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14-Term W. Va. Congressman Loses

Primaries

Conservative Tea Party sentiment apparent.

Anti-incumbent sentiment showed in West Virginia, where Democrat Alan Mollohan lost his run at a 15th term to Mike Oliverio, in the incumbent’s first primary challenge in more than a decade. After 30 years in office in a seat held by his family since 1968, Mollohan was considered unbeatable. Hoping to fill Nathan Deal’s vacated seat in Georgia, former state Rep. Tom Graves will square off against former state Sen. Lee Hawkins in a special election runoff on June 8. Graves is backed by Tea Party groups, while Hawkins calls himself a mainstream conservative. Deal stepped down to focus on his run for governor. In West Virginia’s 3rd District, Democratic Rep. Nick Rahall easily won against Bruce Barilla, to seek an 18th term. And in Nebraska, GOP Governor Heineman and Representatives Jeff Fortenberry, Lee Terry, and Adrian Smith are all expected to win.

Read it at Politico