• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Mark Cuban says he has the solution to growing income inequality, and it's to reward every employee—from CEO to janitor—with company stock

2

‘I want to die broke’: Billionaire philanthropist Denny Sanford dies after giving away $4 billion

3

'Dr. Doom' Nouriel Roubini says we're headed for universal basic income or 'some form of socialism' as AI revolutionizes work—He calls that optimistic

1

Mark Cuban says he has the solution to growing income inequality, and it's to reward every employee—from CEO to janitor—with company stock

2

‘I want to die broke’: Billionaire philanthropist Denny Sanford dies after giving away $4 billion

3

'Dr. Doom' Nouriel Roubini says we're headed for universal basic income or 'some form of socialism' as AI revolutionizes work—He calls that optimistic
Ohio

Election 2018: Here’s What You Need to Know About the May 8 Primary Elections

By
Sarah Gray
Sarah Gray
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Sarah Gray
Sarah Gray
Down Arrow Button Icon
May 7, 2018, 4:48 PM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Primary voters in four states will head to the polls on Tuesday ahead of the November mid-term elections.

The voting in Ohio, Indiana, North Carolina and West Virginia come as Democrats try to wrest control of the U.S. House of Representatives while Republicans try to hold onto their majority and potentially pick up Senate seats.

Here are some races to watch:

West Virginia:

West Virginia’s Senate primary may be the most closely watched of the May 8 primaries, and that’s because of former Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship. After an explosion at Massey’s Upper Big Branch Mine in 2010 killed 29 miners, he spent a year in federal prison after a federal jury convicted him of conspiring to violate mine safety and health standards.

Blankenship is running against more conventional Republican candidates Rep. Evan Jenkins and Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, while railing against Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (Blankenship calls him “Cocaine Mitch”). Mainstream Republicans worry that Blankenship may score an upset win in the primary, but then, because of his pugnacious style and checkered history, lose the general election in November to incumbent Sen. Joe Manchin II, a moderate Democrat. (Manchin does have a primary challenger, Paula Jean Swearengin, but he is expected to prevail.)

On Monday morning, President Donald Trump tweeted to ask West Virginia voters to steer clear of Blankenship and instead vote for his opponents, saying Blankenship “can’t win the General Election in your State…No way!” Trump also said “Remember Alabama,” invoking Roy Moore’s primary victory in Alabama and eventual loss in the general election after multiple women accused him of sexual misconduct.

To the great people of West Virginia we have, together, a really great chance to keep making a big difference. Problem is, Don Blankenship, currently running for Senate, can’t win the General Election in your State…No way! Remember Alabama. Vote Rep. Jenkins or A.G. Morrisey!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 7, 2018

Ohio:

The House primary races to watch, according to Vox, are in the 1st, 7th, 10th, 12th, 14th, and 15th Congressional districts that Democrats are trying to flip from Republican control.

But the big races to watch are the U.S. Senate and the gubernatorial primaries.

Democratic incumbent Sen. Sherrod Brown is up for reelection, and the May 8 primary will decide who the progressive Senator will face. There are two Republicans in the field: Rep. Jim Renacci—who Trump endorsed—versus businessman Mike Gibbons.

The primary will decide who will fight to replace current Gov. John Kasich, who has can’t run again after serving two terms. The Cincinnati Enquirer has characterized the race as a “wacky, bitter battle.”

On the Republican side, State Attorney General Mike DeWine is up against Lt Gov. Mary Taylor. On the Democratic side, the fight is between former Rep. Dennis Kucinich, and former head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau during the Obama administration Rich Cordray.

Indiana:

Indiana is Vice President Mike Pence’s home state, which Trump won by 19 points in the 2016 general election. Eyeing his margin, the three Republican Senate candidates have clung close to Trump as they try to take out Democratic incumbent Sen. Joe Donnelly. They are Rep. Todd Rokita, Rep Luke Messer, and businessman and former Indiana State Rep. Mike Braun. This primary race has been called the “nation’s nastiest,” according to the Indianapolis Star, and it’s unclear who will win.

North Carolina:

Every 12 years, North Carolina has a Blue Moon election—or an election with no statewide races on the ballot—that translates into lower voter turnout. And 2018 is one of them. The primaries to watch, according to The Hill and Vox, are those deciding the Democratic challengers to incumbent Republican Reps. Richard Hudson, Robert Pittenger, Ted Budd, and George Holding.

About the Author
By Sarah Gray
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

Latest in

t
AIMarkets
Billionaire Mike Bloomberg warns Trump’s AI ownership plan would make ‘George Orwell blush’
By Eva RoytburgJuly 21, 2026
3 hours ago
Anthea Hartig, Director of the National Museum of American History, looks to her left at a House Committee.
PoliticsWhite House
Smithsonian director derides a White House report branding the museum as ‘woke’
By The Associated Press and Steven SloanJuly 21, 2026
4 hours ago
Cleveland’s WNBA team doesn’t play until 2028 but Progressive just scored jersey sponsorship
SuccessSports
Cleveland’s WNBA team doesn’t play until 2028 but Progressive just scored jersey sponsorship
By Joe Reedy and The Associated PressJuly 21, 2026
4 hours ago
Trump says ‘we’re gonna help’ Lebanon as he moves to restore direct flights after four-decade hiatus
North AmericaDonald Trump
Trump says ‘we’re gonna help’ Lebanon as he moves to restore direct flights after four-decade hiatus
By Kareem Chehayeb and Will WeissertJuly 21, 2026
4 hours ago
U.N. reports Southeast Asia’s criminal networks are using tech to build a global illicit economy
AsiaTech
U.N. reports Southeast Asia’s criminal networks are using tech to build a global illicit economy
By The Associated PressJuly 21, 2026
4 hours ago
An open plain bagel with cream cheese smeared on a plate.
North AmericaImmigration
Seeds, schmear, sesame: How a bagel’s toasted crunch that became a reflection of America’s identity
By The Associated Press and Josh CornfieldJuly 21, 2026
4 hours ago

Most Popular

Mark Cuban says he has the solution to growing income inequality, and it's to reward every employee—from CEO to janitor—with company stock
Success
Mark Cuban says he has the solution to growing income inequality, and it's to reward every employee—from CEO to janitor—with company stock
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 20, 2026
1 day ago
‘I want to die broke’: Billionaire philanthropist Denny Sanford dies after giving away $4 billion
Success
‘I want to die broke’: Billionaire philanthropist Denny Sanford dies after giving away $4 billion
By Sydney LakeJuly 20, 2026
1 day ago
'Dr. Doom' Nouriel Roubini says we're headed for universal basic income or 'some form of socialism' as AI revolutionizes work—He calls that optimistic
AI
'Dr. Doom' Nouriel Roubini says we're headed for universal basic income or 'some form of socialism' as AI revolutionizes work—He calls that optimistic
By Jason MaJuly 18, 2026
3 days ago
OpenAI says its AI models secretly broke out of a secure test environment and hacked into AI company Hugging Face in order to cheat on an evaluation
Cybersecurity
OpenAI says its AI models secretly broke out of a secure test environment and hacked into AI company Hugging Face in order to cheat on an evaluation
By Jeremy Kahn and Emily ForliniJuly 21, 2026
5 hours ago
Jamie Dimon won't put more of his own money into the long end of the bond market right now—thanks to the $39 trillion national debt
Economy
Jamie Dimon won't put more of his own money into the long end of the bond market right now—thanks to the $39 trillion national debt
By Eleanor PringleJuly 21, 2026
15 hours ago
Current price of oil as of July 21, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of July 21, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 21, 2026
15 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.