Voters in five US states – Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Virginia and Washington – are heading to the polls on Tuesday for primary elections that could shape the battle for control of Congress ahead of November. The contests feature closely watched races, including an open Senate seat in Michigan and several House primaries where progressive and moderate wings of the Democratic Party are competing for influence, alongside redistricting fights reshaping electoral maps in Missouri and Virginia.

The headline race is Michigan's Democratic Senate primary between progressive former Detroit health official Abdul El-Sayed, who leads in polling, and moderate Rep Haley Stevens, who has significantly outspent him on advertising. Other notable contests include Michigan's 13th District, where Rep Shri Thanedar faces a challenge from State Rep Donavan McKinney, backed by Bernie Sanders and Rashida Tlaib; Missouri's 1st District rematch between Congressman Wesley Bell and former Congresswoman Cori Bush, in which military aid to Israel is a key issue; and a three-way Republican contest in a safely Republican Washington district. Michigan's gubernatorial primary also pits Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson against Sheriff Chris Swanson for the Democrats, while Trump-endorsed Congressman John James faces businessman Perry Johnson on the Republican side.