Ilhan Omar wins in Minnesota, Wisconsin Senate fight is set: 3 takeaways from Tuesday's primaries

As Republicans and Democrats fight for control of Congress, a handful of states held primary elections on Tuesday setting up some of the showdowns that could determine the balance of power and shape debates in Washington.

Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., fended off a primary challenge from a more moderate Democrat, former Minneapolis City Council Member Don Samuels. While her district is a safe bet for Democrats this fall, Omar's win came after two other members of the progressive group known as the "Squad" were ousted as they faced major opposition from pro-Israel groups.

Next door in Wisconsin, the Badger State's Senate race was set on Tuesday. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisc., won her primary as she seeks a third term in office, and businessman Eric Hovde clinched the Republican contest ahead of the general election this fall.

Here are USA TODAY's top takeaways from Tuesday's races.

Ilhan Omar wins primary after Squad losses

Omar's victory caps off a series of primaries facing the Squad that have been the target of millions of dollars from pro-Israel groups as Democrats continue to split over Israel's actions in Gaza.

The small handful of progressive lawmakers suffered two bruising defeats this cycle when Reps. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., and Cori Bush, D-Mo., both lost their primary elections in part due to millions of dollars of outside spending from United Democracy Project, a super PAC affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. Bowman and Bush have been among Congress' most outspoken critics of the Israeli government, spurring pro-Israel groups to heavily invest in their races.

Omar has also been deeply critical of Israel's conduct in the war in Gaza and was one of the first lawmakers to call for a cease-fire, but AIPAC steered clear of Omar's race.

The Minnesota Democrat was in a significantly stronger position to win her primary this cycle compared to 2022, when Samuels first ran against Omar and narrowly lost by just under 2,500 votes. This year, Omar boasted a clear fundraising advantage over Samuels and also earned the backing of the state Democratic Party.

Wisconsin Senate fight is set

Hovde secured the Republican Senate nomination in Wisconsin, setting into motion one of the most competitive races for the upper chamber across the country.

The businessman was expected to win the nomination. He was backed by former President Donald Trump and the National Republican Senatorial Committee, and Senate Republicans' campaign arm threw its support behind him shortly after he formally announced his campaign in February.

He will run against Baldwin in November's general election. Democrats are largely playing defense this election cycle, with several incumbent senators running in the most competitive races across the country, including in Wisconsin. Sens. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio; John Tester, D-Mont., and Jackie Rosen, D-Nev., are also trying to keep their seats in hotly contested races.

Democrats eye Wisconsin House race

Small business owner Rebecca Cooke will officially compete against freshman Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis., in Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District. Cooke defeated State Rep. Katrina Shankland in the district's Democratic primary.

Republicans currently control the House with a razor-thin majority, and Democrats have to pick up just a handful of seats to reclaim the lower chamber in 2025. Most competitive House races this election are in California and New York, but Democrats are hoping they can unseat Republicans in other states, including Van Orden's home state of Wisconsin. The non-partisan Cook Political Report currently rates Van Orden's race as "lean Republican" as he vies for another term.