House members flailing in primaries for higher office

House members who opted to run for higher office rather than seek reelection have had a poor track record this year and could end up with a higher rate of primary losses than in recent years.

Those losses have come despite members having the perks a national profile and network, suggesting that congressional experience may be of little value to voters.

Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.), a former chair of the Republican Main Street Caucus who has been at the center of negotiations over top legislative items, was seen as a formidable candidate with a large war chest when he launched his gubernatorial bid in January.

But in the South Dakota primary this month, he came in third in a four-way race, missing a shot at heading to the runoff as second-place finisher, incumbent Gov. Larry Rhoden (R), notched two percentage points more.

“House Republicans have a long list of legislative accomplishments, but these are really complicated issues. I don’t think the normals are messaging as well as angry voices on the extremes,” Johnson told The Hill.

“Serving in the House is not viewed as a particularly big asset, and primary voters don’t seem to be excited to reward members with a different job,” he added.

It isn’t just Johnson.

The same night in Iowa, Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa) lost the Republican gubernatorial primary to GOP candidate Zach Lahn in an upset — marking the first statewide primary loss for a Trump-endorsed candidate in this cycle. President Trump later said he didn’t have the “proper information” when he made the endorsement.

On the Democratic side, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.) had built a massive........

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