Several more incumbents face tough primaries

Reps. Dan Burton (R-Ind.) and Mark Souder (R-Ind.) emerged from Tuesday’s primaries bruised but unbeaten. Their performances, however, won’t do much to hearten members worried about their own primaries given the country’s anti-incumbent mood.

So who’s next? The Ballot Box looks at incumbents who could fall in the next month:

{mosads}Saturday — Sen. Bob Bennett (R-Utah): The three-term senator has turned into an underdog at his state party convention this weekend, and recent polls suggest he might not even make the final ballot at the convention, which would effectively end his tenure in the Senate.

Tuesday — Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-W.Va.): Mollohan faces state Sen. Mike Oliverio, who nearly outraised him in the first quarter and led him 41-33 in an internal poll two weeks ago.

May 18 — Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.), Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) and Rep. Paul Kanjorski (D-Pa.): Could two Democratic senators fall on one primary day? They could. Both Lincoln and Specter have seen their leads shrink to single digits. The most vulnerable man that day, though, might be Kanjorski, who faces Lackawanna County Commissioner Corey O’Brien.

June 1 — Rep. Parker Griffith (R-Ala.): Much like Specter, Griffith is dealing with the aftermath of a party switch. He went the other way, to become a Republican, and the GOP primary never cleared. Madison County Commissioner Mo Brooks and businessman Les Phillip will battle with Griffith over who is the real conservative Republican in the race.

— A.B.

Glenn Beck refuses to endorse J.D. Hayworth

Conservative talker Glenn Beck declined to endorse former Rep. J.D. Hayworth (R-Ariz.) in the GOP Senate primary.

During an interview with Don Imus on Fox Business Network Wednesday morning, Beck said he was for Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) going “off into the sunset.”

Imus expressed disbelief. He asked Beck if he’s for Hayworth, describing him as “that fat, undisciplined maggot … shock jock?” Imus is a longtime McCain supporter.

Beck refused to say he’s backing the former congressman. “Just because I’m for John McCain going away now, doesn’t mean I’m for J.D. Hayworth,” he said.

The McCain camp pointed out that Beck was the latest in a long line of prominent conservatives who have declined to endorse Hayworth, but this snub is likely to hurt more.

Officials with the Hayworth camp told The Ballot Box in March they were hoping to have Beck’s endorsement.

Hayworth and Beck overlapped as broadcasters in the Phoenix market, and Hayworth’s campaign had anticipated that personal connection would translate into an endorsement.

—S.J.M.

DeMint vs. McConnell in Kentucky GOP primary

Sen. Jim DeMint has endorsed Rand Paul in Kentucky’s Senate GOP primary race, putting him at odds with Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.).

DeMint (R-S.C.) announced Wednesday he would support Paul, an eye surgeon who is the son of Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas), through his Senate Conservatives Fund, which has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for conservative candidate Marco Rubio in Florida.

DeMint’s move will be seen by some Senate Republicans as a breach of protocol because he is stepping onto McConnell’s home turf to support a candidate McConnell does not.

McConnell on Tuesday formally endorsed Paul’s opponent, Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson. 

“I rarely endorse in primaries, but these are critical times,” McConnell said in a television ad for Grayson.

DeMint said in a statement that he’s not trying to undermine McConnell.

“Senator McConnell and I are on different sides in this race, but I support him as our leader,” DeMint said.

DeMint touted Paul as a strong advocate for balanced budgets, an opponent of Washington’s culture of spending earmarks and a supporter of term limits.

“I’m endorsing Rand Paul because he’s a true conservative who will stand up to the Washington establishment,” DeMint said. “Rand has been running on the issues that matter since the beginning of this campaign.

“He’s not a career politician, and he’s got the guts to stand up to the massive spending, bailouts, and debt that are being forced on us in Washington,” DeMint added.

—Alexander Bolton

Friends with money

Attorney Ben Quayle’s (R) prolific fundraising likely hasn’t slowed — not when former presidents are helping him raise money.

Quayle, whose father Dan served a term as vice president, benefited from a fundraiser hosted by former President George H.W. Bush and first lady Barbara Bush at their home in Houston on Tuesday, according to his campaign.

“I am very honored to have the support of President and Mrs. Bush. Barbara Bush is beloved by America, and rightfully so,” Quayle said in a statement.

Quayle is one of several Republicans running for the seat being vacated by Rep. John Shadegg (R-Ariz.), who is retiring at the end of this term. He was raising about $90,000 a week at the start of his campaign.

—S.J.M.