Polls have begun to close in a series of Super Tuesday states that are holding primaries for governor, Congress and local offices that will set up key general election matchups this fall.
Voters in five states — California, Texas, North Carolina, Alabama and Arkansas — have cast ballots to decide which candidates in a slew of down-ballot races will advance to November.
In the battleground state of North Carolina, NBC News projects Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson and Democratic Attorney General Josh Stein will win their parties’ primaries for governor.
Robinson is a conservative culture warrior who’s made litany of controversial comments and has the endorsement of former President Donald Trump. Stein had the backing of the state’s Democratic elites in his primary.
The general election to replace term-limited Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper is likely to echo many of the same themes that will define the presidential contest. As one of just two gubernatorial elections taking place in presidential swing state this year, North Carolina is expected to receive outsize national attention.
In Alabama, Republican Reps. Jerry Carl and Barry Moore were forced into a rare incumbent-vs.-incumbent primary in the 1st District after new lines were congressional lines were drawn. The new maps also created a second majority-Black district in the state.
Polls closed in Alabama at 8 p.m. ET.
In Texas, Democrats will vote for their candidate to take on GOP Sen. Ted Cruz, who narrowly won a second term in 2018. Democratic Rep. Colin Allred, D-Texas, who has posted strong fundraising totals, is the favorite to advance to November.
Republicans need a net gain of just two seats to take control of the Senate, or one seat if the party wins the White House since the vice president casts tie-breaking votes in the upper chamber.
There are also several House primaries in Texas that will set up competitive general election battles. Republicans are fighting to hold onto a razor-thin majority in this year’s election.
Further down the ballot, state Attorney General Ken Paxton is on a revenge tour, backing primary challengers to GOP lawmakers who voted to impeach him last year.
Final polls close in Texas at 9 p.m. ET.
In California, where polls close 11 p.m. ET, a bevy of competitive congressional primaries are taking place under the state’s unique system, where the top two vote-getters advance to the general election regardless of party.
The marquee race is for Senate, with Democratic Reps. Adam Schiff, Katie Porter and Barbara Lee competing with Republican Steve Garvey, a former Los Angeles Dodger player.
California will all but certainly stay in the Democratic column this fall. But the primary will determine if the race will become a potentially contentious intra-party battle or a standard Democrat-vs.-Republican matchup in the deep-blue state.
The state is also home to nine competitive U.S. House races that will play a major role in the overall battle for control of the chamber.
Given how many California voters cast ballots via mail, results in some races may not be finalized for days.