Texas: David Dewhurst Leads in Internal Poll

(Pat Sullivan/Associated Press)

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst led former Texas Solicitor General Ted Cruz by 8 points in a recent internal poll obtained by Roll Call.

Fifty percent of respondents said they would vote for Dewhurst in the July 31 GOP runoff, while 42 percent supported Cruz. National Journal’s the Hotline first reported the results of the poll, which was conducted by Dewhurst pollster Mike Baselice.

It is a striking difference from a late June Cruz internal poll obtained last week that showed Cruz with a 9-point lead over Dewhurst.

The difference in the results appears to be rooted in how each campaign determines who is a “likely runoff voter.” The Dewhurst poll surveyed those who had voted in previous GOP primaries and stated an intent to vote in the runoff. Full story

Texas: Republican State Legislators Come Out Against Ted Cruz

Updated, 6:09 p.m. The Texas Republican establishment on Sunday came out hard against former state Solicitor General Ted Cruz (R) in his upstart Senate bid.

Nearly every state Senator signed an open letter addressed to “Fellow Texans” that offered a defense of Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, who is running against Cruz in a July 31 GOP primary runoff to replace retiring Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R).

The letter never once mentions Cruz by name. But it makes clear the state Senators’ displeasure with statements he has made on sanctuary cities, state spending, the state’s Transportation Security Administration “Anti-Groping” bill and a state income tax.

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Texas: Ted Cruz Internal Poll Shows Lead Over David Dewhurst

Ted Cruz (above) led Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst in a recent internal poll. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Ted Cruz led Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst by 9 points in a recent internal poll conducted for the former Texas solicitor general’s campaign, a Cruz source has confirmed.

From the earliest days of the race to replace retiring Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R), Dewhurst has been the frontrunner. But in this survey, 49 percent of respondents said they would vote for Cruz. Forty percent supported Dewhurst, and 11 percent were undecided.

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Texas: Michael Burgess Backs Ted Cruz for Senate

Rep. Michael Burgess made an endorsement in the Texas Senate runoff today even though most Members are sitting on the sidelines. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Rep. Michael Burgess (R-Texas) announced today that he is backing former Texas Solicitor General Ted Cruz in the GOP Senate runoff to replace retiring Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R).

“Ted Cruz is that strong, proven conservative leader, a constitutional scholar, and a fighter through and through,” Burgess said in a press release. “He’ll lead the fight to stop the Obama agenda, and I look forward to fighting alongside Ted to repeal every word of ObamaCare.”

Cruz is engaged in an increasingly tough runoff campaign with Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst. The winner of that July 31 race will almost certainly become the Lone Star State’s next Senator. Full story

Oklahoma: John Sullivan Loses Primary in Surprise Upset

(Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Rep. John Sullivan unexpectedly lost the GOP primary Tuesday night to U.S. Navy Reserve pilot Jim Bridenstine, a political newcomer who has tea party support.

The five-term Congressman trailed Bridenstine 46 percent to 54 percent, with 94 percent of precincts reporting at 12:30 a.m., when the Associated Press called the race. Sullivan, who was first elected to Congress in a 2002 special election, vastly outspent his challenger, the former executive director of the Tulsa Air and Space Museum.

During the campaign, Bridenstine attacked Sullivan as an out-of-touch politician and for his lackluster attendance record in Congress, saying he missed 9 percent of votes, according to local reports. Sullivan acknowledged he has missed votes because of his battle with alcoholism, for which he checked himself into a rehabilitation center in 2009.

“I’ve never had a race like this in all my life,” Sullivan told the Associated Press a few days ago. “The only mistake I made was I ignored it for too long.”

The 1st district, which includes Tulsa, is a solid GOP seat that only incurred minimal changes in redistricting. The district voted for Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) with 64 percent in 2008. Bridenstine will be the next Member representing this seat in all likelihood.

Sullivan is the eighth House Member to lose a primary this cycle, although four of those have lost to another Member in a race created by redistricting. To see who else isn’t returning to the 113th Congress, check out our Casualty List.

Utah: Orrin Hatch Cruises to Victory in GOP Primary

(Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Sen. Orrin Hatch handily won renomination in the Republican primary Tuesday night and is now heavily favored to win re-election to a seventh term, which he has said would be his last.

After entering the 2012 cycle as one of the Senate’s most endangered incumbents, the 78-year-old lawmaker survived a challenge from Dan Liljenquist, an underfunded former state Senator whose candidacy was ultimately undone by Hatch’s strong campaign and a lack of angst over the Senator’s voting record and length of service. Hatch led 69 percent to 31 percent, with 13 percent of precincts reporting.

The Associated Press called the race just after 11 p.m. Eastern time. Full story

Colorado: Doug Lamborn Survives Primary

After a late scare, Rep. Doug Lamborn won the Republican primary in the 5th district and should win re-election in the fall.

