Mexican president's allies lead in key elections

[Valin]

AP:

OLGA R. RODRIGUEZ and ALEXANDRA OLSON (AP)
7/5/10

CIUDAD VICTORIA, Mexico — President Felipe Calderon's allies headed toward some surprising victories in Mexican state elections marred by drug gang violence so severe only a trickle of citizens voted in one state where the leading gubernatorial candidate was slain.

The opposition Institutional Revolutionary Party, the former longtime ruling party, had hoped for significant gains Sunday to add momentum to its bid to regain the presidency in 2012, trying to capitalize on discontent over drug violence. But it appeared the PRI would not significantly improve on the nine governorships it already held among the dozen seats up for grabs.

Despite rising public frustration over drug violence, Calderon's allies seemed likely to come away with a much needed boost by winning in the southern state of Oaxaca after a campaign for local elections in more than a dozen states where assassinations and scandals emphasized the power of drug cartels and faced the president with his toughest political challenge.....(Snip)