Indiana: NRCC Favorite Bucshon Narrowly Wins In 8th District
May 4, 2010
| Heart surgeon Larry Bucshon eked out a victory in the Republican primary in the 8th district in and around Evansville.With nearly all of the vote counted, Bucshon edged Kristi Risk, a favorite of many tea party activists, by 32 percent to 29 percent in an eight-candidate race. He had been narrowly trailing or running even with Risk for most of the evening.
Bucshon was the preferred candidate of the National Republican Congressional Committee, which is targeting Indiana’s conservative-leaning 8th as it plots to make significant seat gains in the fall. “We’re excited about the prospect of working with Larry Bucshon this fall as Republicans seek to reclaim the 8th congressional district seat,” Indiana GOP chairman Murray Clark said in a statement late Tuesday. Democratic officials say that their nominee, state Rep. Trent Van Haaften, has a centrist profile that will play well in the district. He was unopposed for the Democratic nomination, The winner will succeed Rep. Brad Ellsworth (D), who is running for the Senate. CQ Politics presently rates the Indiana 8 general election race as a tossup. |