The first midterm primaries show enthusiastic Democratic turnout 

Midterm primary season kicked off last Tuesday with key races in Texas and North Carolina. Although midterm primaries rarely produce major surprises, they often provide clues about the political environment heading into November.

Indeed, most of Tuesday’s contests were largely predictable. Rather, what stood out was turnout, particularly in Texas, suggesting that Democrats continue to benefit from an enthusiasm advantage.

In Texas, where Republicans have historically dominated primary turnout, 51 percent of all Senate primary votes were “cast in the Democratic race, compared with 49 percent in the Republican contest,” according to New York Times analysis. 

This is a big reversal: Historically, the Times noted, “Republican primary voters outnumber Democrats by around 20 points in Texas” making Tuesday’s results “extraordinary,” given the relatively low profile of the Democratic candidates and the Republicans having their own expensive, high-profile race.

That race — the Republican Senate primary between incumbent Sen. John Cornyn and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton — proved to be extraordinarily expensive. National Republicans were forced to spend $70 million to secure Cornyn a spot in May’s runoff election.

For now, at least, it appears that the investment was a smart decision. Cornyn actually received slightly more votes than Paxton, 42 percent to 41 percent, helping the four-term senator appear more competitive for the runoff. It is possible that by because Cornyn placed slightly ahead of Paxton, President Trump will feel compelled to endorse the incumbent, if for no other reason than that Cornyn has a better chance of beating Democratic challenger James Talarico (D) in the general........

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