Virginia House race takes spotlight in low-key primaries

June 14, 2000
Web posted at: 12:26 PM EDT (1626 GMT)

RICHMOND, Virginia (CNN) -- A down-to-the-wire battle for an open House seat from Virginia was the highlight of congressional primaries on Tuesday as voters trickled to the polls for contests in five states, including Maine, North Dakota, South Carolina and Arkansas.

A lack of high-profile races at the top of the ballot contributed to low voter turnout in most of the contests. Vice President Al Gore and Texas Gov. George W. Bush, who sealed who sealed their respective parties' nominations in March, completed the presidential primary season last week with easy victories in the final five states to hold contests.

The biggest races on Tuesday went largely uncontested as well. Two-term Democratic Sen. Charles Robb of Virginia faced no primary competition, nor did freshman GOP Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine and Democratic Sen. Kent Conrad of North Dakota, who is seeking a third full term.

Virginia, however, did play host to a pair of bitterly contested U.S. House primaries. Virginia state legislator Jo Ann Davis appeared to have narrowly won a five-candidate GOP race to replace retiring nine-term Republican Rep. Herbert Bateman in the state's 1st District.

Davis, who would become the first woman from Virginia in Congress, faced a tough challenge from Paul Jost, who poured nearly $1 million into his campaign and had the backing of Republican Gov. Jim Gilmore.

With all precincts reporting early Wednesday, Davis -- a member of the state House of Delegates -- won the race with 14,263 votes, or 35 percent. Paul Jost, who spent three times the total of all his opponents, got 12,155 votes, or 30 percent.

Davis will go up against former Fredericksburg Mayor Lawrence Davies, a Democrat, in November.

The solidly Republican 7th District in central Virginia also played host to a tough fight, one that appeared headed for a recount late Tuesday.

With all precincts reporting, House of Delegates member Eric Cantor had 20,902 votes, or just over 50 percent, while state Sen. Steve Martin had 20,637 votes, just under 50 percent.

"I spoke to Eric Cantor, and in that conversation, I let him know that I offered my congratulations pending that recount," Martin told cheering supporters.

Cantor, who also had Gilmore's endorsement, had questioned Martin's votes on legislative pay and expenses. Martin raised issues about Cantor's family's dealings in real estate.

The winner will face school superintendent Warren Stewart, whom Democrats nominated at the last minute on Monday. The winner of the November contest will fill the seat of GOP Rep. Thomas J. Bliley, who is retiring after 20 years.

In another state primary that will essentially determine the general election winner, GOP Rep. Rep. James DeMint easily defeated Frank Raddish in South Carolina's 4th District. Democrats did not run a candidate in the heavily GOP district, which sprawls across the Piedmont in the western half of the state.

An open seat in South Carolina's coastal 1st District drew a much more crowded field. State Rep. Henry Brown took 44 percent of the vote in the six-candidate Republican field.

Brown will face his nearest opponent, former state transportation chairman H.B. "Buck" Limehouse in a run-off in two weeks. Limehouse, who outspent Brown by nearly 3-to-1, won 33 percent of the vote in Tuesday's contest.

Democrat Andy Brack, a former reporter and spokesman for South Carolina Sen. Ernest Hollings (D), ran unopposed in the Democratic primary. The open seat is currently held by GOP Rep. Mark Sanford, who is sticking to a campaign pledge to serve just three terms in the House.

In Arkansas, many voters who cast ballot in primary contests last month stayed home on Tuesday for runoffs that resulted from some of the primary races.

In the state's southern 4th District, state Sen. Mike Ross defeated former TV reporter Dewayne Graham 59 percent to 41 percent to win the Democratic nomination. Ross will face four-term Republican Rep. Jay Dickey in the fall. Voters in Arkansas also trickled to the polls in four state House of Representatives districts for Democratic Party nominations.

The lack of excitement among voters was most obvious in Maine, where turnout was estimated between four and five percent.

Although a number of state legislative primaries were held, Maine's only contested congressional primary was in the 2nd District, which covers the northern three-quarters of the state.

Richard Campbell, who is finishing his fourth term in Maine's House of Representatives, defeated Republican newcomer Lynwood Winslow 63 percent to 37 percent.

Campbell will represent the GOP against three-term Democrat Rep. John Baldacci in November.

There were no congressional contests in North Dakota on Tuesday, but voters there did go the polls to reject a measure to scrap the office of state treasurer. Supporters of the proposal, including Republican Gov. Ed Schafer, said it would save hundreds of thousands of dollars because the office's duties are performed by other government workers.

Treasurer Kathi Gilmore, a Democrat, argued that financial accountability would suffer. The proposal to eliminate her job had drawn criticism from other state treasurers around the nation.

Returns from six western counties in North Dakota showed a mixed response to a proposal to set clocks ahead to Central time and join the eastern part of the state. Two counties endorsed the plan, while results were pending from the others.

To switch from Mountain to Central time, all counties must go along and federal officials must agree. Several other North Dakota counties refused to consider a move from Mountain time.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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