Tuesday's special primaries among races to watch in 2023

The 2024 presidential election is set to be historic, but before the ball drops in Times Square on Jan. 1, there are plenty of elections to get through in 2023 that can shine a light on what to expect next year.

First up, on this Tuesday, voters in Rhode Island and Utah head to the polls in two special congressional primary elections. The Rhode Island seat is safely Democratic, while the Utah seat is safely Republican, so whoever party voters select this week in their respective primaries is expected to win each general election in November. 

Later this year, three gubernatorial elections in deep red states could clue us in to what voters are looking for over the next four years. In Kentucky, a popular Democratic governor — Andy Beshear — is facing a challenge from GOP Attorney General Daniel Cameron and is hoping to win re-election as the only statewide elected Democrat. 

In Mississippi and Louisiana, Republicans hope to win the day by flipping the governor’s mansion in Baton Rouge red after two terms of a Democratic governor and by keeping Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves in his seat for another term, despite his low approval rating and an ever-evolving welfare scandal that made national headlines last year.

Beyond that, upcoming legislative elections in Virginia and a vote on a contentious constitutional amendment to enshrine abortion rights in Ohio could signal whether the issue of abortion rights still has enough saliency among voters to be a decisive issue in 2024.

For more on the elections to watch this year, check out NBCNews.com.

In other campaign news…

Drawing contrasts: In a Labor Day speech, President Biden drew contrasts between the policy successes of his administration and those of former President Donald Trump, though he never mentioned Trump by name. Meanwhile, Democratic elites are confronting the uncomfortable reality that voters aren’t as excited by Biden as they hoped, NBC News’ Peter Nicholas and Megan Lebowitz report.

Sleepy or sneaky: After spending years painting President Joe Biden as “Sleepy Joe,” former President Trump is trying to rebrand Biden as corrupt.

Oppo dump: Jeff Roe, who helms the pro-DeSantis super PAC Never Back Down, took credit for passing opposition research about businessman Vivek Ramaswamy to reporters, according to an audio tape reported on by Politico. 

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For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERSIt’s rarely been harder for people to find new jobs

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCBP leaders cut out of Trump ad buy decision

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAmerican passenger drafted goodbye texts to her family as Flydubai plane plummeted

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCornell rape allegation pushes embattled New York prosecutor into national spotlight

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Ramaswamy on McConnell: Ramaswamy said Friday night that it would be “most prudent” if Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell “stepped aside” after a second public health incident. 

Sununu weighs in on 14th Amendment questions: New Hampshire GOP Gov. Chris Sununu told “Meet the Press” on Sunday that he expects Trump to be on the state’s presidential ballot amid questions about whether he could be barred over his actions after the 2020 election. 

Unconstitutional: A Florida judge ruled Friday that a redistricting plan backed by DeSantis in the state is unconstitutional and must be redrawn because it minimizes the ability of Black voters in one area of the state to select a representative of their choice.

Never too young to be involved: NBC News’ Emma Barnett and Alec Hernandez profile a 15-year-old New Hampshire resident, Quinn Mitchell, who has been to more than 85 campaign events and met more than 35 White House hopefuls over the last two elections. 

Chaos in Nevada: NBC News’ Natasha Korecki details infighting between the Nevada Republican Party, which wants to hold a party caucus to decide their GOP presidential nominee two days after a state-sanctioned primary, and several Republican presidential campaigns.

No vacancy: Kentucky Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear did not answer questions about who he would appoint to fill Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s, R-Ky., seat if her were to resign his post early. “There is no vacancy. So he has said he’s going to serve out his term and I fully believe him,” Beshear told reporters.

Jumping into the fray: Huntington Mayor Steve Williams is the first Democrat to enter the race to be West Virginia’s next governor, Politico reports.

Democratic infighting: In Rhode Island’s congressional special election primary, the far left is waging an internal war and criticizing a candidate backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. as insufficiently progressive.