Primary Race Results, Trump's Plane Swap Ruse, Disarming Iraq's Iran-Backed Militias

**Leila Fadel** (0:02)
Results are in from primary races in six states.

**Michel Martin** (0:05)
How did progressive candidates fare against more moderate Democrats? And how did Trump back candidates during this run up to the midterm elections?

**Leila Fadel** (0:12)
I'm Leila Fadel, that's Michel Martin, and this is Up First from NPR News.

**Michel Martin** (0:21)
President Trump confirms he secretly swapped planes as he left the NATO summit in Turkey last month. Well, it's only up to Secret Service.

**SPEAKER_3** (0:28)
They just follow what they like to do.

**Michel Martin** (0:30)
The plane he did not take essentially turned into a decoy. How unusual was this ruse?

**Leila Fadel** (0:34)
And Iraq's new leader wants to disarm the country's Iran-backed militias, groups that have hit US military installations in the region in recent months. How challenging will that be? Stay with us for the news you need to start your day.

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**Leila Fadel** (1:53)
Results from another round of primary races are in and those results are mixed.

**Michel Martin** (1:58)
And that's making it somewhat difficult to gauge what voters want and don't want in the upcoming midterm elections.

**Leila Fadel** (2:03)
We've got Minnesota Public Radio's Clay Masters on the line with us for more on the results. Hi, Clay.

**Clay Masters** (2:09)
Hi, there.

**Leila Fadel** (2:10)
Okay, let's start with a closely watched race in your neighboring state of Wisconsin that was home to a competitive Democratic primary for governor. What do we know?

**Clay Masters** (2:19)
Yeah, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, who is considered a more moderate candidate, narrowly beat out a state representative, Francesca Hong, who identifies as a Democratic socialist. That's according to an AP race call. This race was closely watched, of course, to see if it would replicate the results of another swing state nearby Michigan where progressive Abdul El-Sayed recently won the Democratic primary for US Senate there. While that didn't happen, this was a very close race and shows that there's a good amount of Democratic voters who are looking for a significant change in their party. He'll face GOP Congressman Tom Tiffany, a Trump-backed Republican in this swing state.

**Leila Fadel** (2:58)
In the Senate primary in Minnesota, where you are Democrats-backed, the more progressive candidate. Tell us more about that race.

**Clay Masters** (3:04)
Yeah, that's the state's Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan. She won. The race between her and Congresswoman Angie Craig was really centered around President Trump's immigration crackdown this past winter here. That's what you heard a lot from in the ads. There was more than 3,000 federal agents that aimed at deporting undocumented immigrants that came to the state last winter, ultimately led to the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. Flanagan regularly really went after Craig during the primary for a vote she made in Congress backing a GOP-backed immigration bill. Craig said she regretted that vote. And last night, Flanagan had this to say.

**Peggy Flanagan** (3:41)
I know that we can fix our broken immigration system, secure the border and create a real pathway to citizenship that aligns with our values.

**Clay Masters** (3:53)
And noteworthy, Leila Flanagan would be the first Native American woman to serve in the US. Senate should she win.

**Leila Fadel** (3:59)
And who will she be facing on the Republican side of this open US. Senate seat?

**Clay Masters** (4:03)
Republican Michelle Tafoya, a former sportscaster who is not closely aligned with President Trump. Here's what she told me last night.

**Michelle Tafoya** (4:11)
I am running to call balls and strikes to say, I think the president is right on this one. I think the president is wrong on this one. And I have the spine to stand up and say those things.

**Clay Masters** (4:20)
And being able to say, as a Republican, you are willing to disagree with the president is important when it comes to a place like Minnesota, because the state has not gone for Trump in the last three presidential elections.