Even runoffs are bigger in Texas

[Forward This](mailto:?&body= [blank][Tweet This]( [blank][Send to Linkedin]( [blank][Send to Facebook]( [blank] [The Federal Tap]( Find more details and other stories we covered this week by following the link below. [Full version online →]( Texas statewide primary runoffs - Texas will hold its [statewide primary runoffs]( next week for any races in which a candidate did not secure a majority of the votes in the primary. There are 17 congressional races holding a primary runoff election: 11 Democratic and six Republican. - Attorney Lizzie Pannill Fletcher (D) faces writer Laura Moser (D) in the Democratic primary runoff for [Texas’ 7th Congressional District](). Moser, who is backed by Bernie Sanders-affiliated group Our Revolution, was the target of Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee opposition research released in February. Fletcher is supported by EMILY’s List. - U.S. Army veteran Joseph Kopser and teacher and pastor Mary Wilson will face off in the Democratic primary runoff election for [Texas' 21st Congressional District]( election. Kopser has been endorsed in the runoff by state Rep. Eddie Rodriguez and Travis County Commissioner Brigid Shea, while Wilson was backed by Justice Democrats. - U.S. Air Force veteran Gina Ortiz Jones and teacher Rick Trevino will face each other in the Democratic primary for[Texas 23rd Congressional District](. Ortiz Jones has been backed by multiple state representatives as well as Giffords PAC and the Daily Kos. Trevino was endorsed by the progressive organization Our Revolution. - Former Navy SEAL Dan Crenshaw and state Rep. Kevin Roberts will face off in the Republican primary for [Texas’ 2nd Congressional District](, which is being vacated by Ted Poe (R). Satellite groups have spent more than $1 million in the race. In the March 6 primary, Crenshaw edged out self-funded Republican activist Kathaleen Wall to make the runoff. She put around $6 million of her own money into the race. - State Rep. Lance Gooden and Republican consultant Bunni Pounds are competing in the Republican primary for[Texas’ 5th Congressional District](, which is being vacated by Jeb Hensarling (R). Pounds is backed by Vice President Mike Pence and the Club for Growth, while Gooden was endorsed by the National Realtors Association and U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions. - Former Tarrant County Tax Assessor Ron Wright and former Navy pilot Jake Ellzey are facing off in the Republican primary for [Texas’ 6th Congressional District](, which is being vacated by Joe Barton (R). Wright is backed by the Club for Growth and says he would join the House Freedom Caucus is elected. Ellzey says he would not join the Freedom Caucus. - Former Ted Cruz Chief of Staff Chip Roy and businessman Matt McCall are facing off in the Republican primary for[Texas’ 21st Congressional District](, which is being vacated by Lamar Smith (R). Roy has led in endorsements, fundraising, and satellite spending support. McCall, however, received the support of San Antonio billionaire Red McCombs, who had backed ex-CIA officer William Negley in the March 6 primary. McCall unexpectedly beat out Negley for the runoff. Both said they would join the Freedom Caucus if elected. - Former Texas Water Development Board Chairman Bech Bruun and Republican activist Michael Cloud are competing for the Republican nomination in [Texas’ 27th Congressional District](, which was vacated by Blake Farenthold (R). Although Bruun had leads in endorsement and fundraising ahead of the the March 6 primary, Cloud performed better than expected and forced a runoff. After the March 6 primary, Cloud picked up endorsements from the House Freedom Caucus and the Club for Growth, which have spent around $700,000 promoting his candidacy. Kentucky primary preview, Georgia primary preview, Arkansas primary preview Kentucky: - The [primary election]( in Kentucky is on May 22. Ballotpedia is covering the primary races for U.S. Congress, the state legislature, state supreme court and court of appeals, and local elections in Lexington and Louisville. Kentucky’s six congressional seats are held by five Republicans and one Democrat. All six incumbents are running for re-election; two face primary opposition. - Jim Gray and Amy McGrath will face off in the [Democratic primary]() for Kentucky’s 6th District, with the winner likely to take on incumbent Andy Barr (R) in the general election. Gray was encouraged to run by the DCCC and says he is best positioned to win because he carried the district when he ran for U.S. Senate in 2016. McGrath has touted her military experience in a series of campaign videos and leads Gray in fundraising. Georgia - Georgia’s [primary election]( is on May 22. Ballotpedia is covering elections for U.S. Congress, governor and eight other state executive positions, state legislative seats, judgeships on the state supreme court and court of appeals, school board elections in 10 school districts, and local elections in Fulton and DeKalb counties. Of Georgia’s 14 congressional districts, 10 are currently held by Republicans and four by Democrats. All 14 incumbents are seeking re-election; only five are facing primary