Rep. Burton survives big primary scare, but is under 30 percent

Rep. Dan Burton (R-Ind.) won his primary Tuesday, but he took less than 30 percent of vote.

Burton beat former state Rep. Luke Messer 29.7 percent to 27.6 percent, with 99.4 percent of precincts reporting. Three more candidates, including the man who nearly beat Burton in 2008, Dr. John McGoff, split up the rest of the vote.

Most of the candidates were well-funded. They tried at certain points in the race to narrow the field to face Burton, but in the end, nobody would step aside, and Burton benefitted.

Burton’s win was about as tenuous as they come, but his district is a safe one for Republicans.

Burton wasn’t the only incumbent to face a scare in the state Tuesday. Rep. Mark Souder (R-Ind.) won his primary with less than 50 percent of the vote, defeating car dealer Bob Thomas 48-34.