressional District, which the Cook Political Report rates as “Solid Republican,” the race is on to succeed retiring Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik. The Republican candidates include manufacturing executive Anthony Constantino and New York State Assemblymember Robert Smullen. President Donald Trump has endorsed Constantino.

Stuart Amoriell and dairy farmer Blake Gendebien are running for the Democratic nod.

Meanwhile, the gubernatorial race is all but set as Hochul will face Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, a Republican. Trump has endorsed Blakeman. Given that New York is overwhelmingly Democratic, Hochul is all but guaranteed to win in November.

Stefanik initially entered the race in November before dropping out the following month, saying “it is not an effective use of our time or your generous resources to spend the first half of next year in an unnecessary and protracted Republican primary, especially in a challenging state like New York.” She also cited wanting to spend more time with her son.

New York Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado initially challenged Hochul before dropping out as Hochul was leading in the polls.

South Carolina

In the Palmetto State, there are runoffs in both Republican and Democratic races.

In the gubernatorial race, South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson square off as Trump has endorsed both candidates. The winner will face Democratic state Rep. Jermaine Johnson in the general election on Nov. 3. Democrats last won the governorship in 1998.

The winner in the general election will succeed term-limited Republican Gov. Henry McMaster, who endorsed Evette. Multiple polls showed Wilson leading Evette. A polling average from FiftyPlusOne showed Wilson with 55.7 percent support compared to Evette’s 31.7 percent.

Evette questioned Wilson’s loyalty to the president. Her campaign released an artificial intelligence-created ad accusing Wilson of aligning with Republicans critical of Trump such as former Ohio Gov. John Kasich.

Wilson has avoided criticizing Evette, but cited his own credentials as a four-term state attorney general working on conservative legal issues as a reason he should be the next governor.

Johnson is the Democratic nominee.

Given the state is heavily Republican, Wilson or Evette will likely be the next governor.

In the First Congressional District, the runoff in the GOP primary is between attorney and small business owner Jenny Honeycutt and South Carolina state Rep. Mark Smith. Honeycutt has been endorsed by House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.).

The Democratic runoff is between Coast Guard veteran Mac Deford and retired Navy Vice Admiral and former Navy Reserve Chief Nancy Lacore.

The Cook Political Report rates the race as “Likely Republican.”

Over in the 2nd Congressional District, there is a Democratic runoff between Zyon Khalifa and Army veteran David Robinson II. The winner is expected to face incumbent Republican Rep. Joe Wilson.

The Cook Political Report rates the race as “Solid Republican.”

Maryland

In the Old Line State, there are competitive primaries for House and governor.

The Democratic primary in the Fifth Congressional District consists of 24 candidates vying to succeed retiring Democratic Rep. Steny Hoyer. They include state Delegate Adrian Boafo, healthcare executive Quincy Bareebe, and former U.S. Capitol police officer Harry Dunn.

Dunn came into the spotlight following the riot at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Meanwhile, Hoyer has endorsed Boafo. Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.) and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore have also backed Boafo.

The GOP primary consists of Chris Chaffee, Bryan Duval Cubero, and Michelle Talkington.

The Cook Political Report rates the contest as “Solid Democratic.”

Over in the Sixth Congressional District, incumbent Rep. April McClain Delaney (D-Md.) faces former Rep. David Trone (D-Md.) in a Democratic primary that also includes four other candidates. At least $23.2 million has been spent on ads in the primary, making the race the fourth-most expensive House primary on record, according to AdImpact.

Republicans seeking their party’s nomination include Marine Corps veteran Christopher Burnett, former state Delegate Robin Ficker, and Air Force veteran Mariela Roca.

The Cook Political Report rates the contest as “Solid Democratic.”

The GOP primary to face Moore includes nine candidates. The two prominent candidates in the race are former state Delegate Dan Cox and retired banker Ed Hale. Trump did not endorse a candidate in the Republican primary, though he endorsed Cox in 2022. Regardless, given the state is heavily Democratic, Moore is likely to win in November.

Cox is a private attorney and founder of The Cox Law Center, a firm focused on protecting constitutional rights, supporting families, and defending individual freedoms.

Hale owns the Baltimore Blast indoor soccer team. Originally a Democrat, he changed his party affiliation to Republican in August 2025, describing the move as a practical decision that would allow him to challenge Moore for governor.

Utah

Finally, in the Beehive State there are two House races to watch.

In the First Congressional District, the Democratic contest to face former White House staffer Riley Owen, who was nominated at his state party’s convention, includes former Rep. Ben McAdams (D-Utah), former Meta and TikTok employee Liban Mohamed, state Sen. Nate Blouin, and tax attorney Michael Farrell. Mohamed won his party’s endorsement at their convention, but the three other candidates gathered enough signatures to be placed on the primary ballot.

The Cook Political Report rates the district as “Solid Democratic.”

The First Congressional District was redrawn under a redistricting approved by the state Supreme Court.

On Feb. 20, the court denied the state legislature’s appeal, clearing the way for a congressional map created by the plaintiffs in the redistricting case, the League of Women Voters of Utah and Mormon Women for Ethical Government, to be used in the 2026 midterm elections. The new map makes the First Congressional District more favorable to Democratic candidates. The decision came after years of litigation surrounding the legislature’s repeal of a voter-approved anti-gerrymandering initiative passed in 2018.

Over in the Second Congressional District, Republican Rep. Blake Moore faces state Rep. Karianne Lisonbee in the GOP primary. The Democratic nominee is educator Peter Crosby, who won his party’s nomination at its convention.

The Cook Political Report rates the race as “Solid Republican.”