Around 9:30 p.m. the Associated Press called the race for Lamborn, who had 69 percent to self-funding challenger Robert Blaha’s 39 percent with 87 percent of precincts reporting.

Blaha’s early spending was enough to make some of Lamborn’s backers nervous and the Blaha team confident. There was little in the way of public polling, and Blaha’s spending raised eyebrows. Still, in the end, it was not enough. (Except for a brief period when a snafu with AP results accidentally flipped the percentages, causing some confusion among close watchers of the race.)

Blaha heavily outspent Lamborn in the first quarter of the year. But by the time of the pre-primary Federal Election Commission reporting period, Lamborn matched Blaha’s rate of spending.

Lamborn should win re-election in the fall as Roll Cal rates this seat as Safe Republican.

South Carolina: Tom Rice Likely Next Member From New District

Horry County Council Chairman Tom Rice beat former Lt. Gov. André Bauer in GOP primary runoff in South Carolina’s new 7th district. In November, he’ll face economist and former Georgia state Rep. Gloria Bromell Tinubu, who won the Democratic primary runoff against attorney Preston Brittain.

Shortly after 9 p.m., the Associated Press called the race for Rice. With 94 percent of precincts reporting, he had 56 percent to Bauer’s 44 percent.

Around the same time, the AP called the race for Bromell Tinubu. With 94 percent of precincts reporting, she had 73 percent to Brittain’s 27 percent.

Democrats and Republicans in the state do not believe Bromell Tinubu can win the race in the Myrtle Beach-anchored district. Roll Call rates the 7th district race as Safe Repubican.

Since the 7th is a new district granted to the Palmetto State in reapportionment, if Rice wins, as expected, this will be a pickup for Republicans.

Colorado: Doug Lamborn Vulnerable in GOP Primary

Rep. Doug Lamborn faces a primary against a self-funding opponent. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.) is facing the toughest primary of his House career today.

His challenger, wealthy businessman Robert Blaha, has outspent Lamborn in the race for the 5th district over the course of this year. Running as an “outsider,” Blaha charges that while Lamborn has been a reliable conservative, Blaha would be a more effective Member.

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Utah: Orrin Hatch Outraised, Outspent Dan Liljenquist Pre-Primary

(Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Sen. Orrin Hatch continued to outraise his Republican primary challenger in the pre-primary fundraising period.

Hatch, who faces former state Sen. Dan Liljenquist in Tuesday’s contest, raised $569,000 from April 2 to June 6, according to records filed last week. Liljenquist brought in $309,000, including a $100,000 personal loan.

The discrepancy in spending was much larger. Hatch spent more than $1.9 million during the two-month period, including about $900,000 on media buys. Liljenquist, who needs to overcome a heavy name identification disadvantage, spent $388,000, including $152,000 on radio and television advertising. Full story

Utah: Freedom Path Ad Hits Dan Liljenquist for Missed Votes

A Utah nonprofit organization supportive of Sen. Orrin Hatch is airing a television ad that criticizes his Republican primary opponent, former state Sen. Dan Liljenquist, for missing nearly a quarter of the floor votes held during the 2011 legislative session.

The group, Freedom Path, spent $60,000 on the spot, which began running in the middle of last week and is set to run through the end of next week. The primary is scheduled for June 26. Full story

Utah: Sarah Palin Backs Orrin Hatch Ahead of Primary

(Scott J. Ferrell/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin endorsed Sen. Orrin Hatch for re-election to a seventh term.

Palin’s backing offers Hatch another conservative endorsement as he holds off a Republican primary challenge from former state Sen. Dan Liljenquist. Hatch, who has faced criticism from some conservatives for past votes, narrowly missed securing the nomination at the state party convention last month, forcing the two into a June 26 primary. Full story

Texas: Tom Leppert Puts Up New Television Ad

Updated: 2:23 p.m. | Former Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert added another television advertisement to his rotation today. It continues his campaign theme that his fellow GOP candidates in the primary to replace retiring Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R) are “empty suits.”

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Utah: Dan Liljenquist Slams Orrin Hatch on Lack of Debates

Former Utah state Sen. Dan Liljenquist launched the first TV ad of his Republican primary challenge to longtime Sen. Orrin Hatch.

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Texas: Rick Perry and Sarah Palin Make the Case for Their Candidates

Texas Gov. Rick Perry and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin have found themselves on opposing sides in the Texas Senate GOP primary.

Each has previously made an endorsement: Perry for Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst; Palin for former state Solicitor General Ted Cruz.

And now they are going to bat for their candidates. Perry is featured in a new TV ad released Monday by Dewhurst. Perry vouches for him on fiscal policy and adds, “Our country needs him, and so does Texas.”

The Cruz camp also made news Sunday by releasing a robocall from Palin.

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