Spirited Races Set for November
By Carol Tobias
NRL PAC Director
The political season is well
under way as nine states held primaries in May and another 12 states are
selecting candidates in June. In those districts where one party has a virtual
lock on the seat, whoever prevails in that party's primary will be the likely
winner in November. However, in most primaries, the results have set the stage
for very competitive November general elections.
Indiana held its primaries on May 7. Pro-life Indiana Rep. Mark Souder (R) successfully held off a spirited challenge from the former mayor of Fort Wayne, Paul Helmke. In this heavily Republican district, Souder will likely hold this 3rd district seat in November.
An unfortunate result of redistricting placed two pro-life congressmen in the newly created 4th district. Steve Buyer and Brian Kerns faced off in a Republican primary with Buyer coming out on top with 55% of the vote.
In the newly redrawn 2nd district, pro-abortion Jill Long Thompson (D), a former member of the U.S. House, is attempting a comeback. Long Thompson was elected to the U.S. House in 1988 but was defeated in 1994 by Rep. Souder.
Long Thompson easily won her primary and faces pro-life businessman Chris Chocola (R) in the general election. Chocola had challenged pro-life Congressman Tim Roemer (D) in 2000, and carried 47% of the vote.
This new 2nd district includes part of Roemer's old district, so Chocola has some name recognition from his 2000 campaign. When in Congress, Long Thompson represented the northeast corner of Indiana. While she currently lives in the new 2nd district, she has not previously represented any part of the district.
Sixth district freshman, pro-life Congressman Mike Pence (R), will face pro-abortion Melina Fox, who has been endorsed by EMILY's List. Other races to watch include pro-life attorney Brose McVey (R) challenging pro-abortion Rep. Julia Carson (D) in the 7th district, and pro-life businessman Mark Sodrel challenging 9th district Rep. Baron Hill (D), who has a mostly pro-abortion voting record.
Ohio also held their primary on May 7. In a huge victory, pro-life state Senator Tim Ryan defeated 16-year pro-abortion incumbent Rep. Tom Sawyer to receive the Democratic nomination in the 17th district. Ryan received 41% of the vote in a six-way race and will face state Rep. Ann Womer Benjamin (R), who has a mixed record.
Complicating the race is the independent candidacy of Rep. James Traficant (D), who has a pro-life voting record. Redistricting put Sawyer and Traficant into the same district. Traficant was convicted in April of 10 counts of corruption and faces sentencing on June 27. Known as one of the more colorful figures in Congress, Traficant's name on the ballot may influence the outcome of the race.
In Ohio's 3rd district, pro-life Congressman Tony Hall (D) has been nominated by President Bush to be a UN ambassador dealing with international hunger relief and thus is not seeking re-election. His pro-abortion chief of staff, Rick Carne, is the Democratic nominee for the seat. Pro-life Mike Turner, former mayor of Dayton, won the Republican nomination and will face Carne in November.
The May 14 Arkansas primary set the stage for one of the most competitive Senate races this fall. Pro-life Senator Tim Hutchinson carried 78% of the vote in holding off a pro-life challenger. He will face the Democratic nominee, Attorney General Mark Pryor, who is the son of a popular former U.S. senator.
Pennsylvania's May 21 primary brought disappointing news. Pro-life Auditor General Bob Casey, Jr., son of the late pro-life Gov. Bob Casey, lost the Democratic gubernatorial nomination to ex-Philadelphia mayor, pro-abortion Ed Rendell. Rendell, who garnered 56% of the vote, will face pro-life attorney general Mike Fisher (R) in November in what shapes up to be a tough race.
Redistricting forced two pro-life incumbents, Rep. John Murtha and Rep. Frank Mascara, to face off for the Democratic nomination in Pennsylvania's 12th district. Murtha came out on top with 64% of the vote.
There are two open seats in Pennsylvania. The 6th district will be a battle between attorney Dan Wofford (D), son of former Senator Harris Wofford, and pro-life state Senator James Gerlach (R).
The 18th district finds pro-life state Senator Tim Murphy running against pro-abortion Jack Machek, a financial administrator for a local school district.
Democratic primaries May 28 in Idaho and Kentucky produced candidates who will oppose pro-life Senators Larry Craig (R-Idaho) and Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).
Craig will face Democrat Alan Blinken, former President Clinton's ambassador to Belgium. Blinken, a former New York investment banker and one of the Democratic Party's leading national fundraisers, is expected to draw on his personal wealth for the campaign.
McConnell will face a challenge from pro-abortion education advocate Lois Combs Weinberg. Weinberg barely won her primary, even thought she spent $600,000 compared to $6,000 by former Congressman Tom Barlow. Out of roughly 460,000 ballots case, Weinberg prevailed by the slender margin of only 958 votes.
Several big races were set up as seven states held primaries on June 4. In South Dakota, pro-life Governor Bill Janklow won the Republican nomination for the state's lone House seat vacated by pro-life Rep. John Thune. Thune is challenging pro-abortion Senator Tim Johnson (D) for that senate seat.
Janklow will face pro-abortion attorney Stephanie Herseth (D), who has been endorsed by EMILY's List.
Two congressional seats are open in Alabama. Pro-life Rep. Bob Riley received the Republican nomination for governor and pro-life Rep. Sonny Callahan is retiring. Riley is taking on Governor Don Siegelman. Riley's 3rd district open seat, in turn, will be the scene of a tough battle between pro-life state Rep. Mike Rogers (R) and former state Democratic party chairman Joe Turnham.
In Callahan's 1st district, no candidate in the Republican primary received more than 50% of the vote, meaning the top two vote-getters will take part in a June 29 runoff. Those two are pro-life Jo Bonner (former chief of staff for Callahan) and pro-life Tom Young (former chief of staff for Alabama Senator Richard Shelby). In this heavily Republican district, the winner of the runoff will be the likely winner in November.
The retirement of pro-life Rep. Joe Skeen means New Mexico has an open seat. The primary winners in this 2nd district are pro-life Steve Pearce (R), a former state legislator, and state Senator John Arthur Smith (D), who has a pro-life voting record.
In New Jersey, pro-life state assemblyman Scott Garrett won the Republican nomination for the 5th district seat being vacated by retiring pro-abortion Congresswoman Marge Roukema (R). Garrett challenged Roukema in the 1998 and 2000 primaries, coming close to toppling the 11-term incumbent. This time around Garrett defeated four other candidates and now faces pro-abortion ophthalmologist Anne Sumers.
Congressman Greg Ganske, who has a mostly pro-life voting record, won the Republican nomination and will take on Iowa's pro-abortion Senator Tom Harkin (D). Ganske's Senate run and redistricting left open the 5th district in Iowa. Four pro-life candidates are seeking the Republican nomination. They are state Senators John Redwine and Steve King, state Rep. Brent Siegrist, and businessman Jeff Ballenger.
However, none received the necessary 35% of the vote in the primary, so the nomination process continues with a district convention on June 29. Delegates to that convention will select the party's nominee.
The winner there will go on to face Democratic accountant Paul Shomshor. However, in this heavily Republican district, the winner selected at the convention will be the likely winner in November as well.
Pro-lifers must be watchful, and involved when necessary, in primary elections. Pro-life candidates can't be elected in November unless pro-lifers win primary elections and are on the general election ballot. Many successes in early primaries are helping to ensure that voters have a pro-life choice in November.