HARRISBURG, Pa., April 24 -- Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole and President Clinton easily won their respective primaries Tuesday in Pennsylvania. Although the primaries are politically insignificant for the two likely challengers in the November election, Pennsylvania is considered a key state in presidential election -- much more so for Clinton than for Dole. With almost all precincts reporting, Dole captured 64 percent of the vote on the Republican side to Pat Buchanan's 18 percent. Alan Keyes had 6 percent, behind Steve Forbes' 8 percent but ahead of Dick Lugar's 4 percent. Forbes and Lugar were on the ballot although they are no longer in the race. President Clinton faced no major challenger, winning 92 percent of the Democratic vote. Longtime fringe candidate Lyndon LaRouche was on the Democratic ballot and garnered 8 percent. Because Pennsylvania has what is called a 'presidential preference primary,' the results are not binding on any delegate to the national nominating conventions. Voters also chose nominees for state treasurer, auditor general and attorney general, as well as for congressional races and some legislative seats. In congressional races, the retirements of Rep. William Clinger, R- 5th, and Rep. Bob Walker, R-16th, resulted in open-seat fights in those districts. In the 5th District in northcentral Pennsylvania, state Sen. John Peterson defeated Bob Shuster, the son of Rep. Bud Shuster, R-9th, and two other candidates to win the GOP nod. He'll face state Rep. Ruth Rudy, who was unopposed in the Democratic primary. The elder Shuster was unopposed in the GOP primary in his southcentral Pennsylvania district, despite being troubled by allegations of improperity involving a former aide-turned-lobbyist who runs his campaign.
He faces no serious challenge in November. Had both Shusters gone on to win in November, it would have marked the first time in more than 150 years that a father-son team had served at the same time in the U.S. House. In the 16th District, Walker's retirement led to an open-seat fight that pitted Lancaster and Chester counties against each other for the first time since reapportionment forced the two counties into the same district. Republican state Rep. Joe Pitts of West Chester defeated four other candidates. In November, Pitts will face Democrat James Blaine, who had no primary opponent. In the 1st District, Rep. Tom Foglietta, seeking a ninth term in Congress, won an overwhelming victory in Tuesday's Democratic primary, beating back a challenge by former Judge John Braxton after a racially charged campaign. The district, which includes parts of Philadelphia and some suburban areas, is heavily Democratic so Foglietta's primary win makes his re- election likely. In the 14th District, which includes Pittsburgh and some of its suburbs, eight-term Rep. Bill Coyne defeated City Councilman Dan Cohen in the Democratic primary. He faces no serious challenge in the fall. Several other congressional incumbents also faced primary challenges, although results were not immediately available.
