Today's Brew highlights some early results from Tuesday’s primary elections + states where legislatures are challenging governors over coronavirus restrictions
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Welcome to the Wednesday, June 10, Brew. Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day:

* Justice, Salango win West Virginia gubernatorial primaries, Mace wins GOP nod in SC-01
* Tracking state legislative challenges to governors’ policies implemented in response to the coronavirus outbreak
* Ballotpedia’s special Number of the Day series regarding attitudes toward COVID-19 concludes

_Yesterday saw another full day of primary and local elections and Ballotpedia was covering races until late into the night. Here’s a summary of key election results from across the country as of 12:00 a.m. ET. For the latest, visit our election results page here ([link removed]) ._
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** JUSTICE, SALANGO WIN WEST VIRGINIA GUBERNATORIAL PRIMARIES, MACE WINS GOP NOD IN SC-01
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For even more analysis from yesterday’s elections, click here ([link removed]) to subscribe to our Heart of the Primaries newsletters and get today's editions sent to your inbox later this morning.

WEST VIRGINIA GOVERNOR (R) ([link removed])

Gov. Jim Justice defeated former Secretary of Commerce Woody Thrasher, former state Del. Mike Folk, and four others to win the Republican nomination for governor in West Virginia. As of 11:30 p.m. ET, Justice had received 63% of the vote to Thrasher's 18% and Folk's 12% with 96% of precincts reporting. None of the remaining candidates had received over 5% of the vote.

In April, Justice postponed West Virginia's statewide primary election from May 12 to June 9. Counties in the state mailed absentee ballot applications to all registered voters.

JUSTICE WAS FIRST ELECTED GOVERNOR AS A DEMOCRAT IN 2016, DEFEATING BILL COLE (R) 49% TO 42%. HE SWITCHED PARTIES TO BECOME A REPUBLICAN THE FOLLOWING YEAR. Justice is the sixth incumbent Republican governor to seek re-election in West Virginia's history. President Donald Trump (R) endorsed him. In 2016, Trump won 68.6% of the vote in West Virginia, his largest vote share in any state in that presidential election.

Justice's campaign website and ads highlight pay raises given to West Virginia's teachers and school service personnel during his administration, as well as his efforts to repair the state's roads.

The race featured a high level of self-financing. According to campaign finance reports, Justice contributed $1.5 million to his campaign. Thrasher and Folk contributed roughly $3.4 million and $261,000 to their campaigns, respectively.

WEST VIRGINIA GOVERNOR (D) ([link removed])

Kanawha County Commissioner Ben Salango defeated Douglas Hughes, Jody Murphy, Stephen Smith, and state Sen. Ron Stollings to win the Democratic primary for governor in West Virginia. As of 11:30 p.m. ET, Salango had received 39% of the vote with 97% of precincts reporting. Smith was second with 33% and Stollings was third with 14%. No other candidate had received more than 10%. 

Salango has served on the Kanawha County Commission since 2017. He said his record included creating union jobs, securing paid family leave, and helping seniors get hot meals. He said his priorities as governor would include education, job creation, healthcare, and addressing the opioid issue.

DEMOCRATS HAVE WON EVERY GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION IN WEST VIRGINIA SINCE 2000. 

Justice and Salango will compete in the general election November 3. _The Cook Political Report _and _Inside Elections_ rate the general election as _Solid Republican. Larry Sabato's Crystal Ball_ rates it as _Likely Republican._

SOUTH CAROLINA’S 1ST DISTRICT (R) ([link removed])

State Rep. Nancy Mace won the Republican primary in South Carolina's 1st Congressional District, defeating Chris Cox, Kathy Landing, and Brad Mole. With 39% of precincts reporting, Mace had received 59% of the vote. Landing was in second place with 26%.

Mace faces incumbent Rep. Joe Cunningham (D) in the November general election. Cunningham defeated Katie Arrington (R) in 2018, 50.6% to 49.2%. The 2018 general election in South Carolina's 1st District was decided by the 12th smallest margin of victory of all U.S. House races that year.

In the 2016 presidential race, Donald Trump (R) defeated Hillary Clinton (D) in the district 53.5% to 40.4% THE 1ST DISTRICT IS ONE OF 30 HOUSE DISTRICTS REPRESENTED BY A DEMOCRAT IN 2020 THAT VOTED FOR TRUMP IN 2016. Until Cunningham's election in 2018, it had been represented by Republicans since 1981. 

