GOP primaries

Businessman Jim Renacci, a top GOP recruit, has survived a primary scare and will face Rep. John Boccieri (D-Ohio) in November.

Renacci faced former Ashland County Commissioner Matt Miller, a meagerly funded candidate who had nonetheless taken 42 percent of the vote in each of the past two primaries in the district. Miller turned in a similar performance this time, but Renacci led him 49-41 with 75 percent of precincts in. The race has been called for Renacci.

Renacci has achieved the second step of the NRCC's Young Guns program for top challengers, and his strong fundraising has made him a candidate the party has heralded as someone who could lead the GOP back to the majority.

Another member of the Young Guns program, Ohio state Sen. Bob Gibbs, was struggling with his primary in the nearby 18th district. Gibbs trailed 2008 nominee Fred Dailey 21.6 percent to 21.2 percent with 93 percent of precincts reporting in Rep. Zack Space's (D-Ohio) district. The primary may require a recount.

Attorney Todd Young and Dr. Larry Bucshon will be the GOP nominees in a pair of top pickup opportunities in southern Indiana.

Young defeated a field that included former Rep. Mike Sodrel (R-Ind.) to win the nod to face Rep. Baron Hill (D-Ind.), while Bucshon survived a scare from a Tea Party candidate an will be the party’s candidate in Rep. Brad Ellsworth’s (R-Ind.) district.

Buschon led 33-29 with 94 percent of precincts, while Young led activist Travis Hankins 34-32 with 99 percent of precincts reporting. Sodrel was third, with 31 percent.

In a cycle that features many former members of Congress running for their old seats, Sodrel was the first to actually face voters.

Sodrel and Young were both part of the NRCC’s Young Guns program for top challengers, but party leaders will be happy to turn the page on Sodrel. In four straight races against Hill, he has lost three times, including by 20 points in 2008.

Bucshon was the only candidate in his district to be part of the Young Guns program. He will face state Rep. Trent Van Haaften, who was unopposed on the Democratic side. Ellsworth is running for Senate.

Both races are widely considered to be toss-ups.

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.

Indiana Secretary of State Todd Rokita has won the GOP primary in retiring Rep. Steve Buyer’s (R-Ind.) district and will be a strong favorite to replace him in Congress.

Rokita, who turned down a run for Senate earlier this year, led his nearest competitor 43-16 with 77 percent of precincts reporting. The race has been called by AP.

He will likely face Democrat David Sanders in November. Sanders led his primary with just under 50 percent of the vote.

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) won Buyer's district with 56 percento of the vote in the 2008 presidential race.

Former Sen. Dan Coats (R-Ind.) has won the Republican primary for his old seat, holding off a late conservative challenge.

Indiana state Rep. Jackie Walorski has won the GOP primary to face Rep. Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.) in November.

Walorski, a top GOP recruit who the party hopes will make the district competitive again, easily won her primary. She led her closest competitor 57-31 with 46 percent of precincts reporting. The race has been called.

Donnelly won a largely uncontested race with 67 percent of the vote in 2008, but Republicans have redoubled their efforts to go after him this cycle. To that end, Walorski has been named to the NRCC's Young Guns program, where she has reached the second of three stages -- contender.

Rep. Mark Souder (R-Ind.) has won his primary amidst some uncertainty, but he may finish below 50 percent.

Even if Indiana GOP Reps. Mark Souder and Dan Burton win their respective primaries, tonight's results won’t reassure establishment candidates.

For those following tonight's primary results in Indiana, North Carolina and Ohio, make sure to follow us on Twitter for live-tweeting throughout the night. We'll get you the latest results fast and keep you up to date on what the numbers mean.

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Rand Paul holds a wide lead in Kentucky's GOP Senate primary, but Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) endorsed his opponent.