Here are 10 dates to highlight on the 2022 primary calendar

WASHINGTON — With Election Day 2022 now less than a year away, it’s time to get to know the important primary dates on the midterm calendar.

So here are some of the key days we’re going to be watching:

March 8: North Carolina

This is the first big primary date for next year, with competitive Democratic and GOP contests vying to fill the Senate seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C. The Democratic field includes former state Supreme Court Chief Justice Cheri Beasley, Jeff Jackson and Erica Smith, while the GOP field includes Reps. Ted Budd and Mark Walker, R-N.C., as well as former Gov. Pat McCrory.

May 3: Indiana and Ohio

After North Carolina comes Ohio, where Republicans like Josh Mandel, Jane Timken and J.D. Vance are running for the nomination to replace retiring Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio. On the Democratic side, Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, and progressive Morgan Harper are running for this Senate seat.

May 17: Kentucky, Oregon and Pennsylvania

All eyes will be on Pennsylvania, where a large and diverse Democratic field — John Fetterman, Malcolm Kenyatta, Rep. Conor Lamb, D-Pa., and Val Arkoosh — is running for the open Senate seat being vacated by outgoing Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa. And expect potentially competitive GOP contests for Senate (which will include Sean Parnell) and governor.

Also in Oregon, we’ll see the primary races to replace term-limited Gov. Kate Brown.

May 24: Alabama, Arkansas and Georgia

Georgia’s on our mind on this day, with GOP Gov. Brian Kemp getting a primary challenge from pro-Trump (and former Democrat) Vernon Jones, while Herschel Walker is in the driver’s seat in the GOP Senate primary for the right to take on Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga.

Also on this day, we’ll get the results from the GOP field vying to replace retiring Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala, which includes Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Ala.

June 28: Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, New York, Oklahoma and Utah

We’ll be watching the Democratic and GOP gubernatorial primaries in New York after Gov. Kathy Hochul succeeded Andrew Cuomo, as well as Democratic and GOP gubernatorial primaries in Maryland to replace term-limited Gov. Larry Hogan.

Aug. 2: Arizona, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri and Washington

Lots of action on this day: In Arizona, Republicans are running for the right to take on Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz.; in Kansas, the GOP will get its nominee against Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly; in Michigan, the GOP will get its pick to run against Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer; and in Missouri, there’s a crowded Republican field — including former Gov. Eric Greitens, state AG Eric Schmitt and Rep. Vicky Hartzler, R-Mo. — to replace retiring Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo.

Aug. 9: Connecticut, Minnesota, Vermont and Wisconsin

The next week we’ll see a crowded field of Dems running for the right to take on Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis. (who still hasn’t announced if he’s running for re-election), as well as the GOP pick for the right to take on Democratic Gov. Tony Evers in this all-important battleground state.

Aug. 16: Alaska and Wyoming

It’s a big day for former President Donald Trump and his influence within the GOP, when we’ll get the Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, vs. Kelly Tshibaka Senate primary — in addition to that Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., vs. Harriet Hageman contest in Wyoming,

Aug. 23: Florida

We’ll find out which Democrat — Rep. Charlie Crist or Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried — will take on GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Sept. 13: Delaware, Rhode Island and New Hampshire

And this is the final big day we have circled. Who becomes the nominee to run against Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H.? Is it Gov. John Sununu? Or does he even run?

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Data Download: The numbers you need to know today

$13.4 million: The amount that’s already been spent on TV/radio/digital advertising in New Hampshire’s Senate race, per AdImpact, before Republican Gov. Chris Sununu announced his decision on whether to run.

6: The number of countries in the top 10 for largest Covid-19 case increases that are in Europe.

46,627,764: The number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the United States, per the most recent data from NBC News and health officials. (That’s 126,531 more since yesterday morning.)

759,163: The number of deaths in the United States from the virus so far, per the most recent data from NBC News. (That’s 1,309 more since yesterday morning.)

432,111,860: The number of total vaccine doses administered in the U.S., per the CDC. (That’s 4,199,532 more since yesterday morning.)

24,795,097: The number of booster vaccine doses administered in the U.S., per the CDC. (That’s 1,184,236 more since yesterday morning.)

361,848: The number of children under the age of 12 who have been vaccinated, per the CDC.

58.4 percent: The share of all Americans who are fully vaccinated, per the CDC.

70.1 percent: The share of all Americans 18-years and older who are fully vaccinated, per the CDC.

More subpoenas issued in Jan. 6 probe

“The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol issued a new batch of subpoenas Monday to former administration and re-election campaign aides who supported President Donald Trump's effort to overturn the 2020 election,” per NBC News.

“Six people were subpoenaed: Bill Stepien, Trump's 2020 re-election campaign manager; Jason Miller, a senior campaign adviser; Angela McCallum, a campaign aide; John Eastman, a conservative lawyer who was reported to have advised Trump and others in the administration; Michael Flynn, Trump's former national security adviser; and Bernard Kerik, an adviser who the committee said used Washington, D.C., hotels as "command centers" for the campaign's election strategy.”

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General Electric is splitting into three companies.