Incumbents gain in low turnout primary races

INDIANAPOLIS - Voters in North Carolina and Ohio kept their incumbents and those in Indiana turned to an old Capitol Hill hand, Republican Dan Coats, in yesterday's primaries despite the nation's bottom-of-the-barrel support for Congress and frustration with the Washington establishment.

In the fall, Coats will face Democrat Brad Ellsworth. The candidates are seeking the seat held by retiring Democratic Sen. Evan Bayh.

Coats, 66, who retired from the Senate in 1998, worked as a lobbyist and was ambassador to Germany under President George W. Bush. He overcame spirited challenges from four, including state Sen. Marlin Stutzman, a tea party favorite endorsed by South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint, and former Rep. John Hostettler, who had the support of one-time presidential candidate Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas).

Turnout was exceptionally light in Ohio and North Carolina. In all three states, candidates backed by Democratic and Republican leaders in Washington squared off against challengers drawing their support from elsewhere.

In one notable House race, 14-term Republican Rep. Dan Burton, Indiana's longest-serving congressman, managed to fend off six challengers for his 5th Congressional District seat. Rep. Mark Souder easily won the GOP nomination in the 3rd District and will face Democrat Tom Hayhurst in the fall.

In Ohio, Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher, a former Ohio attorney general backed by Democrats in Washington, withstood a challenge from Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner to capture the party's Senate nomination. The two ran to fill the seat of retiring Republican Sen. George Voinovich.

In North Carolina, first-term Republican Sen. Richard Burr, whose public approval numbers are lower than expected, easily won his party's nomination. Democrats won't decide his general election opponent until a June 22 runoff as none of the six candidates achieved the 40 percent of the vote necessary to win outright.