Voters in Virginia, Oklahoma, and Georgia will head to the polls on June 18 with the Old Dominion State being front and center.
Rep. Bob Good (R-Va.) (C) speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill following a vote on April 19, 2024 in Washington, DC. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
In Virginia, voters in the state’s Fifth Congressional District will decide between Rep. Bob Good (R-Va.), the chairman of the hardline and influential House Freedom Caucus, and state Sen. John McGuire, who has been endorsed by Donald Trump in what is a battle of loyalty to the former president.
Good has come under fire from some of Trump’s allies for endorsing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in the GOP presidential primary even though he switched his support to Trump when DeSantis dropped out of the race.
If Good loses, he would be the first House incumbent to go down to a primary challenge this year, with the exception of one race in which two incumbents faced off due to redistricting.
Polls show McGuire beating Good, who has been in Congress since 2021.
Additionally, there is the GOP Senate primary to take on two-term Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.). Trump has endorsed Hung Cao in the race.
Other Virginia primary races to watch are in the 2nd and 7th Congressional Districts.
In Georgia, there are two runoffs even though the winners of the races have long-shot odds in the general election given the districts are heavily in favor of the opposite party.
There is a third runoff in the Peach State as the GOP winner is all but guaranteed to win in November to succeed retiring Rep. Drew Ferguson (R-Ga.) given the 3rd Congressional District is heavily Republican.
Finally, in Oklahoma, while the congressional seats are solidly Republican, the race to watch will be the GOP primary in the 4th Congressional District, where Tom Cole, the chairman of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, faces a primary challenge from Paul Bondar.
—Jackson Richman
SENATE TEES UP BUMP STOCK VOTE
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said he will today call for a unanimous consent vote banning bump stocks, in response to a 6-3 Supreme Court decision on June 14 lifting a Trump-era ban. The measure is expected to fail, as it only takes one dissenting vote to kill it, and some GOP members have already expressed their support for the Court’s ruling.
Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) referred to the ban as “arbitrary,” citing an amicus brief which said: “It is a well-known fact, even by ATF’s own admission, the installation of a bump stock does not magically turn a rifle into a machine gun.”
A 6–3 opinion by the High Court found that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) exceeded its authority when it interpreted a federal firearms statute to outlaw the use of bump stocks. Bump stocks are attached to the butt end of a rifle, causing them to fire again by bumping against the finger on recoil.
The High Court has stated that such a ban cannot be imposed by rule or by executive order, but has made no declaration about legislative bans. “I’ll oppose any legislative fix,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.)
The bump stock ruling was made the day after two June 13 Supreme Court decisions: One that struck down a ban on pistol grips and another revoking new ATF regulations determining who is classified as a gun dealer. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) expressed concern that the Supreme Court was attempting to “fundamentally rewrite” the Second Amendment with its decisions.
“I think this Court is poised to make it very hard for Congress or state legislatures to be able to regulate guns and keep our communities safe,” he told CNN.
—Stacy Robinson
BOOKMARKS
President Joe Biden’s Title IX rule changes have been blocked in six more states by a federal judge. The changes, which are to take effect on Aug. 1, expand Title IX protections to include transgender students instead of only women.
Twenty-four Republican attorneys general have filed a motion to revoke a gag order on former President Donald Trump. They say the order, imposed by Special Counsel Jack Smith, violates his right to free speech.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore has issued pardons for more than 175,000 marijuana convictions. The narcotic was legalized in that state in 2022.
Recent polls in Florida are giving Democrats hope of prying that state from the GOP’s hands, but it’s unclear how realistic those numbers are. The polls were criticized for using a very Democrat-heavy sample group.
New Jersey insurance broker and Democrat political operative George Norcross has been indicted on corruption charges. He faces up to 20 years in prison for the 13-count indictment, which includes racketeering and other financial crimes.
—Stacy Robinson
