Florida, Arizona, Oklahoma primary elections: live results, news, and analysis

Voters in Florida and Arizona head to the polls Tuesday in two of the most anticipated primary elections of 2018.

In Arizona, there’s a contentious Senate primary for retiring Sen. Jeff Flake’s open seat: Rep. Martha McSally is seen as the mainstream choice; Dr. Kelli Ward has aligned herself with President Donald Trump; and infamous former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio is making his last stand for public office.

If Democrats have any hope of retaking the Senate in November, this seat is a must-win. The Democrat in the race, Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, is running unopposed, and April polling showed her leading in all three potential matchups.

In Florida, Gov. Rick Scott is stepping down to challenge Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson. Again, this race is crucial for Democrats’ Senate hopes; Scott poses a serious threat.

The race to succeed Scott in the governor’s mansion is also one of the most important gubernatorial elections in the country. Republican Ron DeSantis and Democrat Gwen Graham are expected to prevail in Tuesday’s primaries and face off in November. The race will be a referendum on Trump, and right now election forecasters say it’s a toss-up.

Rounding out Tuesday’s primaries is Oklahoma, where Republicans Mick Cornett and Kevin Stitt face off in a runoff primary election for governor.