WASHINGTON — Intensely competitive Senate primary races in three states Tuesday will test the durability of incumbent Democratic senators in Arkansas and Pennsylvania and the strength of the conservative tea party movement to shake up the Republican establishment in Kentucky.
In a fourth race of national significance, Republican Tim Burns and Democrat Mark Critz battled to fill out the term of the late Democratic Rep. John Murtha in a congressional district in southwestern Pennsylvania. Both political parties reported spending roughly $1 million to sway the race, turning it into a laboratory for the campaign for the November election when control of Congress will be at stake.
Competing economic prescriptions, the appeal of President Barack Obama's health care legislation, the Republicans' ability to woo crossover support from independents and Democrats all are at issue in the House race, according to officials in both parties.
Oregon voters also faced a deadline for returning ballots in a statewide mail-in vote that began more than two weeks ago.
On the eve of the busiest primary night of the year so far, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Monday that President Barack Obama was following the races, but "not that closely."
"We have supported incumbent Democratic senators and we've done a lot on behalf of each campaign," he added, referring to Arkansas Sen. Blanche Lincoln and Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter.
It was not clear what impact Obama's involvement would mean for the incumbents, under extraordinary political pressure in a year of well-documented voter dissatisfaction with Washington. - FOX News Story
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