UPDATE 11:33 p.m.: Michelle Malkin reports from Colorado that Jane Norton has conceded in the Republican Senate primary:
It’s official: Norton concedes to Buck, via CBS4Denver: “I fully endorse Ken Buck, and I encourage you to do the same.”
11:50 p.m. ET: Associated Press:
Tea party favorite Ken Buck has defeated former Lt. Gov. Jane Norton to clinch Colorado’s Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate.
The vote Tuesday was seen as another blow to politicians with close connections to Washington. Norton was endorsed by GOP leadership and co-chaired John McCain’s presidential campaign two years ago in Colorado.
Heh. As I wrote on April 5: “It’s an Establishment vs. Outsider battle for the GOP nomination, another chance to kick John Cornyn in the knee.”
Now, let’s kick John McCain somewhere else.
11:15 p.m. ET: At this hour, with 99% of precincts reported and less than 2,500 votes (0.4%) separating Nathan Deal and Karen Handel in the runoff for the GOP gubernatorial nomination in Georgia, a recount is a near-certainty. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution notes a surprisingly strong Republican turnout.
Meanwhile, with 76% reporting in Colorado’s GOP Senate primary, Ken Buck leads Jane Norton by more than 10,000 votes (3.1%).
UPDATE 10:40 p.m. ET: Former World Wrestling Entertainment CEO Linda E. McMahon wins the Republican Senate nomination in Connecticut, and will face Democrat Richard Blumenthal in November for Chris Dodd’s seat. Meanwhile, in the hard-fought GOP primary in Connecticut’s 5th District, the Associated Press has reportedly called it for Sam Caligiuri. And in the Democratic primary for governor, Dannel Malloy has defeated Ned Lamont, who in 2006 mounted a Netroots-backed challenge to Sen. Joe Lieberman.
UPDATE 10:50 p.m. ET: Now with 91% of precincts reporting in Georgia’s GOP gubernatorial runoff, Nathan Deal leads by 3,500 votes (0.6%) over Karen Handel. In related news, Allahpundit never links me. But that’s not exactly “news,” is it?
UPDATE 10:20 p.m. ET: With more than 60% of precincts reporting in the Colorado Republican primary for Senate, Ken Buck currently holds a slender lead over Jane Norton, who was endorsed by John McCain. On the Democratic side, Sen. Michael Bennet fended off challenger Andrew Romanoff, who was backed by many left-wing activists.
UPDATE 8:50 p.m. ET: With 88% of precincts reporting, Ray McKinney has 62% can be declared the winner in his GOP runoff in Georgia’s 12th District. The McKinney challenge to “Blue Dog” Democratic Rep. John Barrow is going to be a real bellwether for Republican hopes of taking the House this November. You can read more in the American Spectator feature I did in April about Ray’s campaign.
UPDATE 9:25 p.m. ET: Associated Press catches up in GA-12.
UPDATE 9:35 p.m. ET: Brian Doherty at Reason magazine is in mourning over the results in Connecticut:
Peter Schiff, a GOP Senate candidate who did a lot of outreach to libertarians . . . is getting crushed by two opponents in today’s primary.
UPDATE 9:40 p.m. ET: In the Georgia GOP gubernatorial primary, Nathan Deal holds a 10,000-vote margin over Karen Handel with 80% of precincts reporting, but it is still too close to call. Tom Graves wins the GA-9 Republican primary, while Rob Woodall leads by 10 points in the GOP primary in GA-7. In GA-13, Mike Crane beats Deb Honeycutt for the Republican nomination.
UPDATE 10:05 p.m. ET: In Minnesota, Tom Emmers runs away with the GOP gubernatorial nomination and, while the Democratic primary is closer, it looks like Margaret Kelliher will face Emmers in November.
PREVIOUSLY: The big battle tonight? Probably the Colorado GOP Senate primary between Ken Buck and Jane Norton. There are also primaries in Connecticut and Minnesota, but my especial interest will be in my native Georgia, where Ray McKinney’s the likely winner in the 12th District runoff, and there’s also a dead-heat contest between Nathan Deal and Karen Handel for the GOP gubernatorial nomination.
A good preview of all tonight’s primaries at Swing State Project.
UPDATE: Here’s a story about Sarah Palin’s endorsement of Karen Handel.
UPDATE 8:20 p.m. ET: With 38% of precincts reporting in GA-12, Ray McKinney enjoys a comfortably 61%-39% over Carl Smith.
UPDATE 8:25 p.m. ET: With 37% of precincts reporting in the Georgia Republican gubernatorial primary, Deal leads Handel by a slender 7,000-vote margin.
UPDATE 8:40 p.m. ET: Just 4% of precincts reporting in the Connecticut GOP Senate primary, but it looks like Linda McMahon (48%) winning easily over Rob Simmons and Peter Schiff. In the CT-2 Republican primary, its a dead heat between Janet Peckinpaugh and Daria Novak, and a tight three-way Republican contest in CT-5 between Sam Caliguri, Mark Greenberg and Justin Bernier.
