The Latest: Trump says GOP had ‘great night’ in primaries

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The Latest on Tuesday’s primaries in four states (all times local):

7:35 a.m.

President Donald Trump says the GOP “had a great night,” after West Virginia Republicans rejected ex-convict Don Blankenship in state’s Senate primary.

Trump says on Twitter Wednesday: “The Republican Party had a great night. Tremendous voter energy and excitement, and all candidates are those who have a great chance of winning in November. The Economy is sooo strong, and with Nancy Pelosi wanting to end the big Tax Cuts and Raise Taxes, why wouldn’t we win?”

The West Virginia result helped avert a potential political disaster for a GOP already bracing for major losses in the November midterm elections.

In Indiana, Republicans chose wealthy businessman Mike Braun over two sitting congressmen to lead the party’s charge against a vulnerable Democratic senator in the fall.

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1:34 a.m.

Republican voters have rejected ex-convict Don Blankenship in a West Virginia Senate primary in which he sold himself as “Trumpier than Trump” but was vigorously opposed by the president.

West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey claimed the nomination instead.

Meanwhile, GOP voters in Indiana chose wealthy businessman Mike Braun over two sitting congressmen to lead the party’s charge against a vulnerable Democratic senator in the fall.

In a possible sign of party unrest, however, congressman Robert Pittenger lost in North Carolina to a Baptist pastor, the Rev. Mark Harris, he narrowly beat two years ago. Pittinger is the first incumbent to lose his seat this primary season.