Warner, Thurmond Win GOP Primaries

(CNN, June 11) -- Republican Virginia Sen. John Warner won his party's nod for re-election Tuesday in a contentious primary race against former Reagan administration budget director James C. Miller III. While Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole supported Warner, Miller was the candidate of choice for three state GOP leaders.

Under Virginia state law, incumbents seeking re-election may choose either to hold a primary or to let party leaders choose a nominee at their state conventions. Warner, now in his third term, has angered state GOP leaders in the past, particularly for failing to support the party's 1994 Senate nominee, Iran-Contra figure Oliver North.

So he chose to hold a primary, and unabashedly encouraged Democrats and independents to vote. Non-Republicans are allowed to vote in the GOP primary vote under Virginia's open primary system.

A strong turnout was viewed as key to Warner's chances. Miller, budget director under President Reagan, enjoyed fervent support from conservative Christians, who traditionally vote no matter what the weather.

But Warner got a strong showing, despite scattered thunderstorms and showers throughout the state Tuesday. He was given the GOP nomination with only 31 percent of precincts reporting. At that point, Warner had 109,547 votes, or 67 percent, and James C. Miller had 53,223 votes, or 33 percent.

Thurmond easily wins spot on ticket

South Carolina Sen. Strom Thurmond, at 93 the oldest U.S. senator ever, easily won nomination for an eighth term on Tuesday against a Republican who tried to make an issue of his age. State Rep. Harold Worley mounted the first serious challenge to Thurmond's re-election in decades, spending $500,000 in six weeks on his campaign. Most of the money went towards ads focusing on Thurmond's age.

Thurmond said this would be his last primary. He was elected to the Senate as a Democrat in 1954, and switched to the Republican Party 10 years later.

With 24 percent of precincts reporting in South Carolina, Thurmond had 25,495 votes, or 65 percent; Worley had 10,270 votes or 26 percent; and college instructor Charles Thompson had 3,456 votes, or 9 percent.

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Warner, Thurmond Win GOP Primaries

Thurmond easily wins spot on ticket

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