What to know about this week’s US primary elections

Voters will head to the polls in several states and the national capital this week as the United States takes another step towards the all-important midterm elections in November, when control of the US Congress will be on the line.

The midterms will also serve as a referendum on President Donald Trump’s second term in office, as the Republican leader struggles with flagging popularity amid a tumultuous war against Iran that has heightened concerns over the cost of living.

Primary elections, which take place to select a political party’s candidate in the general election, are scheduled in Alabama, California, Georgia, Oklahoma, and the capital city of Washington, DC.

Which races are being watched, who are some of the main candidates, and what will it mean for the midterm elections? We take a look at those questions and more in this brief explainer.

Residents of the southern state of Alabama will choose a candidate in the Republican primary to succeed Senator Tommy Tuberville, who chose to run for governor rather than seek a second congressional term.

A first-round vote on May 19 failed to yield a clear winner, sending two candidates, former Navy SEAL Jared Hudson and Trump-backed Congressman Barry Moore, into a Republican run-off on June 16.

The race will test Trump’s continued sway over Republican voters. Trump’s endorsement helped Moore win the highest portion of votes in the first round, and the president reiterated his support for Moore last week, calling him “the best America First candidate you can imagine”.

But Moore is facing a strong challenge from Hudson, who owns a security and arms training company along with a nonprofit focused on human trafficking.