Posted on 05/16/2006 9:31:29 PM PDT by Aussie Dasher
PHILADELPIA -- Political veteran Bob Casey, the heavy favorite, easily won the Democratic nomination in Pennsylvania on Tuesday to challenge conservative Republican Sen. Rick Santorum in the fall.
Pennsylvania voters also decided whether to punish state lawmakers for giving themselves a big pay raise in the middle of the night last year. Under public pressure, the legislators repealed the increases.
In Oregon, Democratic Gov. Ted Kulongoski faced two rivals for the nomination for another term. An Iraq war veteran sought the Democratic nomination for Congress in Pennsylvania, while another Iraq veteran was defeated in a congressional primary in Kentucky.
The 46-year-old Casey, son of the late Gov. Robert P. Casey, now serves as Pennsylvania treasurer. He was courted by national Democratic Party leaders to take on Santorum, the Senate's No. 3 Republican and a close ally of President Bush. The race could cost a combined $50 million.
Santorum was unopposed in the GOP primary.
Casey cruised past two political newcomers in the Democratic primary, Philadelphia pension lawyer Alan Sandals and Philadelphia college professor Chuck Pennacchio.
With 13 percent of precincts reporting, Casey had 59,278 votes, or 82 percent, compared with 8,024, or 11 percent, for Sandals, and 4,823, or 7 percent, for Pennacchio.
Some Democratic voters said they were more interested in picking a candidate who could defeat Santorum than in sending a message to Casey that some of his positions, like his opposition to abortion, are too conservative.
"I'm too old at this point in my life for symbolic victories," said Philadelphian David Hyman, 52.
Lynn Swann, a former Pittsburgh Steeler making his debut in Pennsylvania politics, was unopposed for the Republican nomination for governor. The former NFL star will face Gov. Ed Rendell, who had no opposition on the Democratic side.
Sixty-one incumbents in the 253-member Pennsylvania legislature faced primary challenges Tuesday, the most since 1980, including legislative leaders from both parties. Most of the challengers were recruited by PACleanSweep, a group organized at the height of the pay raise furor.
Two Pennsylvania congressmen also faced primary challenges, including Republican Rep. Don Sherwood, who acknowledged a five-year extramarital affair after his mistress accused him of choking her at his Capitol Hill apartment. Sherwood's opponent, Kathy Scott, is a former guidance counselor who has seized on the scandal.
Iraq War veteran Patrick Murphy faced a former county commissioner in a Democratic primary for the right to take on freshman Republican Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick in a swing district in the Philadelphia suburbs.
In Kentucky, Iraq War veteran Andrew Horne failed in his bid to take on Republican Rep. Anne Northup in a Louisville-area House district. The Democratic primary was won by political columnist John Yarmuth.
In a neighboring district, state Rep. Mike Weaver, a retired Army colonel, easily defeated a little-known fellow Democrat and advanced to face Republican Rep. Ron Lewis in November.
In Oregon's gubernatorial primary, Kulongoski was expected to overcome challenges by former state Treasurer Jim Hill and Peter Sorenson, a county politician.
Three major contenders competed for the Republican nomination for governor: former Oregon GOP chairman Kevin Mannix, Portland lawyer Ron Saxton and state Sen. Jason Atkinson.
"Casey is screwed."
Best news I've had all day.
The Dems would vote for Pat Buchanan if he was running against Sanatorum. Still, getting a pro-life Dem isn't going to make their pro-abortion base very happy.
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