By ROBERT TANNER
The Associated Press
Wednesday, June 7, 2006; 2:45 AM
-- In the most closely watched contest in eight states Tuesday, a former Republican congressman took the early lead in a bellwether House race in California where the parties hammered campaign themes of corruption and immigration that could play out in the fall midterm elections.
With 30 percent of precincts reporting, Republican Brian Bilbray was ahead with 28,568 votes, or 50 percent, to Democrat Francine Busby's 25,605 votes, or 44 percent, in the special election to replace Randy "Duke" Cunningham, who was convicted of corruption charges.
Elsewhere, Alabama Gov. Bob Riley easily beat back a GOP primary challenge from Ten Commandments judge Roy Moore, while Democratic former Gov. Don Siegelman lost his comeback fight against the state's first female lieutenant governor. Also in Alabama, voters passed a ban on gay marriage by a 4-to-1 margin.
Another Washington corruption case figured in Montana's primary, where GOP Sen. Conrad Burns sought the nomination for a fourth term. After his ties to disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff became known, Burns saw his popularity fall. He beat several primary challengers and won nearly three-quarters of the vote. His Democratic challenger in the fall will be state Senate President Jon Tester.
In Iowa, the retirement of two-term Democratic Gov. Tom Vilsack set off a wide-open race. Secretary of State Chet Culver beat a crowded Democratic field to face GOP Rep. Jim Nussle, who had no primary opposition, in the fall.
California also saw a tight race between the two Democrats hoping to challenge GOP Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. With a third of precincts reporting, state Treasurer Phil Angelides had 490,906 votes, or 47 percent, to Controller Steve Westly's 458,706 votes, or 44 percent.
Iowa, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico and South Dakota also held primaries. Corruption and allegations of corruption _ in California, Alabama and Montana _ criss-crossed the country. Immigration was a campaign issue from the South to the Plains.
Still, the biggest race was the one to replace Cunningham, who was sentenced to eight years in prison for taking bribes on a scale unparalleled in the history of Congress. Democrats saw a rich opportunity to capture a solidly Republican district and build momentum on their hopes to capture control of the House.
National Democrats spent nearly $2 million on the race; the GOP spent $4.5 million. President Bush and first lady Laura Bush recorded telephone messages for Bilbray, while the Democrats' last two presidential candidates _ John Kerry and Al Gore _ urged supporters to back Busby.
Bilbray, made immigration the centerpiece of his campaign, proposing a fence "from the Pacific Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico" and restrictions to keep illegal immigrants from collecting Social Security and other benefits.
Busby, a local school board member, focused her campaign on public dissatisfaction with the Bush administration and the GOP-led Congress, and assailed Bilbray for working as a lobbyist in Washington. She consistently referred to him as "the lobbyist Bilbray."
Votes were still being counted early Wednesday morning.
In New Jersey, Republicans chose Tom Kean Jr., the son of a popular former governor, to challenge Democratic Sen. Robert Menendez in the fall.
Kean _ who critics said needed a convincing win to be a real challenger _ easily defeated a more conservative candidate, winning three of every four votes. Menendez, appointed to his seat after former Sen. Jon Corzine became governor, beat a little-known challenger.
In the weeks leading up to Alabama's gubernatorial primary, polls showed Riley with a growing lead on Moore, the former state chief justice who became a hero to the religious right in 2003 when he was ousted over his refusal to remove the Commandments monument from the state judicial building.
That same year, Riley saw his popularity plummet when he unsuccessfully sought a $1.2 billion tax increase. But his standing rose with the state economy, and this year he helped pass a tax cut for the working poor.
Lt. Gov. Lucy Baxley fashioned an "I Love Lucy" campaign, while Siegelman had to campaign at night while on trial on corruption charges during the day. She won with 60 percent of the vote while Siegelman got just 36 percent. Riley took 67 percent of the vote, and Moore 33 percent.
Schwarzenegger won the GOP nomination with only token opposition, while Angelides and Westly fought a close and nasty contest for the Democratic nomination that left many voters dismayed.
Several House incumbents who were leading against primary challenges included GOP Rep. Richard Pombo and hawkish Democratic Rep. Jane Harman, both of California.
A few races brought back some familiar names:
_ Jerry Brown _ the former California governor, presidential candidate and current Oakland mayor _ won the Democratic primary for attorney general.
_ Chuck Espy, a state lawmaker and nephew of Mike Espy, Mississippi's first black congressman since Reconstruction, lost his primary challenge to Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson.
_ George C. Wallace Jr., son of the former Alabama governor, trailed in the GOP primary for lieutenant governor to attorney Luther Strange but the race goes to a runoff because no one got 50 percent.
_ Hollywood director Rob Reiner was the leading backer of a measure in California to create a $2.4 billion universal preschool program, which went down to defeat by a 60-to-40-percent margin.