Delaware primary sets up fall races
WILMINGTON - State Treasurer Jack Markell defeated Lt. Gov. John Carney in Delaware's hotly contested Democratic gubernatorial primary yesterday. On the Republican side, retired Superior Court Judge Bill Lee earned his second shot at the governor's office, easily defeating airline pilot Michael Protack to win the gubernatorial nomination for the November general election.
WILMINGTON - State Treasurer Jack Markell defeated Lt. Gov. John Carney in Delaware's hotly contested Democratic gubernatorial primary yesterday.
On the Republican side, retired Superior Court Judge Bill Lee earned his second shot at the governor's office, easily defeating airline pilot Michael Protack to win the gubernatorial nomination for the November general election.
Markell, appearing at his campaign headquarters shortly before 9:30 p.m., told the Associated Press that Carney had called him and conceded the race.
Markell said Carney "was a class act" and "very gracious."
Markell and Carney raised and spent millions of dollars during their hotly contested race in what became the most expensive gubernatorial primary in state history. With nearly all precincts reporting, Markell had 51.2 percent of the vote, with 48.8 percent for Carney.
Lee narrowly lost the GOP nomination in 2000, but he defeated Protack in a primary four years ago and went on to almost upset incumbent Democrat Ruth Ann Minner. As he did in 2004, Lee refused to debate Protack during the primary campaign this year.
In the Democratic primary for the U.S. House, children's rights activist Karen Hartley-Nagle defeated businessman Mike Miller and veterinarian Jerry Northington and will challenge Republican incumbent Mike Castle in November.
Democratic vice presidential nominee Joe Biden is also seeking reelection this fall to his U.S. Senate seat. But neither Biden nor his Republican challenger, Christine O'Donnell, had opposition within their parties, and they were not on the primary ballot. A spokesman said Biden, who was campaigning yesterday in Missouri, cast his Delaware primary votes by absentee ballot.
Turnout yesterday was reported steady but light.
