How to Support our President - Vote

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I am voting First Thing!

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I am no longer voting for any incumbents,

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Arizona and Florida have contested primaries for both parties Tuesday, while Oklahoma Republicans will choose a candidate for governor in the deep red state. The marquee Republican contests are tests of loyalty to President Trump, as GOP voters in Florida pick a candidate for governor and Arizona Republicans for Senate. And in Florida and Arizona, Democrats have competitive contests for governor.

Here’s what to watch Tuesday:

Florida: A Trump test in the East

The Florida GOP gubernatorial primary has Mr. Trump’s fingerprints all over it. Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, a well-funded Republican backed by the state party establishment, had been the clear front runner for months.

Then Mr. Trump weighed in and endorsed his rival, GOP Rep. Ron DeSantis. That catapulted the congressman to a double-digit lead in most polls.

If Mr. DeSantis wins, it will be a measure of what works in the Trump GOP, and how it has changed from the pre-Trump GOP.

THE BATTLE FOR CONGRESS
Mr. DeSantis is a Fox News celebrity (appearing 93 times in less than a year, more than any other elected official), a member of the House’s hard-line Freedom Caucus, and relentless cheerleader for the president. Mr. Putnam has a blue chip resume of government service and political success, and he has out-raised and out-organized his rival.

All polls point to a DeSantis victory, though some surveys showed the race was getting close as primary day approached. If Mr. Putnam pulls out a come-from-behind victory, it will be a blow to Mr. Trump’s political prestige.

Arizona: A Trump test in the West

A three-way race for Arizona’s Republican Senate nomination has, like GOP contests elsewhere, evolved into a Trump loyalty test. All three candidates promise to “Make America Great Again.” One local columnist called them the “MAGA triplets.”

The Senate primary election pits the establishment favorite, Rep. Martha McSally, who is backed by the Chamber of Commerce and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, against two lesser-funded rivals who are aiming to appeal to the party’s far-right wing.

Polls suggest Ms. McSally is most likely to beat former state Sen. Kelli Ward, who spent her last weekend accusing Sen. John McCain of ending his cancer treatment to stunt her political progress. Mr. McCain died on Saturday. Ms. McSally is also favored over former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who last year received a pardon from Mr. Trump. Mr. Arpaio had been convicted of contempt of court after disobeying a federal court order to halt immigration raids. Mr. Trump hasn’t endorsed anyone in the race.

Ms. McSally kept her distance from Mr. Trump during the 2016 campaign, and has refused to say whether she voted for him. In her Senate campaign, she has portrayed herself as a loyal Trump ally, a move that is a testament to the president’s popularity among GOP primary voters.

That could make it harder for the GOP nominee to tack to the center against Democratic Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, who, in the absence of a serious primary challenge, has spent the last 18 months fundraising. She has collected $10.7 million to Ms. McSally’s $7.7 million.

Ms. Ward has raised $3 million and Mr. Arpaio just $1.3 million.

Another left vs. center battle in Florida

Democrats have been consistent in 2018 primaries. When given comparable options, they choose women over men, and in toss-up races, the mainstream candidates have beaten those aligned with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, a liberal independent.

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