Primaries 2010: Linda McMahon, Michael Bennet, Tom Emmer Win; Georgia Race Is Tight

WASHINGTON, Aug. 10, 2010 -- Two candidates who were viewed as the choice of establishment Washington scored narrow victories in tough primaries Tuesday night. One candidate with ties to Washington, but an outsider aura and the backing of the tea party, won in Colorado. And in Connecticut, a former wrestling executive won a smackdown victory.

In the war of big-name endorsements, President Obama prevailed over former President Clinton. The jury is still out on the divide between Sarah Palin and the NRA.

2010 Election Maps: Follow the Senate, House and Governors' Races

Palin's last-minute campaign trip to Georgia Monday to lift one of her "mama grizzlies," former Georgia secretary of state Karen Handel, seemed unsuccessful, at least as of the late evening Tuesday. Handel trailed former Rep. Nathan Deal with more than 90 percent of the ballots counted in the race for Georgia's Republican gubernatorial nomination. But the difference between the two was about one percent.

Handel is entitled to a recount under state law if the final difference between the two is one percent or less.

Speaking to supporters just before 11 p.m., Handel noted "a lot of absentee ballots" remain outstanding. She urged the crowd to keep their fingers crossed, "keep the faith, be optimistic and party on!"

Deal had the backing of the NRA and some other potential 2012 presidential candidates in Mike Huckabee and Newt Gingrich, both of whom campaigned for him.

More on the 2010 Races in Georgia

Keep track of Sarah Palin's Election Scorecard here.

In Colorado, Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet was a more decisive victor in the primary for his seat. Bennet was the White House's favored candidate even though he was appointed to the Senate and had never seen his name on an election ballot before tonight.

Bennet withstood a bruising primary challenge from Andrew Romanoff, the former Colorado house speaker who was endorsed by former President Bill Clinton.

Clinton, who knows Romanoff personally, did not actively campaign in Colorado, but he did record a last-minute robo-call for Romanoff. Bennet had 54 percent of the vote to Romanoff's 45 percent with 65 percent of precincts reporting.