Primary elections were held in four states Tuesday, continuing a series of preliminary votes around the country this month and next to nominate candidates for fall’s general election ballots. This first stage of voting is like a semi-final round to narrow the field so that each major political party – the Democrats and Republicans – winds up with one candidate for every office to be filled Nov. 7.

That means some lucky politicians can skip the primary because they’re the only one running from their party. But lots of others – including some current members of Congress – are fighting to win re-nomination for their own jobs.

Although only about one-quarter of eligible voters, or even fewer, generally cast primary ballots, these local and statewide elections are an important part of the democratic process. Candidates campaign and advertise actively. Some primary races include televised debates. Newspaper editorial pages publish endorsement recommendations.

What jobs do candidates want? This is not a presidential election year (that comes in 2008), but 33 of the 100 U.S. Senate seats and all 435 U.S. House seats will be filled in November – and some of those Congress members face primary challengers from their own party.
All kinds of local and state offices also are up for grabs. Primaries narrowed the field of candidates for school boards, city councils, township offices, mayors, judgeships and governors. Tennessee, Kansas and Oklahoma nominated candidates for governor recently, Connecticut picked two this week Tuesday and Nevada gets its turn next Tuesday.

What was Tuesday’s most-watched race? Connecticut's veteran U.S. senator, Democrat Joseph Lieberman, lost a primary contest with fellow Democrat Ned Lamont. Lieberman was the vice-presidential nominee in 2000 on Al Gore’s ticket. His defeat is big news because Lieberman largely supports President Bush’s positions on invading Iraq and staying there, while Lamont does not.

Why participate? In districts where one party traditionally earns a solid majority, that side’s primary amounts to the “real” election, in effect. Here’s how a Connecticut newspaper editorial put it last week: “Primaries are the voters’ chance to decide who will be on the ballot in the first place, who will carry the torch for the party, who will be the voice of the people. A primary election is indeed significant.” – The Wilton Bulletin