WASHINGTON — Eight months of primaries for party nominations get under way this week in House, Senate, gubernatorial and legislative races across the nation. The outcomes will set the stage for the first midterm elections of Barack Obama's presidency.

Primary elections for governor are among the most contentious, including a testy Democratic primary race in Hawai'i to succeed Gov. Linda Lingle, a Republican.

Rep. Neil Abercrombie and Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann are squaring off in the Democratic race. The fall opponent is likely Republican Lt. Gov. James R. "Duke" Aiona.

The Illinois primary is Tuesday, when voters choose candidates to seek a full term to replace the disgraced former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Among other gubernatorial races to watch between now and September:

Texas is home to the hottest GOP primary race. Rick Perry, the state's longest-serving governor, is trying to fend off Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, an indisputable Washington insider. The race is pitting the public's anger at Washington against its anti-incumbent fervor.

Also keep an eye on South Carolina, where four GOP up-and-comers are competing: Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer, Attorney General Henry McMaster, Rep. Gresham Barrett and state Rep. Nikki Haley.

The victor is likely to win the general election. The state is conservative and plays a large role in presidential primaries. GOP Gov. Mark Sanford, who famously skipped town last year to see his mistress in Argentina, is barred from another term.

California's ultra-expensive race features former eBay chief executive Meg Whitman, a billionaire, against Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner, a multimillionaire Silicon Valley entrepreneur. Both have spent millions of their own money. The winner is all but certain to face Democrat Jerry Brown, 71, and a former governor who unsuccessfully ran for president. He is the state's attorney general.

In a Democratic race tinged by scandal and turning nasty, Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn is in danger of losing Tuesday because of his association with Blagojevich, who was expelled from office. Quinn, who twice ran as lieutenant governor on the same ticket as Blagojevich, is up against state Comptroller Dan Hynes.