With days to go until the August primaries, there are a couple of races that we’re watching closely.

On Tuesday, Minnesotans will decide on a Republican candidate in the race for a U.S. Senate seat, and a tight race is expected in the metro in a Democratic primary rematch for a U.S. House seat.

Let’s start with the one race on every Minnesotan’s primary ballot: The race for a U.S. Senate seat.

Democratic incumbent Senator Amy Klobuchar, (D) Minnesota, is vying for a fourth term.

The battle is in the Republican primary, the race to see who will face Sen. Klobuchar in November.

The GOP has endorsed Royce White, an ex-NBA player and populist conservative. In a one-on-one interview following the endorsement, White told our Tom Hauser why he believes he landed party support despite his unusual and at times, controversial background.

“I talked about three fundamental issues that are the basis of my agenda as United States Senator: border, debt, forever wars. And that resonated,” White said.

Businessman and Navy veteran Joe Fraser was the expected GOP front-runner leading up to the spring endorsement. He decided to run without the endorsement.

Fraser sat down for an interview on “At Issue” in June.

“‘Forever war’ is a great bumper sticker to sell an issue that you do not understand. And in my case, I’ve worked with NATO, I understand our European allies, I’ve worked in the Middle East, I’ve worked with Israelis throughout my career,” he said, pushing back on White’s platform.

In the latest KSTP/survey USA Poll, Klobuchar has a double-digit lead in a hypothetical match-up against either Republican.

Metro voters are also in for a tight congressional race in the Democratic primary between incumbent U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar and opponent Don Samuels.

Rep. Omar made a name for herself among a group of progressive House members known as “The Squad.” She’s backed by U.S. Senators Tina Smith, (D) Minnesota, and Bernie Sanders, (D) Vermont, who joined her on a campaign trail stop last week in Minneapolis.

“In Ilhan Omar, you have one of the outstanding members of the United States Congress,” Sen. Sanders said during a one-on-one interview with 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS.

“I would not be who I am today without the care and guidance of educators who made me believe anything is possible,” Omar said during the rally. “And unlike my opponent, I will always have the backs of the educators.”

Omar faces a rematch against former Minneapolis School Board member and city elected official Don Samuels, who also placed education at the top of his agenda.

Samuels lost by less than 2,500 votes in 2022. In an interview following the rally for Omar, he said he’s bolstered his campaign efforts this year and is confident in his 2024 chances.

“She’s a celebrity, basically,” he began, referencing his opponent. “I’m a local guy, a former [Minneapolis City] Council member. I live in the toughest part of the North Side by choice.”

“It is out of that I came into office in a sacrificial approach to service,” Samuels continued.

Primary day is Tuesday, August 13.