California, Ohio and Illinois brace for close contests on Tuesday: Here's what to watch

Savannah Kuchar, USA TODAY
·3 min read
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Tuesday's congressional primaries and special elections are promising tough contests and close battles as November's general election quickly approaches.

California is holding a special election to replace former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, the Bakersfield Republican who was ousted from his leadership post late last year. And in Ohio, voters will choose a Republican to compete with Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown in the fall.

Illinois holds their state primaries Tuesday, where multiple current U.S. House lawmakers face challenges from members of their own party.

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"I voted" stickers sit ready for voters to take after casting their ballot in the primary election at Precint C1 in the Olde Town Depot Building in Clinton, Miss., Tuesday, March 12, 2024.
"I voted" stickers sit ready for voters to take after casting their ballot in the primary election at Precint C1 in the Olde Town Depot Building in Clinton, Miss., Tuesday, March 12, 2024.

Voters in Illinois and Ohio will also have the chance to vote in their state's Republican or Democratic presidential primaries, though the presumptive nominees for each — President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump — are all but set.

Arizona and Kansas also hold presidential primaries for both parties Tuesday, while Florida hosts only a Republican contest.

Here's what to expect in Tuesday's congressional races.

Ohio holds pivotal Senate primary

Ohio is hosting a tight Senate Republican primary between state Sen. Matt Dolan, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose and businessman Bernie Moreno. Trump gave his endorsement to Moreno, while Ohio's Republican Gov. Mike DeWine backed Dolan.

Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, holds a press conference on reforming the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program in Washington on Sept. 12, 2023. Sen. Brown, who has represented Ohio since 2007, is running for reelection in 2024.
Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, holds a press conference on reforming the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program in Washington on Sept. 12, 2023. Sen. Brown, who has represented Ohio since 2007, is running for reelection in 2024.

The winner there will face Brown in November. Ohio's election is a key battleground in 2024 as Republicans and Democrats fight for control of the upper chamber.

Democrats are hoping Moreno clinches victory on Wednesday, seeing him as a less threatening rival while Brown tries to keep his seat.

A special election in the Buckeye State on Tuesday will also narrow the field to fill the seat representing Ohio's 6th congressional district.

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The deep-red area in eastern Ohio was left vacant when former GOP Rep. Bill Johnson stepped down at the start of the year to become president of Youngstown State University. Three Republicans are competing in Tuesday's primary, and the victor in that race is expected to then come out on top in June's special general election.

Californians pick Kevin McCarthy's replacement

Voters in California's 20th congressional district, encompassing southern portions of the Central Valley and Fresno, will head to the polls tomorrow to choose a candidate to fill the remaining few months of McCarthy's term.

Oct 24, 2023; Washington, DC, USA; Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) speaks with members of the press as he arrives for a House GOP Conference meeting as House lawmakers seek to elect a new speaker in Washington.
Oct 24, 2023; Washington, DC, USA; Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) speaks with members of the press as he arrives for a House GOP Conference meeting as House lawmakers seek to elect a new speaker in Washington.

McCarthy in December announced his plans to retire from Congress at the end of the year, after over a decade of serving in the House ended with intraparty fractures and a handful of Republican rebels pushing for his removal.

Leading the pack of nine candidates vying to take McCarthy's spot are Republicans Vince Fong, a state Assemblyman, and Mike Boudreaux, sheriff of Tulare County. Candidates are not split by party on the ballot in California.

If any one of the nine hopefuls earns a majority of the vote tomorrow, they will automatically assume the position. Otherwise, the top two go on to a runoff election in May.

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Incumbent issues in Illinois

Three Illinois incumbent House lawmakers could see their reelection bids on the line Tuesday, as members of their own party seek to knock them out of the race.

Raymond Lopez, a member of Chicago's city council, is looking to unseat Rep. Chuy García, a Democrat serving a district covering the southwest area of Chicago.

U.S. Rep. Chuy Garcia speaks as thousands welcome back Congress by marching for Citizenship, Care, And Climate Justice on Sept. 21, 2021 in Washington, D.C.
U.S. Rep. Chuy Garcia speaks as thousands welcome back Congress by marching for Citizenship, Care, And Climate Justice on Sept. 21, 2021 in Washington, D.C.

Another Democrat in a Chicago district, Rep. Danny Davis, is hoping to hold on Tuesday against a crowded field of opponents, including the city's Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin and community activist Kina Collins.

Over in the state's southernmost district, Republican Rep. Mike Bost has the help of a Trump endorsement as he faces off against former state Sen. Darren Bailey.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: CA, Ohio, Illinois: What to watch in primaries, special elections