Both major parties will be relieved by the results of Tuesday’s primary elections, which took place in eight states. Most candidates endorsed by party leaders prevailed, and in California’s “jungle primary,” in which the top two candidates move on to the general election regardless of party affiliation, Democrats and Republicans narrowly escaped being shut out of key races. As attention switches to November, Donald Trump’s low approval ratings and the history of midterm elections suggest that Democrats are likely to gain ground, particularly in the House. But Republicans are taking comfort in a favorable political map in the Senate, a closing of the gap between the two parties in generic-ballot polling, and—most of all—a buoyant U.S. economy. CONT.
John Cassidy, New Yorker