_The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections_, and_ Larry Sabato's Crystal Ball_ all rate the general election as _Toss-up._

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** TRACKING STATE LEGISLATIVE CHALLENGES TO GOVERNORS’ EXECUTIVE ORDERS IMPLEMENTED IN RESPONSE TO THE CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK
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When the coronavirus pandemic began, governors and state health officials used emergency powers to enact responses - such as closing what they deemed nonessential businesses, implementing social distancing, and restricting mass gatherings. Several state LEGISLATURES CHALLENGED THESE ACTIONS THROUGH EITHER LAWSUITS OR LEGISLATION.  

Here are some examples of what these legislatures did: 

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JUNE 5: On June 5, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D) vetoed ([link removed]) House Bill 536 ([link removed]) , which would have allowed certain establishments to offer outdoor dining and beverage service. The bill was introduced in the legislature to allow bars and restaurants to open outdoor dining temporarily ahead of the third phase of Cooper’s reopening plan ([link removed]) , when bars are set to reopen and restaurants can increase capacity. If Cooper had signed the bill, those establishments would have been able to reopen immediately ([link removed]) . Phase 3 is expected to begin on June 26. State Rep Chuck McGrady (R) said ([link removed]) in a statement, “This legislation   provides equity for North Carolina businesses that are hardest-hit by the economic shutdown and will deliver revenue for desperate small businesses by allowing safe outdoor-seating options.” In a statement about the veto, Cooper said ([link removed]) , “State and local government leaders must be able to act quickly during the COVID-19 emergency to prevent a surge in cases that could overwhelm hospitals and harm the public. House Bill 536 would limit the ability of leaders to respond quickly to COVID-19 and hamper the health and safety of every North Carolinian.” 

On June 9, the North Carolina state Senate considered legislation allowing gyms, health clubs, and fitness centers to reopen. This measure also included provisions from the bill Cooper vetoed allowing bars and restaurants to operate outdoors. North Carolina is one of seven states where a three-fifths vote of both chambers is required in order to override a gubernatorial veto. Republicans control 29 of the 30 seats required to override a veto in the state Senate and 65 of the 72 seats required in the state House. 

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MAY 26: Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly (D) vetoed ([link removed]) House Bill 2054 ([link removed]) that would have authorized counties to set less stringent rules than those imposed by the state on May 26. The bill also would have given the legislature the authority to block Gov. Kelly’s decisions on how the state should spend $1.2 billion in federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funds. 

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MAY 13: The Wisconsin Supreme Court overturned ([link removed]) Department of Health Services Secretary Andrea Palm’s safer-at-home orders on May 13 following a legal challenge filed by Republican lawmakers. The court ruled Palm’s safer-at-home order was deemed “unlawful, invalid and unenforceable.” The court said Palm violated state law when she issued the order prohibiting residents from leaving their homes except for essential activities.  The court ordered that the legislature’s rule-making committee must approve all future restrictions before going into effect. 

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MAY 1: The Mississippi Legislature voted ([link removed]) on May 1 to limit Gov. Tate Reeves’ (R) spending authority over $1.25 billion allocated to the state under the CARES Act. The state House and Senate moved $1.15 billion to a budget contingency fund, which cannot be spent without legislative action. On May 7, Reeves and the legislature reached a compromise ([link removed]) allowing both the governor and legislature input in how CARES Act funds could be spent.

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APRIL 20: Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf (D) vetoed ([link removed]) Senate Bill 613 ([link removed]) on April 20 which would have redefined essential businesses and allowed more businesses to reopen. After Wolf’s veto, his press secretary said ([link removed]) , “As the administration has stated many times, irresponsibly going against the direction of the Secretary of Health and reopening businesses too early will only extend the length of the economic hardships created by the pandemic.”

[Map]
Learn more→ ([link removed])
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** BALLOTPEDIA’S SPECIAL NUMBER OF THE DAY SERIES REGARDING ATTITUDES TOWARD COVID-19 CONCLUDES
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On May 27, Ballotpedia launched a special edition series of Scott Rasmussen’s Number of the Day highlighting polling related to the effects of the coronavirus. These polls show how voters are responding to various state and local government policies and what they think the future will look like as we move along the path to recovery. THE FINAL _NUMBER OF THE DAY_ IN THE SERIES EXAMINES WHETHER VOTERS FEEL THE WORST OF THE PANDEMIC IS AHEAD OR BEHIND US.

These surveys also asked voters their opinion of the healthcare system, the economy, and how long businesses were likely to feel the effects of the coronavirus outbreak. We also asked voters whether they have a family member who lost their primary source of income due to shutdowns and if they believe businesses can decide whether their customers must wear masks.

We’ve compiled all these special editions of the Number of the Day in one place so you can explore this data at length.

Check out each one→ ([link removed])

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