Primary takeaways, Rudy Giuliani, Little League World Series: 5 things to know Wednesday

Primary takeaways: Cheney loses to Hageman in Wyoming; Alaska's Murkowski and Palin advance

Political observers waking up Wednesday will see primary races in Wyoming and Alaska Tuesday further revealing not only the strong grip former President Donald Trump has on the Republican Party but also the direction the country could take with the next Congress. Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., was one of 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach the former president in January 2021 after the violent attack on the Capitol. She lost to Harriet Hageman — badly. The Trump-backed Hageman said Tuesday night the former president propelled her campaign to victory. Alaska's new nonpartisan ranked-choice primary likely helped help Sen. Lisa Murkowski advance in her primary, even though she also crossed Trump. Alaska voters also selected their top four candidates in the primary to take over the state's lone U.S. House seat held by GOP Rep. Don Young, who died in March, for a full term come January. Sarah Palin, Alaska's Republican former governor and vice-presidential candidate, Republican businessman Nick Begich, and Democratic tribal activist Mary Peltola advanced to the November general election.

• Takeaways: Primary races in Wyoming and Alaska further reveal strong grip Trump has on the GOP

• In Alaska primary, Murkowski and Palin show the deepening fissures in the Republican Party

• Text with USA TODAY staffers: Elections news on your phone, from our top reporters

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Will Giuliani testify in Georgia election probe?

Rudy Giuliani, the personal attorney to former President Donald Trump, was scheduled to testify Wednesday before an Atlanta-area grand jury investigating interference in the 2020 presidential election. What Giuliani might be willing to tell the grand jury – or whether he would testify at all – was unclear, after prosecutors notified Giuliani's lawyers this week that he is now a target of the investigation led by the Fulton County district attorney. The former New York mayor had made wide-ranging claims that voting systems altered Georgia ballots, while ignoring a hand-count audit that confirmed President Joe Biden's victory in the state. He also asserted that thousands of underage voters, felons and dead people voted – claims that were debunked by the Georgia secretary of state.

• Forced to testify? Judge rejects Sen. Graham's bid to quash grand jury subpoena

• Georgia election investigation heats up. Giuliani, Eastman facing dates with grand jury

Rapper A$AP Rocky to be arraigned on assault with firearm charges

A$AP Rocky's arraignment on two counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm for pulling a gun on a former friend and firing in Hollywood last year, is scheduled for Wednesday, Los Angeles District Attorney's Office said. Prosecutors allege that during an argument on Nov. 6, 2021, the 33-year-old rapper, whose real name is Rakim Athelaston Mayers, pointed the handgun at the victim, then in a subsequent confrontation, drew the gun again and fired twice in the direction of the man, who sustained a minor injury. His name has not been released. Police said Rocky and two other men fled the scene on foot. Rocky is in a relationship with superstar singer and businesswoman Rihanna, and the two had a son in May.

• Arrest in April: A$AP Rocky arrested at Los Angeles airport as the suspect of a November shooting

• A$AP Rocky talks fatherhood, teaching son shared with Rihanna about 'diversity and versatility'

WNBA playoffs begin with the top two seeds in action

The WNBA playoffs kick off Wednesday with the top two teams in the league – the No. 1 seeded Las Vegas Aces and the defending champs Chicago Sky – beginning their first-round series. First, the No. 2 seeded Sky, led by Kahleah Copper and Candace Parker, face Sabrina Ionescu and the seventh-seeded New York Liberty in Chicago (8 p.m. ET, ESPN2). Chicago won the season series 3-1 during the regular season. Later, the Aces, led by two of the WNBA's top 5 scorers in Kelsey Plum and A'ja Wilson, host the No. 8 seeded Phoenix Mercury (10 p.m. ET, ESPN). The Mercury will be without one of their stars as Diana Taurasi is out for the rest of the season due to a quad injury. Later this week, the two other playoff series will get underway as the No. 3 seeded Connecticut Sun host the Dallas Wings, the No. 6 seed, and the No. 5 seeded Washington Mystics head west to face the Seattle Storm, the fourth seed. This will be the final playoff run for Sue Bird as she plans to retire at the end of the Storm's season.

• Undecided, for now: Could WNBA star Diana Taurasi hang it up after this season, join Sue Bird in retirement?

• An icon says goodbye: Sylvia Fowles receives heartfelt standing ovation to end her career

• From FTW: WNBA superstars A'ja Wilson and Kahleah Copper sign massive sponsorships as the league continues to grow

Little League World Series kicks off in Pennsylvania with an expanded field

The Little League World Series is back to its old self, and more. After no tournament in 2020 and no international clubs in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the youth baseball tournament has expanded to 20 teams for the first time from around the world - up from 16 - that will play in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, starting Wednesday. Two new U.S. regions and two international regions were introduced. Williamsport Mayor Derek Slaughter estimated the 2022 World Series, which marks the 75th anniversary of the first tournament, will bring in 85,000 people, adding the event could have a $40 million to $50 million impact on the community. The regional events have already provided memorable moments, including Oklahoma's Isaiah Jarvis consoling a shaken Kaiden Shelton of Texas after Shelton struck Jarvis in the head with an errant pitch.

• Dorm accident: Little League World Series player suffers head injury after falling from bunk bed

• Viral moment: Wyoming Little Leaguer hits a home run while wearing work gloves

Contributing: The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Primary election takeaways, Rudy Giuliani: 5 things to know Wednesday