Palin goes 0-for-2 on primary night

[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/07/29/art.gi.palinfile.jpg caption ="Palin's endorsements have yet to produce victories in August so far."]

(CNN) – It hasn't been the greatest of months for Sarah Palin when it comes to her political star power.

The two candidates Palin backed in Tuesday's primaries lost their bids, making the former Alaska governor 0-for-5 when it comes to endorsements this month.

In Washington State, Palin had backed Tea Party activist Clint Didier in his bid for the Senate over businessman Dino Rossi, the favorite of national Republicans.

In making her endorsement of Didier last May, Palin said the Tea Party favorite had "inspired" her, and hailed him as a "patriot running for U.S. Senate to serve his state & our country for all the right reasons!"

Palin went on to record a robocall for Didier, telling voters that "unlike establishment candidates who just talk about lower taxes, Clint has signed a pledge to do so."

But Rossi easily beat Diddier in Tuesday's primary, besting the former NFL player by more than 20 points.

Palin's candidate also lost out in the Wyoming gubernatorial primary on Tuesday. There, the former vice presidential nominee backed what she referred to as a "Mama Grizzly," State Auditor Rita Meyer.

"Voters know that Rita has a unique blend of steel magnolia and mama grizzly," Palin wrote on her Facebook page in July.

Meyer ultimately lost her bid to U.S. Attorney Matthew Mead by fewer than 1,000 votes, according to the Wyoming secretary of state.

Ultimately, Palin put little effort into either race beyond a few sentences expressing support on her Facebook and Twitter pages. Still, the endorsements made big news in the local races and were often touted by the campaigns.

But Palin's 0-2 showing follows a bigger disappointment last Tuesday, when her hand-picked gubernatorial candidate in Georgia, Karen Handel, lost to fellow Republican Nathan Deal in a close election.

Palin had put most of her efforts into that race, appearing with Handel at campaign rally just hours before the vote.

Palin-backed candidates Rep. Todd Tiahrt, who was vying for Senate in Kansas - and Tennessee congressional candidate CeCe Heil also lost their bids earlier this month.

Palin's next tests come Tuesday when Alaska, Arizona and Florida hold their primary votes. In Alaska, Palin has backed Joe Miller in his long shot bid to defeat Republican Senate incumbent Lisa Murkowski. In Arizona, Palin went with Sen. John McCain in his Senate primary bid against former Rep. J.D. Hayworth. And in Florida, Palin has picked Republican candidate Marco Rubio in that state's Senate race.

UPDATE: Two congressional candidates Palin endorsed in Washington did advance in Tuesday's primaries: John Koster in Washington's 2nd District and Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers in Washington's 5th District. Koster was the runner up in Washington's open primary to incumbent Democrat Rick Larsen, meaning the two will face off in November. McMorris Rodgers did not face a serious opponent.