Jack Carter, the son of Jimmy Carter, the former President, has won the Democratic nomination for the Nevada primary election in November.
Mr Carter, who faces the Republican Senator John Ensign, won 80 per cent of the vote in early returns to defeat Ruby Jee Tun, a school science teacher and political unknown. Mr Ensign also defeated an unusual candidate, winning more than 90 per cent of the vote against Ed “Fast Eddie” Hamilton, a former Chrysler supervisor.
Mr Carter promised that he would use his political contacts for Nevada. “I was a member of the First Family. I know a lot of the senators who are in office.”
The state also faces a gruelling battle to replace its Republican Governor, Kenny Guinn. Dina Titus, the Democratic nominee, and Jim Gibbons, a congressman and the Republican nominee, have already begun sending each other up in web adverts, using sock puppets and an elephant’s behind.
The former state Comptroller Kathy Augustine won 18 per cent of the vote for state treasurer nominations — even though voters were reminded that she had recently died.