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Former CEO and cousin to former Gov. Sonny Perdue, David Perdue, Rep. Jack Kingston and Former Georgia Secretary of State, Karen Handel.AP

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Buzz Cut: Republican hopes rise on Georgia race Fizzle, not sizzle for McConnell foes Gosnell case casts shadows on Pennsylvania Dem primary Billionaire Steyer to host Biden for fundraiser Thanks, Obama

REPUBLICAN HOPES RISE ON GEORGIA RACERepublican strategists once feared Georgias senate primary like none other on the calendar. The race to replace retiring Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., promised to be a bitter struggle between insurgents and establishmentarians with the prospect of either an unsuitable general-election candidate or a nominee who had to go so far right to win that he or she would lose their credibility with the more moderate suburban voters on whom Novembers outcome will depend. But thats not what happened at least so far.

Round one - This is just a preliminary round. With no candidate likely to clear the 50 percent threshold to avoid a July 22 runoff, the focus today is on which two candidates will survive and advance. The establishment is divided between frontrunner David Perdue, a former CEO and cousin to former Gov. Sonny Perdue, and Rep. Jack Kingston, a longtime House member whose Savannah district is home many moderate coastal voters. The outsiders are divided, too. Former Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel has emerged as the frontrunner in a three-way contest for the support of the more conservative wing of the party. Others in that lane include Rep. Paul Broun, who represents an intensely conservative district in the north-central part of the state and is famous for his firearms giveaways, and Rep. Phil Gingrey, a doctor who represents a staunchly conservative district mostly in the far exurbs of Atlanta.

Which two will tango? - The GOP establishment would like nothing better than to see two of their own in the runoff, and many have hoped at Perdue and Kingston would be the ones to sparring for the next nine weeks. It might be petty. Really petty. But it wouldnt be a buffet of red meat alone. Polls have shown, however, that Handel is elbowing her way into the second spot just behind the deep-pocketed Perdue. And while a race between the two of them would surely see plenty of base baiting, Handel has won statewide before and has shown herself to be an adept campaigner.

Nunn may not be the one - The winner of the GOP runoff will face the daughter of former longtime Democratic Sen. Sam Nunn, charity foundation head Michelle Nunn. Though state and national Democrats have swooned over the younger Nunns famous name and facility for fundraising, how will she fare in an actual campaign environment? Early signs are not good. When asked if she would have voted for President Obamas signature health law, Nunn was gobsmacked in a MSNBC interview. So, at the time that the Affordable Health Care Act [sic] was passed, I was working for Points of Light, Nunn says. I wish that we had had more people who had tried to architect a bipartisan legislation...I think it's impossible to look back retrospectively and say, You know, what would you have done when you were there? Shes going to have plenty of chances to reconsider over the course of the campaign.

[Polls close in Georgia at 7 p.m. ET. You can track the results with the Georgia Secretary of State and watch Fox for coverage of tonights key primary contests, online at FoxNews.com]

FIZZLE, NOT SIZZLE FOR MCCONNELL FOESWhat was supposed to be a searing primary challenge to the top Republican in the Senate has lacked any electoral heat. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., looked very vulnerable on paper and his old foe, former Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., and other leaders of conservative groups, had big ideas about beating McConnell. Not so much. The lesson in Kentucky has proven to be the same as in other GOP contests so far this cycle: candidate quality trumps almost everything else. As it turns out, the much vaunted, deep-pocketed challenger, Matt Bevin, isnt very good at running for office. Bevin had a few early stumbles, and despite lots of airtime, never seemed to catch on with the same Republican base that has been skeptical of McConnells horse-trading ways in the Senate. And in the end, Bevins campaign just collapsed in a flurry of feathers. McConnells secret weapon all along was the viability of the presumptive Democratic nominee Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes. With Grimes, heiress to a foodservice fortune, a famous political name and the support of her fathers friend former President Bill Clinton, Republicans had to think twice about indulging their hard feelings about McConnells deal making. McConnells hope tonight will be to leave Bevin far in the dust and demonstrate a minimal need for intra-party healing.

Theres always some hurt feelings after a primary. Were going to be able bring the party together. This state is a state that is not hospitable to this administration. The president carried four out of 120 counties in my state Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on The Kelly File. Watch here. Aerial bombardment begins immediately - Lexington (Ky.) Herald-Leader: Two independent expenditure groups that support McConnell and his policies have bought a combined $5.2 million in ad time for the coming weeks after Tuesday's primary election KSL, a Super PAC that has already spent heavily in an effort to tie likely Democratic nominee Alison Lundergan Grimes to President Barack Obama, will kick things off with $575,000 in ads scheduled to run Wednesday through June 2.

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Republican hopes rise on Georgia race