Progressives in Midwest Primaries, Trump and Iran Stalemate, Colombia Earthquake

**A Martínez** (0:02)
A self-described democratic socialist is shaking up the race for Wisconsin governor.

**Leila Fadel** (0:06)
A progressive is up against a moderate in Minnesota. How much of an appetite do voters have for these non-mainstream candidates?

**A Martínez** (0:13)
Primary races in six states today will offer clues. I'm A Martinez, that's Leila Fadel, and this is Up First from NPR News.

**Leila Fadel** (0:22)
Iran's demand for war reparations has prompted President Trump to make a demand of his own.

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Well, we're gonna ask for money for the damage we've done over a 50-year period, whether you go SS Cole or whether you go all of the people that were so badly hurt, so badly wounded or killed.

**Leila Fadel** (0:38)
Can Trump afford a stalemate with Iran that will keep the Strait of Hormuz closed?

**A Martínez** (0:42)
And we get the view from Colombia, where rescue workers and volunteers are digging through rubble for survivors of a major earthquake. Stay with us, we've got the news you need to start your day.

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**A Martínez** (1:57)
It is primary day in six states.

**Leila Fadel** (2:00)
President Trump may not be on the ballot, but he's a big factor in several of today's races. In Minnesota, Trump endorsed Mike Lindell for governor. He's the MyPillow guy who echoed Trump's denials about the 2020 election results. And Trump is backing the sister of Lindsey Graham, Darlene, for Senate in South Carolina.

**A Martínez** (2:20)
Alabama, Connecticut and Vermont are also holding primaries today, but the most watched races might be where Democrats are deciding whether they want progressives or more centrist candidates to oppose Trump's policies. Now that's the question in Wisconsin, where we've called up Wisconsin Public Radio's Anya Van Wagtendonk. So Anya, so a self-described democratic socialist has really shaken up the democratic primary for governor. Tell us about her.

**Anya Van Wagtendonk** (2:43)
Yeah, so that would be Francesca Hong, and she is running a very grassroots volunteer driven campaign. So alongside the normal forums and meet and greets, there's been dance parties and live streams and cookouts, like where Hong herself cooks, she comes out of the restaurant industry.
But at the same time, she has said some controversial things over the years, especially on social media several years ago, like calling to defund the police and abolish prisons, which she's taken different positions on more recently. So there are also a lot of Democrats who are worried that she cannot win a general election here in Wisconsin, where winning statewide usually hinges on just a few thousand moderate and independent voters.

**A Martínez** (3:22)
So we've seen progressives do pretty well lately. I'm thinking about Abdul El-Sayed, who won the Democratic primary right across from where you're at in Michigan. That's another Midwestern swing state. So how do mainstream Democrats, where you are in Wisconsin, how are they gearing up?

**Anya Van Wagtendonk** (3:35)
Yeah, so here they are responding by backing a more traditional kind of Democrat, and that would be Milwaukee's County Executive, David Crowley. And Crowley had actually dropped out of the race and supported a different moderate candidate. That candidate's campaign imploded, and so then Crowley got back in, but this time with a coveted endorsement from outgoing Governor Tony Evers in an effort to counter Hong. And that has helped him raise a ton of money in just a few weeks.

**A Martínez** (4:00)
Yeah, next door to you in Minnesota, similar dynamic has taken shape.

**Anya Van Wagtendonk** (4:04)
Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan is running for Senate against Representative Angie Craig. Flanagan there is the progressive option, although they are not so far apart on the issues. Flanagan wants Medicare for all, while Craig has backed a public option that competes with private insurance. Israel has also been a dividing line there. Flanagan speaks out much more strongly against the Israeli government. And Flanagan is endorsed by senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, while Craig is backed more by centrists and has raised more money. All right.