Tuesday Election Results: Anti-Surveillance Amendment Wins in Missouri, Anti-Surveillance Candidate Wins in Michigan, More…
Primary elections were held in Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, and Washington, with incumbents mostly winning. Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.), who made a name for himself since first being elected in 2010 by taking on NSA surveillance and explaining his votes on Facebook, handily defeated a challenger supported by Grand Rapids-area establishment Republicans. "I ran for office to stop people like you," Amash said of his challenger.
Down ballot, an Amash-backed state house candidate failed to win the Republican nomination. Other class of 2010 Republicans to hold on to their seats include Reps. Tim Huelskamp and Mike Pompeo in Kansas, and Rep. Kerry Bentivolio (R-Mich.), who lost to an establishment-backed challenger, was only the third member of Congress to lose his seat in a primary election this year. (The other two: Eric Cantor and Ralph Hall)
In Kansas, Sen. Pat Roberts survived a challenge by "Tea Party" candidate Milton Wolf.
Missouri had a number of interesting constitutional amendments. An amendment to enshrine the "right to farm" in the state constitution passed by only 2,500 votes. It was widely seen as an effort to protect farmers in the state from excessive federal regulations. An amendment protecting electronic devices and data as any other "belonging" from illegal search and seizure passed overwhelmingly. A gun rights amendment also passed. A transportation tax hike is expected to fail. Missouri was once a battleground state in presidential elections.
Local results in your area? Let us know in the comments.