Few Surprises in KS, MO Primaries

In what has been an otherwise surprise-filled primary season, voters in Kansas and Missouri opted Tuesday for some of the usual faces: Two-term Sen. Sam Brownback won the GOP nomination in Kansas’ gubernatorial race, and seven-term Republican Rep. Roy Blunt—whose son is a former governor—easily won the GOP nomination in Missouri’s Senate race. Blunt will have his work cut out for him, though: Democrats Tuesday picked his opponent, two-term Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan, who is part of a political dynasty and seeking to reclaim the Senate seat held by her father. Also in Kansas, Republican Rep. Jerry Moran had a solid lead over Rep. Todd Tiahrt for Brownback’s Senate seat. But seven-term Michigan Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick looked as though she would not be as lucky. Kilpatrick—who faced five opponents—was trailing after early votes were counted. Her opponent, state Sen. Hansen Clarke, stressed the legal woes of Kilpatrick’s son, Kwame, who resigned as Detroit mayor in 2008 after pleading guilty to obstruction of justice.