2026 primary election results: Live updates from New York, Maryland, Utah and key House races

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, pointed to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and U.S. Senate hopeful Graham Platner, as examples of the state of the Democratic Party.

Speaking to Fox News Digital, Cruz used the word "comrade" when referring to Mamdani, mentioned "AOC," and then described Platner, the candidate challenging incumbent GOP Sen. Susan Collins in Maine, as a "Communist, Nazi oyster farmer."

"That is where the energy is in the Democrat Party. That's where the money is. They've been radicalized," he said.

Incumbent New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and her Republican rival, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, are both running uncontested, so there is not a GOP or Democratic gubernatorial primary in the state today.

Hochul became governor in 2021 after then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo resigned from office.

She then won the 2022 gubernatorial race in the Empire State.

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who has endorsed South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson for governor, told Fox News Digital during an interview alongside the candidate on Monday that he considers Wilson "the strongest conservative who can win."

Wilson is facing off against South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette in the Palmetto State GOP gubernatorial primary runoff.

Cruz, who called Wilson "a proven conservative," explained that his "philosophy" is to "support the strongest conservative who can win," adding that he believes "in the governor's race, that's Alan Wilson."

President Donald Trump, who had endorsed Evette prior the GOP gubernatorial primary in the Palmetto State, endorsed both Evette and Wilson last week for the South Carolina Republican gubernatorial primary runoff.

"There are two Highly Respected Candidates running to be your next Governor in the June 23rd Republican Runoff Election, your current Lieutenant Governor, Pam Evette, and your current Attorney General, Alan Wilson. Both have had amazing careers, and have been with me from the beginning. They are MAGA and America First all the way! These were the two that I was hoping would get into a Runoff, and they did. I can’t hurt one of them by only Endorsing the other, so, therefore, I am going to Endorse, for Governor of South Carolina, both Pam Evette and Alan Wilson! It’s a Wealth of Riches – With either one you can’t go wrong. Vote for Pam or Alan — They will not let you down!" the president asserted in a Truth Social post.

President Donald Trump-backed incumbent House Republican Reps. Blake Moore and Celeste Maloy are facing challenges in their respective Republican congressional primaries in Utah on Tuesday.

Polls were slated to open at 7:00 a.m local time in Utah on primary Election Day.

Utah state Rep. Karianne Lisonbee is challenging Moore in the GOP primary in Utah's 2nd Congressional District.

Former Utah state Rep. Phil Lyman is running against Maloy in the GOP U.S. House primary in Utah's 3rd Congressional District.

President Donald Trump made a last minute endorsement ahead of Tuesday's South Carolina GOP gubernatorial runoff and is now backing both candidates in the showdown to succeed term-limited Republican Gov. Henry McMaster.

Trump on Friday took to social media to say that he was supporting longtime state Attorney General Alan Wilson as well as Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette in the battle for the GOP gubernatorial nomination.

"I can’t hurt one of them by only Endorsing the other, so, therefore, I am going to Endorse, for Governor of South Carolina, both Pam Evette and Alan Wilson!" Trump wrote, adding: "With either one you can’t go wrong."

The endorsement of Wilson appeared to be a move by Trump to cover his bases, because Trump was already backing Evette, who is also supported by McMaster, a longtime top ally of the president.

The South Carolina runoff had been viewed as the latest test of Trump's immense grip over the GOP and the power of his endorsements in Republican nominating contests.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is testing the limits of his political power as he takes on the Democratic Party establishment.

One year after sending political shock waves across the country with his New York City Democratic primary victory en route to winning election as mayor of the nation's most populous city, the 34-year-old socialist mayor is backing a slate of candidates in the primary, including a trio of left-wing congressional contenders who are taking on the Democratic Party's old guard.

At the top of this list is political organizer Darializa Avila Chevalier, the Mamdani-backed primary challenger taking on Rep. Adriano Espaillat, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus chair, in New York’s 13th U.S. House District, which covers the northern third of Manhattan and a sliver of the Bronx. Chevalier, 32, says a victory on Tuesday could be the "domino" that falls and builds a "socialist power" nationwide.

The 71-year-old Espaillat, who has been in Congress for a decade, is supported by a slew of party leaders, including New York Gov. Kathy Hochul.

The mayor is also backing former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, who ran against Mamdani last year in the crowded primary field but became one of his biggest backers. Lander is challenging incumbent Democratic Rep. Dan Goldman in the 10th Congressional District, which includes Lower Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn. Goldman's supporters include former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

And in New York’s 7th, which covers parts of Brooklyn and Queens, Mamdani endorsed state Assembly Member Claire Valdez, who is battling Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, who is backed by retiring Rep. Nydia Velazquez.

Along with the mayor, Valdez and Avila Chevalier are also members of the Democratic Socialists of America.