Wisconsin's Democratic showdown and more primary races to watch today
South Carolina Republicans will be choosing a successor for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham's seat, and Minnesota's Senate primary is another battle between moderate and progressive Democrats.
Updated on: August 11, 2026 / 6:51 AM EDT / CBS News
Six states are holding primaries on Tuesday, with the unpredictable Democratic primaries in Wisconsin and Minnesota coming to a close as South Carolina Republicans choose a successor for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham's seat.
In Wisconsin, the democratic socialist Francesca Hong and the more moderate David Crowley are duking it out for the Democratic nomination in the governor's race after two other candidates dropped out of the race. President Trump's ally, Rep. Tom Tiffany, is all but certain to win the GOP nomination.
With Minnesota Democratic Sen. Tina Smith not running for reelection, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and Rep. Angie Craig are fighting for the Democratic nomination for Senate in another proxy battle between two different factions of the party. Sen. Amy Klobuchar is opting to run for governor, and faces no significant primary opposition in the race to replace Gov. Tim Walz, who is not running for reelection.
On the ballot for the Republican nomination for the Minnesota Senate seat, Michele Tafoya, a former sportscaster, is considered the frontrunner against Adam Schwarze, a retired Navy SEAL, and Royce White, a former professional basketball player who was the 2024 GOP candidate. In the governor's race, MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth and businessman Kendall Qualls are the major contenders for the GOP nomination.
And in South Carolina, the sprint to Tuesday's special primary election to replace Graham on the ticket comes to a head. Graham's sister, Sen. Darline Graham, has been appointed to fill out the remainder of his term and is facing off against nine primary challengers for a spot on the ballot in November.