Stacey Abrams’s massive, history-making primary win in Georgia is the big headline from Tuesday’s primaries—but it’s also a trend story. Because while Abrams stands alone as the first black woman ever to get a major party nomination for governor, the night saw other big wins by women, people of color, LGBTQ candidates, and, in a couple of cases, LGBTQ women of color.
In Texas, Gina Ortiz Jones—who, like Abrams, was endorsed by Daily Kos—won her House primary. Ortiz is a Filipina-American LGBTQ veteran who will face Republican incumbent Will Hurd in a prime pick-up opportunity for Democrats: Hillary Clinton won TX-23 and Hurd’s own victories have been narrow. Also in Texas, former Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez won the Democratic nomination for governor and civil rights attorney Colin Allred won his House primary to take on Republican Rep. Pete Sessions.
In Kentucky, former fighter pilot Amy McGrath defeated Lexington Mayor Jim Gray in the Democratic primary for the 6th Congressional District. Though Gray was on the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, reports are that the party feels good about McGrath, having internal polling showing her up over the Republican incumbent. Also in a Kentucky Republican state House primary, math teacher R. Travis Brenda narrowly beat the House majority floor leader, who had support from United States Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and was seen as a rising star. Brenda ran on anger about the pension bill that screwed over Kentucky teachers, and it worked—even in a Republican primary.
All in all, another big night for a diverse Democratic Party … and a continuation of the teacher uprising.
