Democrat chosen to challenge Schwarzenegger in California race

A Democrat has emerged from a bitter race to win the right to challenge California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and a former Republican congressman from California narrowly beat his Democratic rival early today for a House seat, during the biggest primary night of the US election year.

A Democrat has emerged from a bitter race to win the right to challenge California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger during the biggest primary night of the US election year.

A former Republican congressman from California also narrowly beat his Democratic rival early today for a House seat.

Former Republican congressman Brian Bilbray emerged victorious to fill the House of Representatives seat once held by jailed Randy “Duke” Cunningham, defeating Democrat Francine Busby, a San Diego-area school board member, in one of several contests in eight states closely watched as a possible early barometer of next autumn's vote.

The race was viewed by Democrats as an opportunity to capture a solidly Republican district and build momentum on their hopes to capture control of the House. Bilbray will serve the remaining seven months of Cunningham’s term and get a boost for the November election.

Also in California, State Treasurer Phil Angelides narrowly beat Controller Steve Westly in the state's gubernatorial primary. He next faces Republican governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who had no credible opposition in his party’s nomination.

“You’ve given me a chance to fight for you, for the California of our dreams, and I will not let you down,” Angelides said while his supporters chanted: “Go, Phil, go!”

The race proved long on negative ads and short on excitement and attention, giving the Republican governor a timely lift as he publicly launches his re-election drive.

Elsewhere, Alabama governor Bob Riley easily beat back a Republican primary challenge from judge Roy Moore, best known for his refusal to remove a Ten Commandments monument from the state’s judicial building. Moore said: “God’s will has been done.” 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 Republican senator Conrad Burns won the nomination for a fourth term. After his ties to disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff became known, Burns saw his popularity fall. But he beat several primary challengers and won nearly three-quarters of the vote. His Democratic challenger in the autumn will be state Senate president Jon Tester.

In Iowa, the retirement of two-term Democratic governor Tom Vilsack set off a wide-open race. Secretary of State Chet Culver will face Republican Jim Nussle in the autumn.

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 the US Congress.