The Latest: Michigan Dem challenges ‘biggest bully’ _ Trump

WESTERVILLE, Ohio (AP) — The Latest on primaries in Missouri, Kansas, Michigan and Washington state and a congressional special election in Ohio (all times local):
3 p.m.

A former Michigan state lawmaker who might become the first Muslim woman elected to Congress has thrown out a challenge to “the biggest bully,” President Donald Trump.

Rashida Tlaib told supporters Wednesday after declaring victory in Michigan’s 13th District Democratic primary that she’s “pretty ready for it,” but doesn’t know if Trump is ready for her.

The 42-year-old Tlaib says she will fight “against every single oppressive, racist structure that needs to be dismantled, because you deserve better than what we have today in our country.”

She defeated five other candidates Tuesday for the Democratic nomination for the seat.

It had been held by Rep. John Conyers, who stepped down in December, citing health reasons. Several former female staffers had accused him of sexual harassment.
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11:15 a.m.
President Donald Trump is celebrating Tuesday night’s election results by proclaiming himself “5 for 5!” on Twitter, even though two of the races remain too close to call.
Tuesday’s primaries in five states were seen as a test of Trump’s clout as well as the persistence of his hard-core supporters as they face energized, anti-Trump Democrats.
But races in Ohio and Kansas remain too close to call.

That didn’t stop Trump from claiming victory in tweets Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.

Trump earlier took credit for Republican Troy Balderson’s performance in battleground Ohio, even though that contest could be headed to a recount.

The Republican primary for governor in Kansas is also too close to call, with Trump-endorsed Secretary of State Kris Kobach leading incumbent Gov. Jeff Colyer by fewer than 200 votes.
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11:15 a.m.
A former Obama administration official will face a Michigan co-chairman for Donald Trump’s presidential campaign in the race for the suburban Detroit congressional seat held by retiring Republican Rep. Dave Trott.

Haley Stevens won the Democratic nomination, edging out four other Democrats in Tuesday’s District 11 race. She was a Treasury official who worked on the auto bailout under Obama.

Detroit-area business executive Lena Epstein won the Republican nomination. She bested four other Republicans in Tuesday’s primary. She co-owns an automotive oil company.

Democrats are hoping to flip the district, which includes Detroit’s affluent northwestern suburbs. Although it has traditionally leaned Republican, Trump barely won the district in 2016.

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11:10 a.m.
Kansas won’t have final results for the close Republican primary between Gov. Jeff Colyer and Secretary of State Kris Kobach until early next week.
Kobach led Wednesday morning by fewer than 200 votes.

But state elections director Bryan Caskey said the secretary of state’s office is estimating that between 8,000 and 10,000 provisional ballots were cast. Voters get such ballots when it’s not clear whether they are eligible to vote at a particular polling place.

State law also allows mail-in ballots postmarked Tuesday to be counted if they arrive by Friday. Caskey said state law prevents county officials from canvassing their results until Monday.

Colyer was not conceding the race. In a statement, he cited the close results and “extraordinary problems” in Johnson County, the state’s most populous county.
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10:25 a.m.
Sharice Davids has become Kansas’ first Native American and gay nominee for Congress.
The 38-year-old attorney and activist prevailed in a close six-candidate Democratic primary and will face four-term Republican Rep. Kevin Yoder.
Davids also is a former mixed martial arts fighter who introduced herself to fellow Democrats with a video showing her in the ring and landing solid kicks to a large punching bag.
She was raised by a single mother and earned a law degree from Cornell University. She was a White House fellow during Barack Obama’s presidency.
Democrats are targeting Yoder this fall because Democrat Hillary Clinton narrowly won the district in the 2016 presidential race.
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9:10 a.m.
The Republican primary for Kansas governor is too close to call.
With election officials in Kansas halting the vote count Wednesday morning, Secretary of State Kris Kobach leads incumbent Gov. Jeff Colyer by fewer than 200 votes. It could be a few days before all absentee votes are counted.
A new state law allows ballots postmarked as of Tuesday to be counted, so long as they arrive three days after Election Day.
Kobach received a late endorsement from President Donald Trump. Colyer received the endorsement of the National Rifle Association and had the backing of Kansas political legend Bob Dole.
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8:54 a.m.
Two high-stakes elections that tested President Donald Trump’s clout and cost both parties millions of dollars were too close to call early Wednesday. Trump claimed victory in one nevertheless.

In battleground Ohio, the president took credit for Republican Troy Balderson’s performance, calling it “a great victory,” even though the contest could be headed to a recount. Democrats could also celebrate their showing in a district that has gone Republican for decades.

In deep-red Kansas ‘ Republican gubernatorial primary, the candidate Trump backed on the eve of the election, Secretary of State Kris Kobach, was neck and neck with current Republican Gov. Jeff Colyer.

The day’s races in five states, like many before them, tested the persistence of Trump’s fiery supporters and the momentum of the Democratic Party’s anti-Trump resistance.

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