There has never been much suspense in the presidential primaries. But the future of both political parties is at stake in the nominating battles further down the ballot.
Some of the biggest contests are in March, when eight states are holding their primaries for Congress, four for Senate and one for governor. There’s plenty of action if you just scroll down the ballot.
Republicans are facing yet another front in the ongoing insurgent takeover against the governing wing of the party. Democratic candidates are split on the war in the Middle East. And there’s also the political jiujitsu in California, where the math in the top-two primary means one side is in danger of being eliminated before the general election even begins.
And the outcomes of these primaries won’t just chart the trajectory of the two parties — they’ll also be central to determining which party controls the Senate, House and key governorships this time next year.
Here’s a cheat sheet to the races you should be watching: