Primary Wins Hold Key to November Elections

EP News--- Nearly a dozen states across the U.S. held primaries June 8 that may offer a glimpse of what’s to come in November. Conservatives were among the big winners.

With anti-establishment sentiment holding across the country, California Republicans selected Carly Fiorina to face Democrat Sen. Barbara Boxer in the fall. Boxer is an opponent of pro-life legislation and an outspoken and reliable liberal in the chamber.

Boxer has had less-than-impressive poll numbers, giving many conservatives hope that Fiorina will pull out a win in November. “It really feels great to be here on Wednesday morning and able to take her on,” said Fiorina. “As of today, game on, Barbara!”

Californians also gave the nod to another GOP woman. Meg Whitman spent millions of her own money to defeat state Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner for a chance at being governor. She’ll face perennial California politician, Jerry Brown.

Whitman is known as a social conservative, but her pro-life views became galvanized during the campaign process. Ron Prentice, CEO of the California Family Council, said that will serve her well. “Poizner’s campaign brought her to speak more conservatively about protecting life,” he said, “so it’s our job here in California to continue to press her during her campaign.”

In a huge upset in Nevada, Sharron Angle, a Tea Party candidate, came from behind to defeat former Assemblywoman Sue Lowden. Angle, a social conservative and Southern Baptist, has been endorsed by the National Right to Life PAC.

John Paulton, manager of special projects for CitizenLink, said Angle’s victory is a testimony to the conservative mood of the country. “She’s being taken for granted by a lot of people as being a relatively weak candidate,” he said, “but she may be just the kind of candidate who can give Harry Reid the best fight in November.”

Another Tea Party favorite, South Carolina Rep. Nikki Haley, fell just short of the 50 percent she needed to avoid a runoff election in the race for governor. Haley is considered a staunch conservative when it comes to social issues.

One of the few incumbent success stories from Tuesday was moderate Democrat Sen. Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas. She was victorious, despite labor unions there pouring $10 million into a campaign to defeat her. Union leaders were upset, because Lincoln did not support the “public option” in the health care reform debate.

Tom Minnery, senior vice president for government and public policy, said Tuesday’s results showed the Left in disarray. “Liberals have been very, very disappointed with President Obama,” he said. “The speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, the most liberal Democrat, was recently booed by liberal activists.”

Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the Susan B. Anthony List, said many of the conservative candidates have a good chance of winning in November. “We see how we are bottoming out in terms of losing our rights, and we have candidates who have run on restoring those rights,” she said. “It’s so clearly the moment to run, if you’re a conservative.”

She added: “California is now a top priority race for the SBA List and a battleground that sets the tone for the rest of the country. With a pro-life leader like Carly Fiorina facing the ultimate pro-abortion advocate, Barbara Boxer, the stakes couldn’t be higher.”

The Susan B. Anthony List plans to spend $6 million on voter education in the midterm elections, including $3 million on key Senate races. The Susan B. Anthony List is a nationwide network of over 280,000 Americans, residing in all 50 states, dedicated to mobilizing, advancing, and representing pro-life women in politics. Its connected Candidate Fund increases the percentage of pro-life women in the political process.

Former presidential candidate Gary Bauer said, however, that “while there is much to celebrate in last night’s results, I must leave you with a word of caution. We cannot take anything for granted. The 2010 elections will not be a cakewalk. The Democrats know the stakes. As Joe Biden warned Democrat donors last year, if conservatives win in November it will be the end of the Obama agenda. Biden is right, and the Democrats are desperate to maintain their stranglehold on power.”
(6/9/2010)

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