Rep. Thomas Massie’s loss in Kentucky solidifies Trump’s influence over the Republican Party. Relatives mourn the victims of the deadly mosque shooting in San Diego. And an American doctor with Ebola is evacuated to Germany for treatment.
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Here’s what to know today.
Trump notches GOP primary wins, but midterm questions remain
President Donald Trump scored his biggest win yet in his mission to eliminate political enemies within his own party, as former Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein won the Republican primary in Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District over Rep. Thomas Massie. Gallrein, Trump’s chosen candidate, won 54% of the vote, aided by an extraordinary ad blitz fueled largely by pro-Trump and pro-Israeli groups.
In successfully ousting Massie — who opposed the president on key issues — Trump continues to prove that he can not only influence GOP voters but also attack Republicans who have opposed him without feeling like there are significant negative consequences.
But Trump did not outright win everything he touched. In Georgia’s race for governor, Trump-backed Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and billionaire Rick Jackson are headed to a runoff for the Republican nomination. (The winner of the runoff will face Democratic candidate and former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.)
Despite the wins, it’s unclear how Trump’s GOP primary dominance will play out in the midterm general election. His low approval ratings and the war with Iran may raise red flags among voters who supported the president’s “America First” agenda. And his surprise endorsement of Texas state Attorney General Ken Paxton a week before the runoff against longtime Sen. John Cornyn has some wondering if the president should’ve kept quiet.
More election results:
- Democrats picked candidates for four key districts in Pennsylvania in the party’s battle for the House.
- Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and state Treasurer Stacy Garrity will face off in the race for governor. The result wasn’t unexpected, but the outcome of the race could have a big impact nationwide.
- Rep. Andy Barr won the Republican primary in the race for retiring Sen. Mitch McConnell’s seat in Kentucky.
- Rep. Mike Collins and former football coach Derek Dooley are heading to a Senate Republican primary runoff in Georgia, vying to take on Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff.
- Sen. Tommy Tuberville won the Republican primary for governor of Alabama, making him the clear favorite to win the general election.
- In the race to succeed Tuberville, Rep. Barry Moore advanced to a Senate primary runoff, and two rivals are battling for the second spot.
- State Sen. Christine Drazan won the Republican nomination for governor of Oregon, setting up a rematch against Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek.
More politics news:
- The Senate voted to advance a resolution to end the war in Iran after GOP Sen. Bill Cassidy flipped his vote to “yes.”
- Months before a $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund was announced, a Trump administration official told a GOP ally that big payouts were coming for Jan. 6 defendants.
- The DOJ said the federal government won’t take legal action against Trump, his family members and companies as part of Trump’s settlement agreement with the IRS.
Steve Kornacki answers your questions live today
At 2 p.m. ET, NBC News’ chief data analyst will take questions from subscribers in a livestreamed Q&A. Ask Steve anything — go deeper into Tuesday’s election results, delve into burning questions about the midterms or learn more about his career and life in front of the Kornacki Cam. Submit your question here.
San Diego mosque shooting victims identified as investigators probe writings
A day after two gunmen killed three people at a San Diego mosque, loved ones remembered the victims as important pillars of the community while investigators looked into the suspects’ possible writings, filled with extremist material.
The victims were identified as: Security guard Amin Abdullah, whose daughter called him her best friend and said he was so dedicated to his job that he would skip lunch to stay on duty. Mansour Kaziha, a community leader who managed the mosque store for nearly 40 years. Imam Taha Hassane said he was the mosque’s handyman, cook, caretaker and storekeeper. “He was everything,” Hassane said. And Nadir Award, who rushed to protect the school when he heard the shooting and is being remembered for his generosity and presence in the community. More about the victims.
Meanwhile, investigators are trying to authenticate a document posted online that purportedly details the motivations of the gunmen. The 75-page document has sections apparently written by Caleb Vazquez, 18, and Cain Clark, 17, and includes material that espouses anti-Islamic, antisemitic and anti-LGBTQ views and promotes white supremacist ideology. More about the documents.
American doctor with Ebola evacuated to Germany
The American surgeon who contracted Ebola in Congo was barely able to stand on his own as he departed the country to be flown to Germany for treatment, according to two leaders of the Christian missionary group where he worked.
Dr. Peter Stafford “looked really tired and really sick,” said Dr. Scott Myhre, the East and Central Africa area director for the group, called Serge.
Stafford’s wife, Rebekah Stafford, is also a doctor and treated the same patient thought to have infected Stafford. She and the couple’s four young children remain in Congo, where they are being monitored.
How Stafford is thought to have contracted the virus.
There are now more than 600 suspected cases and 139 suspected deaths from the virus, the head of the World Health Organization said today.
Read All About It
- A U.S. indictment of former Cuban President Raúl Castro, 94, is expected in Miami.
- Meta is expected to announce today a company reorganization that includes moving 7,000 employees into roles focused on AI and layoffs affecting 10% of the company, a source said.
- The NAACP launched a campaign calling on Black student-athletes to boycott Southern colleges after a Supreme Court decision that weakened the Voting Rights Act.
- A Minnesota woman paid $99,000 to an insurance company to generate retirement income for life. Then, the company collapsed.
- Tens of thousands of people flocked to the streets of North London late Tuesday after soccer club Arsenal clinched its first English Premier League title in 22 years.
Staff Pick: Amid prospect of ICE at World Cup games, vendors weigh their livelihoods against safety
The upcoming World Cup will bring some of soccer’s biggest stars to the U.S., but at the site of one of the stadiums hosting multiple games, a sense of unease is palpable. This story from breaking news reporter Marlene Lenthang examines the feelings of Latino vendors in and around SoFi Stadium in Inglewood amid the possibility of ICE agents working games — a gamble between their safety and a potentially lucrative payday.
The Los Angeles region was rocked last year by sprawling immigration raids targeting day laborers and factory workers. While the glitz and glamor of soccer’s most prestigious competition coming to town has generated excitement in some quarters, Marlene’s interviews with vendors highlights the worry that continues to linger for others. — Rudy Chinchilla, breaking news editor
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