Connolly wins in Va., Pingree in Maine

Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Gerry Connolly has run away with the Democratic primary in retiring Rep. Tom Davis’s (R-Va.) district, and former Common Cause President Chellie Pingree has won the Democratic primary for Senate candidate Rep. Tom Allen’s (D-Maine) seat.

Connolly will face Republican businessman Keith Fimian in November in a top race. Pingree will be a heavy favorite to succeed Allen in a Democratic-leaning district.

{mosads}Connolly led former Rep. Leslie Byrne (D-Va.) 56-35 with 59 percent of precincts reporting. Iraq veteran Doug Denneny was at 7 percent.

Both Connolly and Byrne raised big money and drew big-name endorsements in the race, with Connolly backed by Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine (D) and Byrne supported by Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.).

Byrne represented the district for one term before Davis defeated her in 1994, but Connolly carries significant clout in the district in his current position.

Fimian, a political unknown, was unopposed in the GOP primary and has amassed a war chest of over $750,000 for the general election.

Northern Virginia’s 11th has turned into a quintessential swing district in recent years and is listed as a toss-up by many experts.

In the neighboring 10th district, Democratic Georgetown University professor Judy Feder defeated retired Air Force Col. Mike Turner 60-40 with 80 percent of precincts in. She will face Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va.), who beat her 57-41 in 2006.

Pingree defeated centrist candidate Adam Cote in a crowded field, taking 45 percent of the vote to Cote’s 26 percent, with 57 percent of precincts in.

Pingree, who fell to Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) in 2002, will face Iraq veteran and former state Sen. Charles Summers (R), who led a two-way primary with 59 percent of the vote and the same amount of precincts reporting.

Allen easily won his primary and will face Collins in the state’s Senate race.

In South Carolina, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R) sailed to re-nomination for a second term against a former Republican National Committeeman, and a well-funded dark horse, Democrat Linda Ketner, won the Democratic primary to face Rep. Henry Brown (R-S.C.).

Graham led retired orthodontist Buddy Witherspoon, who left his RNC post for the race, 69-31, with 54 percent of precincts reporting. Graham faces only nominal general election opposition.

Ketner led her race with 64 percent of the vote and 56 percent of precincts in.