Primary Results 5/18/10

[clearvision]

FOX News:

After months of speculation over the mood of the country, the electorate is getting its say Tuesday in three fiercely competitive Senate races and a House special election that may tell incumbents in Washington just how worried they should be come November.

In Kentucky, the Tea Party movement will find out how strong its influence is after throwing its weight behind Rand Paul in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate. In Arkansas and Pennsylvania, a couple of Democratic senators, Blanche Lincoln and Arlen Specter, will see how durable they are.

And in a fourth race of national significance, Republican Tim Burns and Democrat Mark Critz are battling to fill out the term of the late Democratic Rep. John Murtha in a congressional district in Pennsylvania. Both political parties reported spending roughly $1 million to sway the race, turning it into a laboratory for the fall campaign, when all 435 House seats will be up for grabs.

Burns is giving Critz fits, despite a 2-1 Democratic registration edge. The seat hasn't been held by a Republican since 1975, but rank-and-file union dissatisfaction with President Obama's agenda could prove decisive for Burns, much as it was for Republican Scott Brown in the Massachusetts election to fill Sen. Ted Kennedy's open seat.

Oregon voters also faced a deadline for returning ballots in a statewide mail-in vote that began more than two weeks ago.

In Arkansas, Lincoln is fighting for her political life in her primary battle against Lt. Gov. Bill Halter. Halter had the support of several unions that spent heavily in hopes of punishing Lincoln for her votes on health care, trade and legislation to make it easier to organize workers.

The presence of a third contender on the ballot, D.C. Morrison, raised the possibility that Lincoln might be forced into a politically debilitating runoff on June 8.

In Pennsylvania, five-term Sen. Arlen Specter's race against Rep. Joe Sestak is a clear measure of experience vs. change, and the voters were saying so as they cast their ballots.

"Politicians are like diapers. They both should be changed regularly," said Marc Coleman 41, of Philadelphia, who said he sided with Sestak.

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Not sure what the interest level is, but feel free to post primary info in this thread for easy access.

[clearvision]

White House says they are not following the campaigns tonite. HA.

[clearvision]

AP calls Ran Paul over Grayson in Kentucky.

[Sabre86]

AP calls Ran Paul over Grayson in Kentucky.

Great, we'll never be rid of the Paulbearers.

[Sabre86]

Despite how much we dislike Specter, it would be better if he and the rest of the Democrat incumbents win. They would be easier to defeat in the general.

[clearvision]

Despite how much we dislike Specter, it would be better if he and the rest of the Democrat incumbents win. They would be easier to defeat in the general.

Probably true.

[Sanguine]

Go (away), Arlen, go (away)!

[clearvision]

Specter in dead heat at this point.

[clearvision]

AP: Specter loses.

[Sanguine]

Good.

 

I wish Arlen a long and reflective retirement.

[WestVirginiaRebel]

It's official:

 

U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter on Tuesday was defeated in a Democratic primary in his bid for a sixth term after taking the risky step of switching from the GOP.

 

With 65 percent of precincts reporting, Sestak received 339,402 votes, nearly 53 percent. Specter received 304,179 votes, about 47 percent.

 

The vote also was a defeat for President Barack Obama, who supported Specter when he abandoned the Republican Party last year. In speaking to supporters after the race was called, Specter thanked Obama for his support.

 

Such as it was...

[Geee]

I guess all the money the Dems pumped into Murtha's seat paid off. Dems win special election.

[Ghost]

Hi.. watching end of V & then will be back...

[Sabre86]

I guess all the money the Dems pumped into Murtha's seat paid off. Dems win special election.

I can't figure why anyone thought it would swing Republican.

 

- The Democrat Senate primary meant heavier Democrat turnout statewide

- They ran a "conservative" Democrat

- The seat has been Democrat for almost two generations

- Democrat advantage in overall numbers.

 

I reminds me of TX-17, my district. It goes for Republicans in Presidential elections and all but some local elections. However, it also elects Chet Edwards every time. Based on voting patterns, Republicans hold a 2-1 advantage in the district, but always lose by 5-15% to Edwards every time.