Congressional Primary Highlights

Congressional Primary Highlights

Primary night in a few states, here's the big races:

Kansas -- Former Rep. Jim Ryun, representing the right, narrowly loses to a moderate and doesn't get a rematch with Nancy Boyda, one of the three or so biggest upset winners in `06 (the others being Shea-Porter in New Hampshire and our own Dave Loebsack.) Boyda is one of only a couple House Dems in significant trouble this fall, and the primary win for Lynn Jenkins makes it tougher.

Michigan -- Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick wins renomination, and de facto re-election, with only 39 percent, saved by a divided opposition. Her son, Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, is in a mess o' trouble, and Mom was almost a victim of the fallout. The second place finisher was threatening an independent run, but either way the seat stays Democratic.

Georgia -- Jim Martin wins a Senate runoff. He's a long shot against Saxby Chambliss, but runoff rival Vernon Jones would have been a no-shot.

Missouri -- Rep. Kenny Hulshof wins the GOP governor primary for the right to lose to Democrat Jay Nixon this fall. I've followed the race in his 9th CD a bit because my in-laws live there. The more progressive Dem, state Rep. Judy Baker, wins the primary. She's ffrom Columbia, which is kinda the Iowa City of Missouri, and supposedly this will make the general election tougher. But this is still listed as leaning ever so narrowly toward a Democratic gain.

Also a decent roundup over at Kos.