Stephen Fowler

More than $7 million were spent on just TV ads to convince a few thousand people to pick a handful of different lawmakers who basically have the same views as the existing officeholders, except the one time they differed from Trump.

Stephen Fowler reporting.

Well, five of these challengers decisively won.

There was one incumbent who prevailed, and another race is still too close to call, currently separated by three votes.

More than $7 million were spent on just TV ads to convince a few thousand people to pick a handful of different lawmakers who basically have the same views as the existing officeholders, except the one time they differed from Trump.

It's just another example of how, for Trump's base, he's the alpha and omega and nothing changes their view of him.

However, at a time where polling shows the base is shrinking and there's little support for Trump and his policies outside of that group,

And when other Republicans on the ballot could use his help, it is notable, A, that this is how Trump is spending his time and energy and resources in an otherwise unfavorable midterm environment.

Absolutely.

Even though there wasn't really a competitive primary for either party for the statewide governor and Senate races, according to election data, there were more Democrats than Republicans that voted early.

And in a number of key House districts, you had more Democrats show up, too.

And primary elections can act as a sort of temperature check for how voters are feeling.

Mike McCarty of Maumee, Ohio, told NPR he was looking for change.

Democrats feel like they have a good shot at flipping the Ohio governor's race and the Senate race and what will be some of the most competitive and expensive races in the country in November.

And as they try to hold on to two House seats that were redrawn to be more conservative leaning.

Well, the Indiana State Senate aside, it is very hard to unseat an incumbent, and for U.S.

House members on the ballot, that remained true.

However, in Indiana, you saw nearly every incumbent who did have primary challengers get under 70% of the vote.

There was one incumbent who raised 100 times more than his opponent and narrowly survived.

There was another who had a close race against someone who never filed any campaign fundraising reports.