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US Elections Test Senate Veterans, Tea Party Movement

   VOA News 18 May 2010
   Senator Arlen Specter stands with his wife Joan Specter and talks with
   the media before they voted, 18 May 2010, in Philadelphia

Photo: AP

   Senator Arlen Specter stands with his wife Joan Specter and talks with
   the media before they voted, 18 May 2010, in Philadelphia

   Voters  in  four  U.S.  states are heading to the polls in a series of
   elections  that  could  decide the fate of some of the president's key
   allies.
   Almost  all  of Tuesday's elections are primaries - votes in which the
   political  parties select a candidate to run for office - in this case
   for congressional elections in November. Â
   One  of  the most closely watched primaries is in the eastern state of
   Pennsylvania.
   President  Barack Obama is supporting incumbent Senator Arlen Specter,
   who  is facing a tough challenge from former Navy admiral Joe Sestak.Â
   Specter  switched  to  the Democratic Party last year after serving in
   the Senate for nearly 30 years as a Republican.
   President  Obama is also backing Democratic Senator Blanche Lincoln in
   the  southern  state of Arkansas.  Lincoln has come under attack from
   unions for her votes on health care and trade.
   Meanwhile,  the Senate primary in the southern state of Kentucky could
   give  an  indication  of  the  strength  of the conservative Tea Party
   movement.
   Tea Party supporters are rallying behind eye surgeon Rand Paul in that
   state's  Republican Senate primary.  Opinion polls showed Paul with a
   lead  over Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson.  Grayson has the
   backing of Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell.
   Voters  in  the  northwestern  state  of  Oregon  go  to the polls for
   primaries  on  Tuesday, while one non-primary election is also getting
   attention.
   Political observers are watching developments in a special election in
   the  state of Pennsylvania.  Voters in that state's 12th district are
   casting  ballots  to select a replacement for U.S. Representative John
   Murtha, who died in February.
   Murtha,  a  Democrat, held the congressional seat for 35 years.  Some
   political  analysts  say that a Republican win in the special election
   could  indicate  voter dissatisfaction with President Obama's policies
   and  the  potential  for  significant Republican gains in the mid-term
   elections in November.
   U.S.   voters   have  already  expressed  their  dissatisfaction  with
   incumbents  from  both  the  Democratic and Republican parties earlier
   this month.
   Democratic  voters  in  the  eastern  state  of West Virginia defeated
   long-time  Representative Alan Mollohan in that state's primary.  And
   Republican  voters  in  Utah defeated three-term Senator Bob Bennett.Â
   Conservatives  had criticized Bennett for his support of bank bailouts
   and health care reform.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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