Jan. 6 takes center stage in tonight’s primaries: From the Politics Desk

Welcome to the online version of From the Politics Desk, an evening newsletter that brings you the NBC News Politics team’s latest reporting and analysis from the campaign trail, the White House and Capitol Hill.

In today’s edition, we preview two primaries tonight that have a connection to the Jan. 6 riots at the Capitol. Plus, national political correspondent Steve Kornacki breaks down whether there could be a surge of split-ticket voting this fall.

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Jan. 6 takes center stage in tonight’s primaries

By Bridget Bowman, Ben Kamisar and Adam Wollner

It’s primary Election Day in four states — and the Jan. 6 attack is at the center of two of the biggest races.

In Maryland, there’s a former police officer who defended the Capitol from a mob the day Donald Trump’s Electoral College loss to Joe Biden was certified. In West Virginia, there’s a former state lawmaker who was part of that mob and served prison time as a result.

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Maryland’s 3rd District: Harry Dunn, a 15-year veteran of the Capitol Police force, is running in a crowded Democratic primary for an open House seat.

Following the Jan. 6 riots, he became one of the most public figures representing the hundreds of police officers who put their lives on the line to protect the Capitol. He gave emotional testimony during the televised congressional hearings investigating the attack, became a fixture on the cable news circuit and wrote a book about the ordeal and his life.

Dunn is now running against several experienced state legislators for the seat being vacated by retiring Democratic Rep. Paul Sarbanes. Dunn has been the top fundraiser in the Democratic field and has