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Fresh Faces Sweep Primary Votes

Democratic voters reject tradition, choosing outsiders in their quest to regain power. WaPo: "Fresh faces with compelling life stories prevailed in Democratic primaries across several southern states Tuesday, beating candidates with deeper political pedigrees and more governing experience in several key races. The results marked an ongoing embrace by Democratic voters of non-politicians, women, veterans and nonwhite candidates to lead the party’s effort to take back control of the House and governors’ mansions this fall. Voters in Kentucky nominated Amy McGrath, the first Marine woman to fly an F-18 fighter jet, for a key House seat in Lexington over the candidate favored by party leaders... In Texas, Democrats nominated two lesbian candidates with military or law enforcement backgrounds, one Latina and the other Filipina, for key races. And Georgia voters gave former State House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams a shot to become the first black, female governor in the country."

Gay Latina Sheriff Wins TX Governor's Primary

Lupe Valdez makes history in Texas. NYDN: "A Hispanic former sheriff from Dallas won a Democratic primary runoff for governor Tuesday night to become the first openly gay and Latina gubernatorial nominee in Texas history. Lupe Valdez advanced despite losing the support of some Hispanic activists over her record on immigration and will be a heavy underdog against Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in a state that hasn't elected a Democrat for governor in nearly 30 years."

Teacher Beats House Majority Leader in KY Primary

A Teacher beat the house majority leader in KY's GOP primary. Time: "A high school math teacher ousted the majority leader of the Kentucky House of Representatives on Tuesday, with a narrow win in the GOP primary race. Travis Brenda credited a groundswell of teacher support for the win and said it sends a message that teachers and public workers won’t be silent. His race follows a wave of education protests at the Kentucky Capitol and elsewhere around the country, with teachers and others calling for increased pay and other benefits. Votes turned on Rep. Jonathan Shell — who two years ago was credited with helping orchestrate the first GOP takeover of the state House in nearly 100 years — over his role in writing a new state law changed the state’s pension system.'He lied to us,' school bus driver Carol Plummer said. 'I hope it sends a message.'"

Progressives Win But Turnout Lags

Primary takeaways: progressive gain, but turnout shaky. NPR: "It was a big night Tuesday for Democratic women again, from Georgia to Kentucky to Texas. It was also a big night for change on the Democratic side... In Georgia, a state that has quickly become very demographically diverse, Democrats decided to lean in and pick a candidate who unabashedly believes the Democratic Party has made a mistake in Georgia of continuously trying to win over Republicans, when she believes they need to turn out more minority voters. Democrats haven't won the governorship in Georgia in 20 years. Back then, the state was two-thirds white. Today, it's just over half, and the Democratic primary electorate is overwhelmingly nonwhite... But whether one can win statewide in Georgia is about to be tested. Not only have Democrats not won the state in 20 years, but more Republicans turned out Tuesday night for their primary than Democrats did."

Congress Votes To Roll Back Dodd-Frank

Congress just approved a bill to dismantle parts of the Dodd-Frank banking rule. NBC: "The House voted late on Tuesday to pass a bill that will change significant aspects of Dodd-Frank, the banking reform bill introduced after loose lending and risky maneuvers by financial institutions led to the country's worst recession since the Great Depression. Since it passed in 2010, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act has been the target of animosity by many conservatives and the banking industry. Given President Donald Trump's animosity toward Dodd-Frank, it seems likely the bill will become law, having already passed in the Senate in March. Those in favor say changes will enable smaller banks to lend and compete more easily. Others call the move a giveaway. 'These banks are back to making record profits, but Washington insists on doing them more favors, even if it means raising the risk of another bailout,' Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., told NBC News."

EPA Bars AP, CNN Reporters From Contaminants 'Summit'

EPA summit on chemicals undercut by ejection of reporters. Times Union: "The Environmental Protection Agency organized its first-ever summit to address concern over chemical contamination of water, but the good intentions were undercut when agency officials blocked reporters from three news organizations at the door. Guards grabbed an Associated Press reporter by the shoulders and shoved her out of the EPA building after she asked to speak with a public affairs spokesperson at the summit, according to the Associated Press. Two other news organizations, CNN and an environmental website, E&E, were not admitted."

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