Brown Survives Close Primary Race, Frascanio Advances To General Election

Brown Fends Off Strong Challenge From Bryan Kim

VRISTO COLONADO, TRI--The Golden Shore was a hot-bed of political activity Thursday night, with two high-profile races being decided by small margins.

The first race saw incumbent Senator Brian Brown of Wilmington face-off against fellow conservative and businessman Bryan Kim, of southwestern Trinton. Brown, chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, has been embattled after his seemingly slow response to a series of small plane crashes his committee was assigned to investigate earlier this year.

Nationalists and conservatives criticized Brown for his lack of urgency in the investigation process. Kim's attacks against Brown primarily centered around the senator's controversy with the transportation comittee.

In the end, however, the voters rejected Kim's message of change and his decidedly more conservative tilt. Brown barely escaped the primary with just 51.94% to Kim's 48.06%.

"Brian Brown will now advance to the general election, but the fact that nearly half of his party's voters didn't support him in the primary has got to be troubling for him," says Trinton University political science professor George Rutherford.

Polling data shows Brown did well in central Trinton and along the northern coast, while Kim was strongest in the western and southern parts of the state.

At a campaign celebration in Wilmington, Senator Brown told supporters he was "honored" the voters are sending him to the general election and said there is "still a lot of work to be done."

In the state's other Senate race, Reps. George Reedsworth of Wilmington and Kelsey Frascanio of Trinton (city) challenged each other for the seat being vacated by CNS Sen. Richard C. Parker. Reedsworth, a moderate, argued his 30-plus years of experience, particularly on military issues, prepared him for the House. Frascanio countered her youth and energy would bring a new feel to the House. She also pushed her gender, as a woman has never been elected to the House of Delegates from the state of Trinton.

"This is an historic opportunity for the people of Trinton to elect a woman to the House of Delegates," Frascanio told WTRI-TV back in June. "But I want the people of Trinton to elect me because I'm the better candidate, not just because I'm a woman."

Reedsworth is respected state-wide for his experience and his national-security credentials. Frascanio is likewise admired, though she has a more conservative voting record.

Last month, Reedsworth landed the endorsement of the out-going Parker. However, last-minute endorsements from Sen. Greg Baxter and Rep. Cathy Mace may have put Frascanio over the top.

According to polling results, Frascanio narrowly beat out Reedsworth, taking 51.28% to Reedsworth's 48.72%, a difference of just 18,451 votes.

"It was a hell of a race," Reedsworth told the Golden Shore Tribune newspaper. "Kelsey gave it her all and I gave it my all and she won. I congratulate her."

Trinton's Secretary of State, Trip Kellet, says voter turnout was at 46%. An estimated 1.4 million Trintonians took part in Thursday's primary.

Brown and Frascanio will now advance to the general election. Brown will face NAT banker Tim Blakewell of Wilmington. Frascanio will face NAT two opponents: Sandi Allen, a real-estate broker from Ocean City, and Paul Whitton, an economics professor from University of Trinton, who is running as a Liberal-Democrat.

GNN News' Political Team rates the Brown/Blakewell race as "leans NAT," and rates Frascanio/Allen/Whitton as "No Clear Favorite," the most competetive rating.