Colorado Race Could Reassure Obama and Democrats

By KIRK JOHNSON
NYT

DENVER — The predictions of doom for incumbents and establishment candidates this campaign season are proving to be more complex in the real world. On Tuesday, Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado, a Democrat who had hitched his star to the fortunes of President Obama, survived a bitter primary challenge.

But in this state’s Republican primary, a Tea Party-backed insurgent, Ken Buck, upended the candidate endorsed by Washington Republicans, Jane Norton, a former lieutenant governor.

The two victories suggested that the anticipated wrath of the American voter might not be quite ready to sweep away all before its path — but the tide is still strong.

Mr. Bennet’s victory over Andrew Romanoff, a former speaker of the Colorado House, by 54 percent to 46 percent with 78 percent of the precincts reporting, was hardly cause for incumbent complacency.

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