early and often

South Carolina GOP Makes Strides With Haley, Scott Victories

South Carolina’s Republican Party moved closer to making history tonight, as an Indian-American woman and an African-American man won their primaries and moved closer to their respective goals of the governorship and House of Representatives. In the most high-profile of today’s primary races, Nikki Haley secured the Republican nomination for South Carolina governor, with a decisive victory that places her one win away from becoming the state’s first female governor. Overcoming her liaisons-with-bloggers and racial-slur scandals, the Palin-endorsed Haley will now take on Vincent Sheheen in the general election.

South Carolina could also make history on a different front with Tuesday victor Tim Scott, whose hopes of being elected as the state’s first black Republican congressman are still alive. Scott defeated Paul Thurmond, the son of late Senator Strom Thurmond. Additionally, in a slight surprise, Representative Bob Inglis (who is not a Glenn Beck fan), who served six terms (eleven years) in office, was defeated, the fifth incumbent to lose his or her race this tumultuous primary season.

In other states: North Carolina secretary of state Elaine Marshall won the Democratic nomination comfortably and will face off with Senator Richard Burr in November; and Harold Johnson beat tea party radical Tim D’Annunzio, in an outcome that will please the GOP. Meanwhile, in Mississippi, tea party candidate Bill Marcy overtook fellow tea party candidate Richard Cook, and will take on Representative Bennie Thomas this fall. In Utah, Mike Lee defeated Tim Bridgewater in the race to see who will square off with Democratic nominee Sam Granato to take over as senator; and, one of the incumbents immune to the anti-establishment sentiment, Democrat Representative Jim Matheson won his primary contest.

Election round-up
[Daily Kos]
Nikki Haley Is Winner in South Carolina Runoff [NYT]

South Carolina GOP Makes Strides With Haley, Scott Victories