It's primary day in Washington State and Wyoming

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Voters are going to the polls today in Washington and Wyoming.

In the Cowboy State, a Casper Star-Tribune survey conducted three weeks ago showed Rita Meyer, who has been endorsed by Sarah Palin, with a narrow lead over her nearest challenger in the crowded GOP gubernatorial primary:

Meyer, the current state auditor, and Mead, a former U.S. attorney, polled 27 percent and 24 percent, respectively, among likely Republican voters. Meyer also led all seven Republican candidates in name recognition (91 percent) and favorability rating (50 percent).

In the Republican primary for U.S. Senate in Washington State, the conventional wisdom says Dino Rossi will survive to challenge Sen. Patty Murray in November. But 2010 is anything but a conventional election year:

Assuming they do both advance, polls seem to show them as very close among likely voter preference. While the likeliest scenario is that the two most recognizable names in the race do advance, in this Tea Party year, anything is possible on the Republican side. While it is easy to discount Paul Akers and Clint Didier, the strong anti-incumbent, and anti-establishment passion among conservative voters could really hurt Rossi. Dino Rossi, among the Republicans, is the establishment figure, despite never having won a state-wide race (or at least making his one win stick…). Add to that the fact that Rossi is an economic conservative, with a more liberal take on the abortion issue, and Sarah Palin’s endorsement of Clint Didier, and we have an interesting mixture that could bite Rossi.

- JP