Two new Democratic contenders for US Senate in Oregon & Kentucky!

Merkley defeats Novick in tight Democratic Senate race; Smith wins easily

http://blog.oregonlive.com/elections/2008/05/merkley_novick_lead_democratic.html

Posted by The Oregonian May 20, 2008 23:26PM
Categories: 2008 Election, Politics, U.S. Senate

Oregon House Speaker Jeff Merkley won a narrow victory over political activist Steve Novick in
the Democratic U.S. Senate primary Tuesday night, turning back a feisty rival to earn the right
to challenge Sen. Gordon Smith in November.


Oregon House Speaker Jeff Merkley visits the AFL-CIO
electioncall center on his last campaign stop Tuesday.

With about 70 percent of the vote counted, Merkley was leading Novick 45 percent to 41 percent.
Four lesser-known candidates, headed by Eugene real estate broker Candy Neville, split the rest
of the Democratic vote.

In the Republican primary, Smith cruised to victory over retired ophthalmologist Gordon Leitch.

Novick carried Multnomah County, winning the state's most populous and liberal jurisdiction by
10 percentage points, but that was not enough to offset Merkley's strength elsewhere. Merkley
won narrowly in Washington and Clackamas counties and racked up larger margins in most rural
parts of the state.

Speaking to supporters at the Benson Hotel on Tuesday night, Novick recited a long list of
advantages Merkley enjoyed during the campaign. "Look at what they had to throw at us," he said.

But in conceding defeat, Novick praised Merkley for "the great job" he did as House speaker.
"He's going to be a great United States senator, and we're going to help him."

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U.S. Senate-

Lunsford holds off push by Fischer

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080521/NEWS0106/805210885

Bruce Lunsford, the Louisville entrepreneur who twice fell short in his bid for governor, won the Democratic Party's primary yesterday for the U.S. Senate.

Bruce Lunsford


With 99 percent of the vote counted last night, Lunsford had 51 percent of the vote to 34 percent for Greg Fischer of Louisville. Five other candidates split the remaining votes.

Lunsford moves on to the November election, where he will face the formidable task of trying to defeat incumbent Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell, who easily won his party's primary over token opposition from Daniel Essek of Whitley County.

McConnell has been elected to the U.S. Senate four times. And the Senate's minority leader enters the fall campaign with nearly $8 million in campaign funds on hand.

Lunsford told supporters gathered last night at the Marriott Louisville Downtown: "Our mission is not accomplished yet, and our mission won't be accomplished until we defeat Mitch McConnell in November."

Fischer, whose final campaign ad showed male mud wrestlers and called Lunsford the "Mud Man," urged last night that his supporters unite now behind Lunsford.

"The primaries are over. Tonight we're all Democrats," he said. "It's time to put Mitch McConnell in the private sector."

McConnell, meanwhile, remained in Washington on Senate business. He released a statement last night stating: "I am honored to once again be able to place myself before the voters of Kentucky and look forward to running against the Lunsford-Obama plan for America."

McConnell's campaign spokesman, Justin Brasell, promised McConnell will run "the most prepared and aggressive campaign Kentuckians have ever experienced."

Lunsford told his supporters he expects an aggressive campaign. He said McConnell is "going to spend millions of dollars trying to destroy my reputation. But I don't care how many names he's going to call me, because in January he's going to call me 'Senator.' "

Photo Gallery: Bruce Lunsford celebrates a win
http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=B2&Dato=20080521&Kategori=NEWS0106&Lopenr=805210801&Ref=PH

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