Tuesday Primary Highlights

Tonight was a mixed bag politically for the major parties, but the one thing that was clear was INCUMBENTS are in danger!

In the Kentucky Republican primary Dr. Rand Paul, son of Texas Representative Dr. Ron Paul, rode a tide of discontent to victory by the tune of 58%-34% (with 99% reporting). Paul's candidacy was buoyed and pushed over-the-top by the Tea Party. Meanwhile, his foe Secretary of State Trey Grayson received strong endorsements by Republican and Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell as well as former Vice President Dick Cheney and most of the establishment. With Kentucky a very red state, the chances of the winner of the Democrat primary, Attorney General Jack Conway, to win against Paul in the general election are slim. In essence, unless Rand Paul finds a lover in South America, comes "out" or perishes before the general election, it looks like he will be the new Junior Senator from Kentucky.

In Pennsylvania Democrat Senator Arlen Specter lost to two-term Representative Joe Sestak. Specter was seeking his sixth term, but first as a Democrat. He was asking the Democratic Party of Pennsylvania and the voters to send him back to Washington, even though for five previous terms he was their foe. They rejected him flatly giving Sestak 54 percent of the vote to 46 percent for Specter. President Obama and Vice President Biden had made no overt attempts to save Specter in the last weeks of the campaign as his inevitable defeat became clear. Biden was even in Pennsylvania in the past week, but did not stump for his former Senate colleague. Maybe this will send a message to politicians that switch parties: there is a price to be paid for disloyalty. Former Representative Pat Toomey won the Republican nomination.

In Arkansas Democrat incumbent Senator Blanche Lincoln held a narrow lead over Lieutenant Governor Bill Halter of just a few thousand votes (85% reporting). Since neither will reach 50% by Arkansas rule they must run against each other in a runoffs. On the Republican side Representative John Boozman will await the winner for a general election showdown.

In a special election, the Pennsylvania 12 House seat was won by Democrat Mark Critz as he defeated Republican Tim Burns. Critz will now serve the final few months in the term of the late Rep. John Murtha. With 70 percent of precincts reporting, Critz had 53 percent of the vote compared with nearly 45 percent for Burns, the AP reports.

Oregon gave us no surprises as incumbent Ron Wyden garnered 90% of the Democrat votes (79% reporting) and Republican Jim Huffman 42% in a crowded field of 7 candidates, his next closest challenger had 15%.