Besides the Texas 28 race which ends tonight there are a number of other Congressional races in which the Democrat is either very strongly favored or is garuanteed a win. In these races the primary is the most important part for progressives, Democrats, and like minded people. These seats would be Maryland 3 (Ben Cardin leaving to run for Senate), Florida 11 (Jim Davis leaving to run for Governor), New York 11 (Major Owens retiring), Hawaiii 2 (Ed Case running in the Senate primary) and Tennessee 11 (Harold Ford Jr. running for Senate). In these races the primary should be of interest to people here and all 5 races have crowded fields. I realize this is similar to a diary I wrote in December but this covers 2 additional races and the fields in other races seem to be a bit more defined.
Maryland 3 (Ben Cardin's seat)
Ben Cardin is leaving to attempt to suceed Paul Sarbanes in the Senate (and he is nominally the favorite both in the primary and in the general) and a number of people are running to suceed him. The most prominent of them are Baltimore Health Commissioner Dr. Peter Beilensen (http://www.beilensonforcongress.com/) who has raised the most money, State Senator Paula Hollinger (http://www.paulaforcongress.com/), Investment Banker/Ex-Maryland Democratic Party Treasurer Oz Bengur (http://www.ozbengur.com/), attorney/son of Senator Sarbanes John Sarbanes (http://www.sarbanesforcongress.com/), Ann Arudel County Executive Janet Owens (http://www.janetowens.info/), and attorney Kevin Scott O'Keeffe (http://www.okeeffeforcongress.com/). There are 3 Republicans running but this district is fairly strongly Democratic so the winner of the primary is likely to win the whole thing. The primary is September 12 so there is a whole Summer for the numerous candidates to shake things out and campaign. All the candidates seem qualified and what issues pages I've seen (Hollinger does not seem to have one) are alright.
Florida 11
This district, located around the Tampa Bay area is pretty safely Democratic. It has also attracted a somewhat crowded field as Hillsbourgh County Commissioner Kathy Castor (http://www.castorforcongress.com/), State Senator Les Miller (http://www.lesmillerforcongress.com/), management consultant Al Fox (http://alfoxforcongress.com/), attorney Scott Farrell(http://www.farrellforflorida.com/), and attorney Michael Steinberg (http://www.steinberg2006.com/) are all running. While every Democrat but Steinberg has broken $100,000 the money race seems to be down to Castor and Miller with Castor in particular being a fundraising power with $391,000 cash on hand (compared with Miller $173,000). There are two Republicans in the race but they don't seem to be raising much money and neither seems particularly strong. The primary here is also late as it is September 5.
New York 11
Major Owens is retiring and his son, health care consultant Chris(http://voteowens.com/), is running to take his place. However, stronger candidates appear to be NYC citycouncilman David Yassky (http://www.davidyassky.com/) and State Senator Carl Andrews (http://www.peopleforcarlandrews.com/) with citycouncilwoman Yvette Clarke also running (http://www.nyccouncil.info/... no campaign website on politics1). There is a racial element to this primary as the district is predominantly black and Yassky is white (Yassky's race has gotten him labeled a "Colonizer" by the outgoing Major Owens). Yassky is pretty far ahead of everyone (including Andrews) in overall fundraising but Andrews has been endorsed by Eliot Spitzer and the Machinists union (both the state council and District 15). Also of note, some of Yassky's top contributors according to opensecrets are Citigroup, JP Morgan Chase, and at least a couple of groups that look like developers. No current Republican is running, nor is one terribly likely to, and the primary is September 12.
Hawaii 2
Incumbent Ed Case is embarking on a losing cause in challenging incumbent Democratic Senator Daniel Akaka in the primary. However, Case's loss leaves a fairly (though not entirely) safe seat in which we can have a primary to select his replacement. And what a crowded primary field we have as the list reads as follows: former Lt. Governor Mazie Hirono (no website), State Senaotr Colleen Hanabusa (http://www.colleenhanabusa.com/), State Senator Gary Hooser (http://www.garyhooserforcongress.com/), State Senator Ron Menor (http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/... no campaign website), State Representative Brian Schatz (http://www.brianschatz.com/) who is the youngest at 33 with a number of other state legislators thinking about it. The only Republican is a ex-Honolulu citycouncilman who is apparently a one issue anti-gay candidate though if Republicans can convince the Honolulu prosecutor to declare as a Republican (his office is non-partisan so his personal politics aren't fully known) this race could move to competitive. This has the latest primary so far as it will be September 23.
Tennessee 9
Harold Ford Jr. is running for US Senate leaving this Memphis based district an open seat. There are also a large number of candidates running in the Democratic primary here (along with 2 Repubilcans, one a Desert Storm veteran). The people running for the Democrats are: law school professor Lee Harris (http://www.leeharrisformemphis.com/), '05 State Senate candidate Laura Davis (http://www.golaura.com/), attorney/nephew of the incumbent Joe Ford Jr. (no website), attorney Nikki Tinker (http://www.tinkerforcongress.com/) who is the best funded to date according to opensecrets, and ex-Memphis mayoral aide Ron Redwing (http://www.tinkerforcongress.com/) and a number of others (with some heavyweights like State Senator Steven Cohen and Memphis Light Gas and Power president Herman Morris thinking about it). Given his family's power in the district I'd have to say that Joe Ford Jr. starts out as the favorite but given the corrupt allegations against one of the Fords and the crowded field anything can happen. This is the earlies primary as it will be August 3.