Here are the Nebraska GOP Primary results for U.S. Senate with 100% reporting:
Fischer’s opponent is a well known face to Nebraska politics – former Governor and former U.S. Senator Bob Kerrey. Kerrey easily won his uncompetitive Democratic primary with over 80%. Kerrey is trying to win back the seat he gave up in 2000 to Ben Nelson.
While Fischer is a slight favorite to win in the fall, you can bet that both sides will pour significant resources into Nebraska given that partisan control for the U.S. Senate is up for grabs. The Tea Party will also use the Nebraska win (along with the Mourdock over Sen. Lugar win in Indiana last week) as a momentum builder for staunchly conservative candidates. In the end, if Republicans are to gain the majority they must flip the Nebraska seat. For Democrats, holding this seat would almost guarantee control for the next Congress.
Rep. Lee Terry (R) sits in a district that President Obama (D) won in 2008, thus giving one electoral vote to Obama since Nebraska awards its electoral votes proportionally. This Omaha-based district could be competitive in the fall, as Terry will face Douglas County Treasurer John Ewing (D).
Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE1) and Rep. Adrian Smith (R-NE3) both won their primaries with over 80% and are strong favorites to win in November.
Congressional primary contests were also held in Idaho and Oregon. In Idaho, Rep. Raul Labrador (R-ID1) and Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID2) both won their primary contests with over 70%. In Oregon, only Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR4) faced a primary opponent. Follow this – DeFazio defeated his primary opponent, Matthew Robinson (D), 90% to 10%. DeFazio will now face Art Robinson (R), the father of Matthew Robinson in the fall.
With 92 of 93 House incumbents winning their primaries to date (not counting the three member versus members contests), 2012 is not shaping up to be an “anti-incumbent” year so far. Nor will it. Some incumbents will surely lose, but it will have more to do with them being perceived as more of a problem associated with a failure to “fix” the economy rather than a candidate who creates jobs and moves the economy and country in a positive direction.