Hackett wins race to oppose Carney in Pa.

Businessman Chris Hackett won a tight race Tuesday night for the Republican nomination to face freshman Rep. Christopher Carney (D-Pa.) in November, while a nine-man GOP race for the nomination for retiring Rep. John Peterson’s (R-Pa.) seat was too close to call.

{mosads}The Associated Press called the race for Hackett, who led businessman Dan Meuser 52-48 with 90 percent of precincts in, to win an expensive and bitter race in one of the most GOP-leaning House seats held by a Democrat.

The candidates combined to spend more than $2.5 million in the primary, including $1.8 million from Meuser. The general election should also be expensive if the GOP is to take the seat.

The winner of the GOP race in Peterson’s seat will face Clearfield County Commissioner Mark McCracken, who won a three-person race in the Democratic primary with about half the vote. The district leans Republican, though, and McCracken will face an uphill battle in the race.

Three GOP candidates – Glenn Thompson, Derek Walker and Matt Shaner – had at least 18 percent of the vote with 91 percent of precincts reporting. Thompson led with 19 percent.

In other Democratic primaries, businesswoman Kathy Dahlkemper won a four-person Democratic race with about 45 percent and will face Rep. Phil English (R) in November, and businessman Steve O’Donnell won a tight race with Democrat Beth Hafer in a three-candidate race to face Rep. Tim Murphy (R).

Several top GOP candidates in Pennsylvania were unopposed in the primary. Retired Marine Col. Tom Manion will face freshman Rep. Patrick Murphy (D), Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta will face Rep. Paul Kanjorski (D), and former Rep. Melissa Hart will face freshman Rep. Jason Altmire (D) in a rematch of the 2006 race that Altmire won.