Two rival camps within the artificial intelligence industry are set to face off in a Democratic primary for a US House seat. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani will test his political influence by backing fellow democratic socialists. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump, after two of his preferred gubernatorial candidates lost Republican primaries earlier this month, has sought to avoid a repeat by endorsing both candidates in a South Carolina run-off.
Those are among the key contests to watch on Tuesday as voters head to the polls in primary elections across Maryland, New York, South Carolina and Utah.
The crowded Democratic primary for the Manhattan-based congressional seat being vacated by retiring Representative Jerry Nadler has become a proxy battle between opposing factions of the artificial intelligence industry.
At the centre of the contest is New York Assemblyman Alex Bores, a former Palantir employee who says he left the company over ethical concerns. Bores championed one of the country's most far-reaching state-level AI regulation bills and argues it provides a blueprint for future federal legislation.
His candidacy has split the AI industry.
A political action committee backed by OpenAI investors has spent more than $7 million on advertisements opposing Bores, citing concerns over his regulatory agenda.
In response, political groups partly funded by Anthropic, the developer of the Claude chatbot, have invested more than $10 million to support his campaign. Anthropic was co-founded by former OpenAI executive Dario Amodei, who left the company partly over concerns about AI safety.
The outcome is expected to provide an early indication of the political influence wielded by competing factions within the AI industry.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has endorsed a slate of progressive candidates — including two democratic socialists — who are challenging more established Democrats, some of whom are backed by the party leadership.
Representative Dan Goldman, whose district spans lower Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn, faces Mamdani-backed challenger Brad Lander, the former New York City comptroller. A central issue in the campaign has been the war in Gaza, with Lander accusing Goldman of being insufficiently critical of Israel.
Further north, veteran Democratic Representative Adriano Espaillat, 71, is facing Darializa Avila Chevalier, 32, a first-time candidate and democratic socialist endorsed by Mamdani. Avila Chevalier works at a public defender's office providing legal assistance to victims of police brutality.
In another closely watched race, Assemblymember Claire Valdez, also endorsed by Mamdani and a self-described democratic socialist, is contesting the seat being vacated by Representative Nydia Velázquez, whose backing has instead gone to Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso.
The three races are widely viewed as a test not only of Mamdani's political influence but also of the continuing appeal of democratic socialist politics in New York City.
Trump frequently highlights his success rate in Republican primary endorsements, but his record in gubernatorial contests has recently suffered setbacks after his preferred candidates lost in Georgia and Iowa earlier this month.
Seeking to avoid another defeat, Trump has endorsed both candidates contesting South Carolina's Republican gubernatorial run-off.
The president initially backed Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette in May before extending his endorsement on Friday to her opponent, Attorney General Alan Wilson.
"I can't hurt one of them by only endorsing the other, so therefore I am going to endorse, for Governor of South Carolina, both Pam Evette and Alan Wilson!" Trump wrote on social media. "It's a wealth of riches — with either one you can't go wrong."
Whichever candidate prevails, Trump is guaranteed to have backed the winner.
Utah's Democratic primaries rarely attract national attention, largely because Republicans dominate the state's politics. However, last year's redistricting created a heavily Democratic district centred on Salt Lake City, opening an unusual opportunity for the party.
The new district has prompted candidates to compete over who offers the more progressive agenda.
Former Representative Ben McAdams, long regarded as a moderate, has sought to reposition himself. During his successful 2018 campaign, he described himself as anti-abortion and emphasised his centrist credentials. This year he has pledged to support abortion rights, arguing that he is "moderate in tone" rather than ideology.
McAdams faces three challengers from the party's progressive wing, including state Senator Nate Blouin, who argues Democratic voters have grown tired of politicians willing to "play nice" with Republicans. Blouin has secured the endorsement of Senator Bernie Sanders.
Political newcomer Liban Mohamed is also competing for the nomination.
Republicans in Maryland are searching for a successor to former Governor Larry Hogan, whose moderate conservatism helped him govern the traditionally Democratic state for eight years.
Since Hogan left office, Democratic Governor Wes Moore has taken over and is now seeking a second term. Tuesday's Republican primary will determine who will challenge him from a field of nine candidates.
Among the contenders is Dan Cox, an attorney who lost the 2022 gubernatorial race and has campaigned on tax cuts and measures to improve housing affordability.
Another candidate is Ed Hale, owner of the Baltimore Blast football club and a retired banking executive, who switched from the Democratic Party to the Republicans ahead of this election.