opposition. Arkansas - Arkansas’ [primary election]( will be held on Tuesday, May 22. Ballotpedia is covering elections for U.S. Congress, the state legislature, the state supreme court and court of appeals, and seven state executive officials, including governor. Arkansas is served by four congressional districts, all of which are currently held by Republicans. All four incumbents are seeking re-election; only two are facing primary opposition. Glassman and Santos win nominations in CT-05 - Former Simsbury First Selectman [Mary Glassman]( (D) and former Meriden Mayor [Manny Santos]( (R) won their party's endorsements for the [open U.S. House seat]( currently held by Rep. Elizabeth Esty (D), but both will face opponents in the August 14 primary before securing the nomination. - In order to make it onto the primary ballot, U.S. House candidates in Connecticut must either receive 15 percent of the vote at their party's nominating convention or submit petitions with the signatures of at least 2 percent of registered party members in the congressional district. Supreme Court strikes federal law banning sports betting - On Monday, the Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), a federal law that prohibited states from legalizing sports betting, on the grounds that the law violated the anti-commandeering doctrine. Writing for a six-justice majority, Justice Samuel Alito ruled that PASPA "unequivocally dictates what a state legislature may and may not do," unconstitutionally infringing on states' sovereignty. The ruling resolves two consolidated cases, [Christie v. NCAA]( and [New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association v. NCAA](, in which New Jersey had argued that Congress had unconstitutionally commandeered New Jersey into enforcing federal programs by requiring New Jersey to adhere to PASPA's gambling restrictions. - The court has now issued decisions in 30 of the 69 cases it heard [this term](. The court typically issues all of its opinions by the end of June. Come work with Ballotpedia! Do you have a knowledge of the U.S. political system and elections, experience as a writer, and a passion for neutral information? We're hiring a staff writer to work with our elections team; learn more and apply [here](. North Korea threatens to cancel Trump-Kim meeting - In a statement from the Korean Central News Agency, North Korea said that it might reconsider meeting with President Donald Trump in response to a planned joint military drill between the U.S. and South Korea. The Korean Central News Agency said in a statement, "The United States will also have to undertake careful deliberations about the fate of the planned North Korea-U.S. summit in light of this provocative military ruckus jointly conducted with the South Korean authorities." Senate confirms four to federal appellate courts - This week, the U.S. Senate confirm four of President Donald Trump's (R) nominees to federal courts of appeal. Judge [Amy St. Eve]( was confirmed on a vote of 91 - 0 to a seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Attorney[Michael Scudder]( was confirmed on a vote of 90 - 0 to a seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Attorney [John Nalbandian]( was confirmed on a vote of 53 - 45 to a seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Finally, Judge [Joel Carson III]( was confirmed on a vote of 77 - 21 to a seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. All four will join their respective courts upon receiving their judicial commissions and taking their judicial oaths. - In total, the Senate has now confirmed 39 of President Trump's nominees to federal courts tracked in Ballotpedia's Federal Vacancy Count. There are an additional 77 nominees still awaiting confirmation. Senate votes to restore net neutrality - By a vote of 52-47, the Senate [voted]( to reverse the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) decision to repeal the 2015 Open Internet Order, which prohibited internet service providers from blocking or slowing web traffic or providing paid internet fast lanes. Three Republicans—Sens. Susan Collins (Maine), John Kennedy (La.), and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska)—joined 47 Democrats and two independents to approve the bill. The bill now heads to the House where it is unlikely to receive enough votes to pass. Connecticut Democrats head to state convention - The Connecticut Democratic Party is holding its [state convention]( from May 18 to May 19. At the convention, delegates will vote to endorse candidates in the [August 14 primary]( for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, treasurer, secretary of state, comptroller, U.S. Senate, and four of the state’s five congressional seats. The party voted to endorse Mary Glassman in the race for the state’s fifth congressional district on May 14. - In order to be officially endorsed, candidates must receive votes of support from over 50 percent of the delegates. Candidates who receive votes of support from at least 15 percent of the delegates will be automatically added to the primary ballot. Haspel confirmed as CIA director - By a vote of 54-45, [Gina Haspel]( was confirmed by the Senate to be the director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). When she is sworn in, she will be the first woman to head the agency. Democratic Sens. Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.), Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), and Mark Warner (D-Va.) voted with 48 Republicans to confirm Haspel. Republican Sens. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.) voted with 41 Democrats and independent Sens. Angus King (I-Maine) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) against Haspel's nomination. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who opposed her nomination, did not vote because he was undergoing treatment for brain cancer. On Wednesday, the Senate Intelligence Committee recommended Haspel as director of the CIA in a 10-5 vote. Idaho election review, Nebraska election review, Oregon election review, Pennsylvania election review Idaho: - Ballotpedia covered a total of 133 federal and state seats up for primary election in [Idaho](. These included U.S. Congress, governor and other state executives, Idaho State Legislature, and Idaho state courts. Ballotpedia will also cover judicial and municipal elections in Ada County. - Russ Fulcher won the seven-candidate [Republican primary]() to replace Raul Labrador in Idaho’s 1st District with over 40 percent of the vote. Among the notable candidates he defeated were former Idaho Lieutenant Gov. and Attorney General David Leroy and state Rep. Luke Malek. He is expected to win the Republican-leaning seat in November. Nebraska: - Ballotpedia covered a total of 44 federal and state seats up for primary election in [Nebraska](. These included one seat in the U.S. Senate, three seats in the U.S. House, nine state executive offices including governor, and 24 seats in the state senate. Ballotpedia also covered local primaries in Douglas and Lancaster counties. These races included county commissioner, assessor, attorney, sheriff, treasurer, and more. - Nonprofit executive Kara Eastman beat former Rep. Brad Ashford by a 51-49 in [Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District]()Democratic primary. The Progressive Change Campaign Committee supported Eastman, who ran on a platform that included tuition-free college and universal health care. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) backed Ashford, and had added him to its “Red to Blue” list. Oregon: - Ballotpedia covered a total of 116 federal and state seats up for primary election in [Oregon](. These included U.S. Congress, governor, labor commissioner, Oregon State Legislature, and Oregon state courts. Ballotpedia also covered judicial and municipal elections in Portland and Multnomah County. Pennsylvania: - Primaries in [Pennsylvania]( were held for federal and state positions, and Ballotpedia covered a total of 249 seats on the ballot. These included races for U.S. Congress, governor and lieutenant governor, and Pennsylvania General Assembly. - Former Allentown Solicitor Susan Wild (D) and Olympic cyclist Marty Nothstein (R) advanced to the general election in[Pennsylvania’s 7th District](. In the Democratic primary, Wild defeated Northampton District Attorney John Morganelli, who opposed abortion and sanctuary jurisdictions, and progressive Pastor Greg Edward, who was endorsed by Bernie Sanders. Nothstein defeated businessman Dean Browning in the Republican primary. The winner of the general election will replace Charlie Dent (R) in Congress. - Dermatologist [John Joyce]() defeated seven other candidates to win the Republican nomination in Pennsylvania’s newly-drawn [13th Congressional District](), which supported President Donald Trump (R) by a greater than 40 percent margin in 2016. The Club for Growth opposed Joyce, with television ads attacking him in the campaign's final weeks, while the Republican Main Street Partnership endorsed Joyce and funded mailers attacking two other candidates. Due to the partisan make-up of the district, the winner of this primary will be heavily favored in the general election. - Attorney Mary Gay Scanlon defeated nine other Democratic candidates in Pennsylvania’s 5th Congressional District[primary](). Scanlon won 28 percent of the vote, while former Philadelphia deputy mayor for labor Rich Lazer finished second with 16 percent. Scanlon had endorsements form state Rep. Leanne Krueger-Braneky and former Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell. The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers-affiliated Middle Class PAC spent $500,000 on ads late in the campaign boosting Lazer. The Tap has thousands of loyal readers each week. Want to reach them? Advertise in this email! Contact ads@ballotpedia.org for details. The Lucy Burns Institute, publisher of Ballotpedia, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. All donations are tax deductible to the extent of the law. Donations to the Lucy Burns Institute or Ballotpedia do not support any candidates or campaigns. Decide which emails you want from Ballotpedia. [Unsubscribe from all emails]( or [update your subscription preferences](. Ballotpedia The Encyclopedia of American Politics [8383 Greenway Blvd., Suite 600]( [Middleton, WI 53562]( [Facebook]( [Twitter](