WASHINGTON — On a primary election night when the heralded anti-incumbency sentiment was expected to again demonstrate its strength, Senator Blanche Lincoln proved there were clear limits to its powerþþVirtually written off as a likely victim of voter outrage at veteran politicians, Mrs. Lincoln, a two-term Arkansas Democrat, showed that an experienced office-holder with money, message and determination still had a chance to prevail even in a toxic environment. þþ“Blanche has proven once again she is a true independent voice for the people of Arkansas, but she is also a fighter for what she believes in and will never stop standing up for her convictions or for her state,” said Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey, chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. þþBut while Mrs. Lincoln survived to fight on in the general election, incumbents in both parties could not take much solace from the outcome in Arkansas. In South Carolina, Representative Bob Inglis, a veteran Republican, was forced into a runoff election after finishing a distant second in the battle to hold on to his seat. And Gov. Jim Gibbons, Republican of Nevada, lost his primary. þþMr. Inglis has broken with his party on occasion, and his status provided more evidence that the anger against incumbents applied to both parties heading into November. Should he lose in the June 22 contest, he would be the third House incumbent to fall this year; two of those would be Republicans. þþ“Both parties are having civil wars with their Washington establishments,” said Joe Trippi, a Democratic strategist. “You are seeing it on the Republican side; you’re seeing it on the Democratic side. The reality is, regardless of what party you are in, if you’re an incumbent and it looks like the Washington establishment is backing you, you’re in trouble. It’s the wrong place to be this year.” þþMrs. Lincoln looked as if she could become the third Senate incumbent to be defeated this year, following Senator Robert Bennett, Republican of Utah, and Senator Arlen Specter, Democrat of Pennsylvania. þþShe had been unable to finish off Lt. Gov. Bill Halter in the initial primary last month. Labor unions, environmental groups and liberal activists, unhappy with her opposition to a public health insurance option and her other moderate stances, were eager to make an example of her, pouring millions into attack advertisements. þþMrs. Lincoln had made some missteps in her bid for a third term, notably allowing herself to be painted as the deciding vote in the contentious health care debate, fueling intense criticism and news coverage of her at home. She was also saddled with ties to President Obama in a state where he fared poorly in 2008. þþBut Mrs. Lincoln, recently named chairwoman of the Agriculture Committee, fought back, arguing that outside interest groups were trying to take control of the election away from Arkansas voters. And she was helped by former President Bill Clinton, who campaigned at her side as she emphasized her efforts to find solutions in partisan Washington. þþSome top Democratic lawmakers and strategists say they believe Mr. Halter would have made a stronger general election candidate against Representative John Boozman, the Republican nominee, since Mr. Halter has no Washington record and would be free to unleash attacks on Mr. Boozman for his role in Washington. Instead, it will be Mrs. Lincoln comparing her record against that of her home-state Congressional colleague. þþRepublicans are eager to paint her as a willing partner in the Democratic management of Washington. “She faces an uphill battle explaining to mainstream Arkansas voters why she has consistently voted for the Obama-Pelosi-Reid economic agenda in Washington,” said Senator John Cornyn of Texas, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. þþThe strength of the anti-incumbent movement will be tested again this summer in Colorado, where Senator Michael Bennet, the Democrat appointed last year to his seat, faces a primary challenge from Andrew Romanoff, the former State House speaker. House incumbents of both parties face outsider challenges in scattered remaining primaries as well. þþBut with the primaries speeding by and most Congressional incumbents appearing headed toward the ballot, the real test apparently will be conducted in November. And since Democrats have more incumbents to lose, they face the greater threat. þþIncumbent Democrats like Senators Barbara Boxer of California, Patty Murray of Washington and Russ Feingold of Wisconsin — not to mention Harry Reid of Nevada — are likely to have to run the races of their careers to overcome voter resentment that has surfaced in the primaries. þþMr. Trippi, the party strategist, has some advice: Get as far away from Washington as possible. Even though Mrs. Lincoln dodged a loss Tuesday, that is going to be a taller task for her and many others come November. þþþAdam Nagourney contributed reporting.þ
NY Times
