Pivotal Senate primary decided in Washington

OLYMPIA, Wash. - Democratic Sen. Patty Murray and her Republican challenger dove right into their fall matchup after taking the top two spots in the state's primary vote, setting the stage for a high-stakes election that could determine the balance of power in the nation's capital.

Murray said a vote for Republican Dino Rossi is a vote for the failed policies of former President George W. Bush. Rossi declared that he would put Washington, D.C., on "a pork-free diet" and end what he calls a reckless pursuit of federal money by Murray in her 18 years in the Senate.

Murray and Rossi easily won Washington's "Top 2" primary Tuesday on a day on which President Barack Obama came to the state to campaign for the Democrat. Obama's presence shows how high the stakes are. Republicans are likely to need to oust Murray if they want take back control of the Senate.

Two other states held elections Tuesday, including a tight GOP gubernatorial primary in Wyoming and a closely watched special legislative race along the California coast. Former U.S. Attorney Matt Mead emerged victorious in the Republican primary in Wyoming, making him the favorite to win in November and help the GOP claim a Democrat-held governor's seat.

In Washington, with about 59 percent of the expected vote counted, Murray had 46 percent, compared with Rossi's 34 percent. GOP hopeful Clint Didier, a former NFL player who has the backing of tea party activists and Sarah Palin, was running a distant third with 12 percent.

Murray is vulnerable but she could gain ground in November when the Democratic base is more motivated than in a primary that was essentially a foregone conclusion.