The always informative RealClearPolitics looks at other races to watch in today’s Super Tuesday primaries:
Today’s elections feature top-tier Senate and gubernatorial races in California and Nevada, as well as a Senate runoff in Arkansas and competitive GOP primary in the South Carolina governor’s race. Those are just the highlights of a full slate of primaries, but there are a handful of intriguing races that will likely fly under the radar as the results pour in tonight.
Here are five races that may not make major newspaper headlines but are certainly ones to keep an eye on:
Iowa’s 3rd District GOP Primary
The Iowa Republican Party is preparing to hold a July 10 convention to decide the nominee in the 3rd district, where no one in Tuesday’s crowded primary is expected to meet the 35 percent threshold to win the nomination. The GOP sees the district has a potential pick-up opportunity, as Democrat Leonard Boswell runs for an eighth term in office.
One could also be necessary in the 2nd district, where four Republicans are vying to take on second-term Democrat Dave Loebsack.
Conventions are in many ways much different animals than primaries. As state GOP Chairman Matt Strawn said last week on local TV, “It’s not the kind of campaign that’s waged on the airwaves, but literally hand to hand and house to house.” The winner will be decided by 422 previously elected district delegates.
By most accounts, the three leading candidates in the 3rd district are aviation security consultant Dave Funk, financial adviser and former Iowa State wrestling coach Jim Gibbons and state Sen. Brad Zaun.
South Carolina’s 4th District GOP Primary
A poll conducted over the weekend found Republican Bob Inglis, running for a seventh term in office, polling 4 points behind primary opponent, Trey Gowdy, a Spartanburg County Solicitor, and receiving just 33 percent support. Inglis is currently in his second stint as congressman of the district; he was first elected in 1992, left to run for Senate in 1998, and returned in 2004. With three others vying for the nomination — who took a collective 23 percent in the Public Policy Polling survey — Inglis and Gowdy will likely be forced into a June 22 runoff.
Republicans, no matter who is the nominee, are expected to easily keep the seat red in November. Several third-party and independent candidates are running, as is 2008 Democratic nominee Paul Corden, whom Inglis defeated 60-37 percent.
If he loses to Gowdy today or in two weeks, Inglis will join a growing number of incumbents who were defeated during the primary process. Arkansas Sen. Blanche Lincoln faces a similar fate in today’s Democratic primary runoff against Lt. Gov. Bill Halter.
Continue reading here. See also ‘10 Things to Watch on Super Tuesday.’
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