Today, voters in five states will pick nominees in some of the most consequential primaries of the year, signaling the direction of both major political parties and revealing more about the strength of the hold that former president Donald Trump retains over Republicans. Trump has endorsed 27 candidates in Tuesday’s primaries.

Among the marquee races is the GOP Senate primary in Pennsylvania, where Trump is all-in for celebrity turned politician Mehmet Oz, who faces insurgent conservative candidate Kathy Barnette and businessman David McCormick. On the Democratic side, the leading contender, Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, said he will have a pacemaker implanted Tuesday after suffering a stroke last week and will not be able to attend a primary-night rally.

In North Carolina, voters were choosing nominees for the race to replace retiring Sen. Richard Burr (R). The state also provides another test of Trump’s influence, as he has backed scandal-tarnished Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-N.C.) in a hotly contested primary.

• Polls close in Kentucky at 7 p.m., in North Carolina at 7:30 p.m., in Pennsylvania at 8 p.m., in Idaho at 10 p.m. and in Oregon at 11 p.m. (all times Eastern).
• The Post presents at a Midterm Special Report with Libby Casey at 7:30 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday as results come in from primary races. Libby will anchor coverage from The Washington Post newsroom, with reporting and analysis from an array of Post reporters and analysts.
• As voters headed to the polls in five states,...

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