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(WASHINGTON) Republican Rep. Shelley Moore Capito and Democrat Natalie Tennant captured primary wins on Tuesday, setting the stage for a historic U.S. Senate showdown in November that will give West Virginia its first female senator.

Capito, a seven-term congresswoman and daughter of former Gov. Arch Moore, and Tennant, the states secretary of state, each cruised to victory and will square off to replace Democratic Sen. Jay Rockefeller, who is retiring after 30 years.

West Virginia has become increasingly Republican, and Capito enters the general election contest as the heavy favorite. If elected, she would be the first Republican senator from West Virginia since 1959.

Voters in Nebraska also were deciding their lineups for the November elections in the latest round of spring primaries. The fall midterms will determine control of Congress for the last two years of President Barack Obamas second term, with Republicans expected to hold the House and cautiously optimistic about winning control of the Senate.

The GOP needs to net six seats to grab the majority.

The tea party, outside conservative groups and two of the rights heroes Sarah Palin and Sen. Ted Cruz have rallied behind Ben Sasse, the president of Midland University. For months, Sasse has been locked in an increasingly negative race with former State Treasurer Shane Osborn, who has the backing of the Washington establishment and allies of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.

In recent weeks, Sid Dinsdale, the president of Pinnacle Bank, sought to capitalize on the Sasse-Osborn fight and produce a surprise outcome similar to Republican Sen. Deb Fischers come-from-behind win in 2012.

Sasse has the backing of Club for Growth, the Tea Party Patriots, the Senate Conservatives Fund and FreedomWorks in his bid to replace Republican Sen. Mike Johanns, who is retiring after a single six-year term.

Sasse has focused on his conservative credentials, opposition to abortion, support for gun rights and goal of repealing and replacing the health care law.

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Capito and Tennant Win Party Nods in West Virginia