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GOP Establishment Gets Its Man in N.C.'s 7th District, but Goes to Runoff in 8th

By Scott Bland // May 8, 2012 | 11:19 p.m.

The proxy battle between conservative PACs got a two-month extension in North Carolina's 8th District Tuesday night, as establishment Republican Richard Hudson and Club for Growth-backed Scott Keadle advanced to a GOP primary runoff.

The Associated Press called the runoff at 11:15 p.m. With 99 percent of precincts reporting, Hudson led Keadle 32 percent to 22 percent, with three other candidates splitting the remainder.

Hudson, a former aide and chief of staff to multiple House Republicans, mined the Hill for donations and got about $75,000 worth of independent expenditure support from the YG Action Fund, a super PAC run by former aides to House Majority Leader Eric Cantor. The Club for Growth poured over $264,000 into the primary campaign on Keadle's behalf.

Hudson and Keadle are battling for the right to face Democratic Rep. Larry Kissell in a reshaped, GOP-friendly district that Republicans see as one of their best pickup opportunities in the country. Meanwhile, national Republicans breathed a sigh of relief as state Sen. David Rouzer dispatched 2010 nominee Ilario Pantano in the 7th District. Rouzer was seen as the stronger candidate to oppose Democratic Rep. Mike McIntyre in another GOP-friendly seat, but Pantano's name recognition from a previous run was nearly too high a barrier. The Associated Press called the race for Rouzer after 11 p.m. With 98 percent of precincts reporting, Rouzer led Pantano 49 percent to 44 percent.