Polls closed Tuesday evening in South Carolina, one of several states where Republicans backed by President Trump sought to advance to the November general election.
Voters went to the polls in seven states to settle some fierce intraparty fights, including closely-watched races for governor and Congress in which Trump has gotten involved. Democrats were deciding high-stakes primaries of their own.
[Four New York Democrats face challengers to their left]
Proximity to Trump has become a major test for Republican candidates this primary season. His endorsement has been a coveted prize and those who have shunned the president have struggled to convince party loyalists to support them.
Trump traveled to South Carolina on the eve of Tuesday's primary to campaign for Gov. Henry McMaster, who hopedto defeat businessman John Warren in a runoff. In New York, former congressman Michael Grimm, who served time in prison for tax fraud, was trying to wrest back his seat from Rep. Dan Donovan, who has Trump's support.
In Utah, former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, who has Trump's endorsement despite their troubled history, aimed to take a giant step closer to returning to the national stage. He started the day a heavy favorite to defeat state legislator Mike Kennedy in the GOP primary for Senate.
In addition to those three states, Colorado, Maryland, Mississippi and Oklahoma held primaries or runoffs on Tuesday.
Trump's appearance in South Carolina, where he delivered meandering remarks at a Monday rally, was part of an administration push to persuade South Carolina Republicans to vote for McMaster. McMaster was an early Trump supporter who became governor last year when Nikki Haley left to be the United Nations ambassador.
Vice President Pence campaigned in the state Saturday, two days before Trump's visit.
Meanwhile, national GOP groups have piled into South Carolina's 4th congressional District to help far-right former legislator Lee Bright — one of the few Republicans to oppose the removal of the Confederate flag from the state House during Haley's tenure — mount a comeback for the seat Rep. Trey Gowdy is vacating.
Up the Eastern Seaboard in New York, Trump urged Republicans not to "take any chances" and pick Donovan over Grimm. Grimm, who is seeking redemption in his old Staten Island-based district, has compared his case to investigations into Trump and argued that he was the target of a political persecution, although he ultimately pleaded guilty.
Romney's presence on the ballot marked another turn in a political career played out in different venues — he served as Massachusetts governor and ran for a U.S. Senate seat there before seeking the presidency twice — and with differing relationships with the president.
After seeking Trump's endorsement in 2012, Romney warned in March 2016 that "the prospects for a safe and prosperous future are greatly diminished" if Trump became the GOP nominee for president. As a candidate for Senate, Romney has been less hostile toward the president, raising questions about what kind of senator he will be if he wins in November, as is widely anticipated.
Democrats also had much at stake on Tuesday, as party leaders looked to continue a streak of mostly nominating mainstream candidates for the House, where they need 23 seats to win the majority in November.
In New York, a state that offers opportunities for Democrats to pick up seats, party strategists were watching Democratic primaries in the 1st, 11th, 19th, 21st and 24th districts.
Several Democratic incumbents also were navigating primary challenges in New York. In the 9th district, Rep. Yvette D. Clarke looked to get past Adem Bunkeddeko, the son of war refugees. In the Manhattan-based 12th District, Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney tried to get by liberal real estate executive Suraj Patel. In the 14th District, Rep. Joseph Crowley has spent more than $1.5 million trying to fend off challenger Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. And in the 16th District, Rep. Eliot L. Engel spent more than $1.3 million against three more liberal challengers.
In the 25th district, which has remained empty since the March 16 death of Louise M. Slaughter, four Democrats were fighting to replace her; longtime State Assembly leader Joe Morelle was the favorite heading into Tuesday.
A Democratic family feud was set to reach its conclusion in Colorado, where attorney and party favorite Jason Crow looked to defeat liberal challenger Levi Tillemann in the 6th District, a swing seat in the Denver suburbs. The winner will face endangered Rep. Mike Coffman, a moderate Republican trying to broker an immigration compromise who has expressed frustration with Trump.
Colorado's 1st District has featured left-on-left drama, as longtime Rep. Diana DeGette faced her first real primary challenge against Saira Rao. In the 5th District, there has been confusion after Republican Rep. Doug Lamborn was briefly ordered off the ballot, then ordered back on.
Democrats are trying to extend their 12-year hold on the Colorado governor's mansion with a primary that largely boiled down to two candidates: Rep. Jared Polis and former state treasurer Cary Kennedy. Polis has supported universal Medicare; Kennedy is running on expanding Medicaid.
In the state's Republican gubernatorial primary, state Treasurer Walker Stapleton, a cousin of the Bush family, was the favorite heading into Tuesday.
In Mississippi, two Republicans faced off to replace Rep. Gregg Harper in the conservative-leaning 3rd District: local district attorney Michael Guest, who has the congressman's tacit support, and former gubernatorial aide Whit Hughes.
Mississippi Democrats, meanwhile, were settling a runoff for the chance to take on Republican Sen. Roger Wicker. In that contest, state House Democratic leader David Baria faced businessman Howard Sherman.
In Oklahoma, Republicans are trying to reboot after Democrats gained ground in some local elections. Ten Republicans ran for governor, including Lt. Gov. Todd Lamb and former Oklahoma City mayor Mick Cornett. The Democratic race pitted Drew Edmondson, a former attorney general and the last member of his party elected statewide, against more liberal former state legislator Connie Johnson.
The only House race in Oklahoma that Democrats view as potentially competitive is the 5th District, held by Rep. Steve Russell. Former congressional staffer Kendra Horn put up impressive fundraising numbers against five lesser-known Democrats.
Elsewhere in Oklahoma, five Republicans were competing to replace former congressman Jim Bridenstine, who left the deep-red 1st District to lead NASA.
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