Published: May 06, 2008 09:52 pm         

U.S. House of Representatives — Four Indiana congressmen win primary victories

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Four Indiana congressmen celebrated primary victories Tuesday, including the state’s newest U.S. House member, Democrat Andre Carson.

Carson defeated seven challengers to win the Democratic nomination in the urban 7th District, which includes Indianapolis. Carson will face Republican state Rep. Jon Elrod in November — the same challenger Carson defeated in a March special election to fill the remainder of his late grandmother’s term.

Republicans Mark Souder in northeast Indiana’s 3rd District and Steve Buyer in central Indiana’s 4th District and Democrat Baron Hill in southeast Indiana’s 9th District also defeated their challengers. Hill’s victory set up his fourth consecutive rematch with former Republican Rep. Mike Sodrel in November.

The toughest races were in the 7th District and in the 5th District, where longtime Republican Rep. Dan Burton faced what many saw as the strongest opponent of his 25-year career.

Burton had more than 53 percent of the vote with 73 percent of precincts reporting, while challenger John McGoff had 42 percent, according to unofficial results tallied by The Associated Press.

Carson faced several serious contenders: former state Health Commissioner Woody Myers and state Reps. David Orentlicher and Carolene Mays.

Carson had the advantages of being an incumbent, such as support from state Democratic party officials, and name recognition because of his grandmother, Rep. Julia Carson, who died in December after 11 years in Congress.

Some Democratic voters drawn to the exciting presidential primary between Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama knew little about the 7th District candidates. Media exposure — and the money it takes to pay for it — was important to win over those voters, said Robert Dion, a professor of American politics at the University of Evansville.

Myers put more than $1.6 million of his own money into his campaign to help pay for advertising.

“I have really no regrets at all, other than the fact that we came in second instead of first,” he said Tuesday night.

In the 5th District, McGoff, an emergency room physician, hoped to unseat Burton, the state’s longest-serving congressman.

Burton came under fire last year amid reports that he missed 19 House votes during a trip to California for a charity golf tournament. Burton has said the golf trip was a mistake and that House votes had typically not been held during that week in recent years.

McGoff’s campaign played up Burton’s travels with a Web site — wheresdanburton.com — that featured photos of the congressman’s head on cartoon drawings.

“People are really ready for a change here,” McGoff has said. “People are paying attention.”

Getting out the GOP vote was key for McGoff. A low Republican turnout, which was possible because Sen. John McCain already had locked up the party’s presidential nomination, likely would favor Burton as the party faithful support their incumbent.

Even if voters were unhappy and McGoff won a substantial portion of the vote, it would take a lot to actually defeat Burton in a primary, Dion said.

“He may get a slap in the face, but I’d be surprised if he lost,” Dion said.

Indiana’s other incumbents — Democratic Reps. Peter Visclosky, Joe Donnelly and Brad Ellsworth and Republican Mike Pence — were unopposed in the primary.