Yesterday's Primary

by Michael Sean Winters

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Here in Connecticut, the most significant development was that despite spending previously unheard of amounts of cash on advertising, turnout was exceedingly low in both parties for yesterday's primary, but especially for the GOP.

By nominating Linda McMahon, whose family brought the nation the steroid-infused Worldwide Wrestling Federation, the Connecticut Republican Party achieved two things. First, they almost certainly guaranteed that the Dems will hold the Senate seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Chris Dodd. Second, they have proved beyond doubt how far they have fallen from the days when Prescott Bush and Lowell Weicker served as Republican Senators from the Nutmeg State.
The race in Colorado was also a surprise as incumbent, appointed Senator Michael Bennet coasted to a surprisingly large victory in that state's Democratic Senate Primary. Turns out that the year's early tea leaves which seemed to indicate nothing but disaster for incumbents were misread.
The most contentious race yesterday, the Georgia GOP gubernatorial nomination fight, remains too close to call this morning, giving former Democratic Gov. Roy Barnes a better shot at returning to that state's governor's mansion.
All told, yesterday's results show one dominant fact: local factors tend to dominate races, and no nationwide pattern has emerged. This fall is still likely to be tough for the Dems, but before there can be a tsunami, there must be an earthquake. Yesterday, there were only rumblings.

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