Tonight we're liveblogging primary results in four states: Michigan (polls close at 8pm ET), Missouri (8pm), Kansas (9pm), and Washington (11pm). Our writeup of all the key federal and statewide races can be found
here. For an excellent, comprehensive summary of the key state Senate races in Kansas, check out
ptgkc's post.
Results: Kansas | Michigan | Missouri | Washington
Tue Aug 07, 2012 at 9:32 PM PT (Steve Singiser): For those just checking in, what follows is a (brief) synopsis of what has gone down tonight in the quartet of primary states.
Let's start with Kansas, where there were no races of consequence at the federal level, but a huge sea change at the state legislative level. If current trends hold, a total of nine incumbent GOP state senators, virtually all of whom are considered moderates, will be updating their resumés by tomorrow. No less than seven will be doing so, as the long-simmering internal battle for the soul of the GOP has taken a pretty dramatic turn.
Tue Aug 07, 2012 at 9:39 PM PT (Steve Singiser): Meanwhile, in Michigan, there were a number of federal races catching our eye, so here is the lowdown on the multiple battles on tap in the Wolverine State tonight:
- MI-Sen (R): Former Rep. Pete Hoekstra was the easy winner (54-34) over charter schools head Clark Durant.
- MI-03 (D): Former judge Steven Pestka scored a 56-44 victory over progressive activist Trevor Thomas.
- MI-06 (R): In a race that was more sizzle than steak, incumbent Rep. Fred Upton stomped right-wing primary challenger Jack Hoogendyk (66-34).
- MI-11: This was easily the best result possible in Thad McCotter's former seat. Not only did the more electable Democrat (Syed Taj) avoid getting LaRouched in a low turnout primary, but the attempt to get state legislator Nancy Cassis on the GOP line for November via write-in campaign failed. Tea Party devotee Kerry Bentvolio won easily.
- MI-13 (D): When all was said and done, this was an easier win than expected. Veteran Rep. John Conyers cruised through a multi candidate field with 57 percent of the vote.
- MI-14 (D): In one of two incumbent-on-incumbent primaries, sophomore Rep. Gary Peters scored a 46-36 win over Rep. Hansen Clarke in a contest that really broke along county lines, as the suburban-based Peters racked up a bit of an edge over Clarke, whose base resides in Detroit's Wayne County.
Tue Aug 07, 2012 at 9:45 PM PT (Steve Singiser): Missouri had the highest profile race of the night, and it lived up to its billing. The race to battle Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill was a three-way coin flip for most of the night, though the leader never changed. Rep. Todd Akin eventually won the primary with 36 percent of the vote.
The gubernatorial contest for the GOP was a walk, by comparison. Businessman Dave Spence won with a solid majority of the vote. Less popular was incumbent Lt. Governor Peter Kinder, but the scandal-tarred former gubernatorial hopeful still limped home with a two-point win (44-42) over his primary foe.
Downballot, the other incumbent-versus-incumbent battle wound up being a walk for the urban candidate over the suburban candidate, as St. Louis veteran Lacy Clay easily dispatched Russ Carnahan (63-34) in MO-01 (D).
Tue Aug 07, 2012 at 10:05 PM PT (David Jarman): Finally, let's recap in Washington. The main event in the Evergreen State was in WA-01, left open by Jay Inslee and then significantly reddened in redistricting. Lone Republican John Koster easily advanced, and Suzan DelBene won the second slot among the Dems more easily than expected: the scorecard (in the Top 2 primary) goes Koster 44, DelBene 23, Darcy Burner 15, Laura Ruderman 7, Steve Hobbs 7, Darshan Rauniyar 2, and indie Larry Ishmael 2. That's a cumulative 54-44 in favor of the Dems, which, if you subscribe to the train of thought that the Top 2 is a useful predictor of November, is pretty good news.
WA-06 and WA-10 -- both open seats in light-blue districts -- were interesting to the extent that it wasn't certain which Republican would advance. The AP has just called both those races: In the 6th, it'll be Dem state Sen. Derek Kilmer vs. timber baron Bill Driscoll; they finished 54-18, with the large GOP balance going to assorted perennial candidates and Paulists. (That's a 54-42 Dem advantage overall.) And in the 10th, it'll be Dem ex-state Rep. Denny Heck vs. GOP Pierce Co. Councilor Dick Muri; they finished 41-26, with 15 for GOPer Stan Flemming and 12 for Dem Jennifer Ferguson. (That's a 53-41 Dem advantage overall.)
The gubernatorial race is interesting only in the sense of the Top 2's predictive value; Dem Jay Inslee and GOPer Rob McKenna advanced with no trouble, with Inslee leading McKenna 47-43. (The overall total is a 51-47 Dem advantage.)
The Dems may also be on track to picking up the open AG and SoS positions, both of which have eluded them for years and which would, assuming their incumbents hold, give the Dems control of all the statewide offices. In the AG race, Dem Bob Ferguson is at 52 and GOPer Reagan Dunn is at 38 (for a 52-47 Dem advantage overall). In the SoS race, GOPer Kim Wyman and Dem Kathleen Drew advance; they were at 39 and 22, with 16 for Greg Nickels and 14 for Jim Kastama. (That's good for a 52-39 Dem advantage overall.)
