Primary season closes with positive gains for Palin wins

[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/08/18/art.palin.0524.gi.jpg caption= "Sarah Palin ended the nearly nine-month 2010 primary season on an up note last week as more of the candidates she endorsed clinched their party's nominations."]
(CNN) - Sarah Palin ended the nearly nine-month 2010 primary season on an up note last week as more of the candidates she endorsed clinched their party's nominations.

Last Tuesday's primaries saw five Palin-endorsed candidates prevail over their opponents. Kelly Ayotte won the GOP nomination for New Hampshire Senate, with a 1,667 vote-lead over Tea-Party-backed candidate Ovide Lamontagne. "Real World Boston" and "Road Rules: All-Stars" alum Sean Duffy secured the GOP nomination in Wisconsin's 7th congressional district, and Michael Grimm will be the GOP nominee in New York's 13th House district this fall. John Gomez ran unopposed for the GOP nomination in New York's 2nd House district primary race, and Christine O'Donnell upset Rep. Mike Castle after receiving a late nod from Palin five days before Delaware's GOP Senate primary.

Palin also endorsed Brian Murphy in his bid to be the GOP nominee for Maryland governor, but he lost to former Gov. Bob Ehrlich, who handily clinched the nomination.

In primary races, Sarah Palin's endorsement record has been boosted with 18 wins and 11 losses. Palin has endorsed 32 candidates who have advanced to the general election, including: 18 candidates who have won primary races with her endorsement, 6 candidates who were endorsed following their win in a primary race, and 8 candidates who ran unopposed. Her total endorsement tally numbers 44, including one failed special election bid in November of 2009. The general election will take place in 43 days.

The 2010 primary election season closed Saturday, September 18, with Hawaii's primaries, the last regularly-scheduled contests before November's general election. One additional election will be held October 2nd, when Hunt Downey and Jeff Landry will compete in a runoff election to become the GOP nominee for Louisiana's 3rd district House seat.

Race               Candidate                            Endorsement Timing     Primary Result

AL SoS           Beth Chapman                     general                        TBD

AL-02              Martha Roby                        primary                        won

AK Senate      Joe Miller                             primary                        won

AR-03             Cecile Bledsoe                     primary                        lost

AZ Senate       John McCain                        primary                        won

AZ-01              Paul Gosar                          primary                        won

CA Senate      Carly Fiorina                        primary                        won

CA-37             Star Parker                          general                        TBD

CO-03             Bob McConnell                    primary                        lost

DE Senate      Christine O'Donnell               primary                        won

FL AG             Pam Bondi                          primary                        won

FL-22              Allen West                          primary                        won

GA Gov           Karen Handel                       primary                        lost

IA Gov             Terry Branstad                     primary                        won

IA AG             Brenna Findley                     general                        TBD

ID-01               Vaughn Ward                       primary                        lost

IL-11               Adam Kinzinger                   general                        TBD

IN-02               Jackie Walorski                   general                        TBD

KS Senate      Todd Tiahrt                          primary                        lost

KY Senate      Rand Paul                           primary                        won

MD Gov           Brian Murphy                       primary                        lost

MN Gov           Tom Emmer                         general                        TBD

MN-06             Michele Bachmann               general                        TBD

MO-04            Vickie Hartzler                     general                        TBD

MS-01             Angela McGlowan                primary                        lost

NC-02             Renee Ellmers                     general                        TBD

NH Senate      Kelly Ayotte                         primary                        won

NM Gov           Susana Martinez                  primary                        won

NV Senate      Sharron Angle                      general                        TBD

NY-02             John Gomez                        primary                        TBD

NY-13             Michael Grimm                    primary                        won

NY-25             Ann Marie Buerkle                general                        TBD

NY-23 (2009)   Doug Hoffman                      special election            lost

OK Gov           Mary Fallin                          primary                        won

PA-12             Tim Burns                            primary                        lost

SC Gov           Nikki Haley                          primary                        won

SC-01             Tim Scott                            general                        TBD

TN-05              Cecilia Heil                          primary                        lost

TX Gov            Rick Perry                           primary                        won

WA Senate     Clint Didier                           primary                        lost

WA-05            Cathy McMorris Rodgers      general                        TBD

WA-02            John Koster                         primary                        won

WI-07              Sean Duffy                           primary                        won

WY Gov          Rita Meyer                           primary                        lost