06/05/2006
Primaries will be held in eight states from New Jersey to California Tuesday, June 6, finalizing many candidates in what are turning out to be some of the closest elections of the year. As candidates pass the primaries, they come out with clearer stances on many issues that will impact the bottom line of the small-business community.
Primaries provide voters the opportunity to try to ensure the right candidate is on the ballot in November, and often are seen as a barometer of a party's viability in the general election.
Voters in Alabama, New Jersey, Mississippi, New Mexico and South Dakota will have a fairly quiet primary, as there are few contests. State Sen. Tom Kean, Jr., is set to take on recently appointed U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez in one of the closest and most watched races of the year. In Mississippi, U.S. Sen. Trent Lott, unopposed in his primary, will find out who will challenge him in November. In New Mexico, U.S. Rep. Heather Wilson will officially be challenged by state Attorney General Patricia Madrid.
The Democratic primary in Montana is between state Auditor John Morrison and state Senate President Jon Tester, who have both been polling well against U.S. Sen. Conrad Burns. The race will likely have a strong impact on the possible change in control of the U.S. Senate.
In Iowa, Democrats and Republicans have hotly contested primaries. Democrats will choose either former state Economic Development Director Mike Blouin or Iowa Secretary of State Chet Culver for their nominee for governor. Republicans, with Rep. Jim Nussle unopposed in his bid for governor, are in a tight contest to replace him in Iowa's 1st Congressional District. State Rep. Bill Dix, restaurateur Mike Whalen and former state GOP Chairman Brian Kennedy will vie for that seat. Former state Sen. Bill Gluba, state Trial Lawyer Association President Bruce Braley, and community development executive Rick Dickinson all are vying for the Democratic nomination in the district.
California will have a major primary as Democrats choose between state Treasurer Phil Angelides and state Controller Steve Westly in their bid to take on Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. In San Diego, voters are voting in a special election to determine who will fill out the remainder of former Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham's term.
California's race between school board member Francine Busby and former Rep. Brian Bilbray is being watched by many across the country, as it will likely be an indicator of which party will control the U.S. House of Representatives. Given the close nature of the race, both the National Republic Congressional Committee and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee are on pace to spend more than $10 million in the race, far more than has been spent in previous special elections.
Stay tuned to NFIB.com/politics for more information on these and other races.
