Political India: Engaging America

From The Hindu

In stark contrast to the powerful anti-incumbency mood during the primaries held in May this year, political incumbents won resounding victories across several states this week.

In Arizona, Senator and former Presidential candidate John McCain defeated his closest rival, former Congressman and conservative radio talk-show host J.D. Hayworth. Mr. McCain won 52 per cent of votes compared to 32 per cent for Mr. Hayworth.

Mr. McCain was reported to have out-spent his rival, pumping close to $20 million into his re-election campaign. Mr. Hayworth, by comparison was said to have spent a paltry $3 million.

In the same state Jan Brewer, the Republican Governor — now famous for the controversial immigration law giving police wide-ranging powers to stop and search anyone suspected of being an illegal immigrant — was also victorious.

Democrats also taste victory

Democratic incumbents too tasted victory in states such as Vermont and Florida. In Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy garnered a whopping 89 per cent of the vote, leaving his rival Daniel Freilich, a Navy veteran and doctor, far behind.

In Florida, Kendrick Meek, Congressman of Miami and one of the few African-American candidates for the Senate, scooped up 57 per cent of the vote. In doing so, he trounced Jeff Greene, a real estate magnate and billionaire who had vowed to spend “whatever it takes” to win.

In Alaska the contest in a sense pitted one incumbent against a newcomer with incumbent backing. Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, whose family media reports said held a “decades-long grip on one of the state’s two Senate seats”, was locked into a close fight with Joe Miller, a candidate backed by both the Tea Party and by former Governor and political heavyweight Sarah Palin.

Although Ms. Murkowski significantly out-spent her rival, early results suggested that Mr. Miller was ahead by almost 3,000 votes and, according to reports, had captured over 51 per cent of the total votes cast.

With the Congressional elections less than three months away, Republican and Democratic candidates alike have taken up increasingly polarised positions on the two main burning issues of the day — the jobs crisis and the budget deficit. The tenor of the rhetoric has correspondingly become more strident, a trend that may well intensify as November approaches.

Labels: J.D. Hayworth, John McCain, U.S. primaries