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Special election-winning Rep. Andre Carson (D-Ind.) will also be his party’s nominee for a full term in November after winning Tuesday's primary in a field of four well-known candidates. Carson topped former state Health Commissioner Woody Myers 45-24 with 84 percent of precincts reporting and will again face state Rep. Jon Elrod, the GOP nominee from the special election whom Carson defeated 54-43 two months ago. State Rep. David Orentlicher was third with 21 percent of the vote. State Rep. Carolene Mays came in fourth with 8 percent. Carson had the backing of national Democrats in the race, which was crucial in his ability to compete financially with Myers’s $1.6 million in self-funding. In North Carolina, state Sen. Kay Hagan easily won the Democratic nod to face Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R), defeating businessman Jim Neal with about 60 percent of the vote. In other congressional primaries Tuesday, Asheville City Councilman Carl Mumpower won the GOP primary to face freshman Rep. Heath Shuler (D-N.C.), and three GOP incumbents withstood noteworthy primary challenges. Mumpower led a three-candidate field with 48 percent of the vote and 100 percent of precincts in. His nearest competitor, former Henderson County GOP chairman Spence Campbell, was at 42 percent. The district is kind to Republicans, but none of the primary candidates have raised large amounts of money. Mumpower had just $2,000 in cash on hand as of April 16. Among incumbents, longtime Rep. Dan Burton (R-Ind.) held off former Marion County Coroner John McGoff in a close race, 52-45 with 95 percent of precincts in; Rep. Walter Jones (R-N.C.) defeated Onslow County Commissioner Joe McLaughlin 60-40 with 89 percent of precincts in; and Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) breezed past attorney Lance Sigmon 67-33 with 96 percent of precincts reporting. |
