Wash. Post article claimed primary election results -- including one Democratic victory and several Republican losses -- signal trouble for incumbents of both parties

In a May 18 Washington Post article, staff writers Dan Balz and Chris Cillizza asserted that the results of primary elections held May 16 in Oregon and Pennsylvania, which saw several Pennsylvania Republican state legislators ousted, "were the latest signals of brewing unrest that could threaten incumbents of both parties in the November elections." However, of the primary results reported in the article, the only one involving a Democrat was Oregon state Gov. Ted Kulongoski, who won his primary election by 54 percent of the vote.

Balz and Cillizza asserted that the results in that race indicated that Kulongoski may be vulnerable in the November elections. No other Democratic primary results were discussed in the article. While the article noted that incumbent Rep. Don Sherwood (R-PA) won 56 percent of his primary vote, signaling a potential vulnerability, it also noted that "more than a dozen" Republican members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly were defeated, including Senate Majority Leader David J. Brightbell and Senate President Pro Tempore Robert C. Jubelirer.

In further support of their assertion that Tuesday's results signaled potential election woes for incumbents from both parties, Balz and Cillizza cited the latest Washington Post/ABC News poll, released May 16, which found that 55 percent of respondents indicated that they are inclined to consider a new Congressional candidate, while 35 percent said they preferred to vote for an incumbent. However, the Post report omitted other findings from the same poll showing that, were the elections held today, respondents would be more likely to vote Democratic by a margin of 52 percent to 40 percent.

The poll also asked respondents which party they would they like to see in control of Congress after the congressional elections, regardless of their own local race -- respondents preferred Democrats by an even wider margin: 56 percent to 33 percent. Further, a separate analysis of the poll published in the May 17 edition of the Post, written by Balz and staff writer Richard Morin, noted that "Democrats are now favored to handle all 10 issues measured in the Post-ABC News poll."

From the May 18 Washington Post article:

Pennsylvania voters dumped two Republican leaders in the state Senate and scared a GOP member of Congress, while Oregon voters sent a warning they are unhappy with the Democratic governor.

Cumulatively, the results Tuesday were the latest signals of brewing unrest that could threaten incumbents of both parties in the November elections.

In Oregon, Gov. Ted Kulongoski (D) won his primary election but claimed just 54 percent of the vote. He is one of several Democratic executives who face tough reelection contests in a year when Democrats are generally optimistic about their prospects in U.S. House and Senate races. Other embattled Democrats include Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle and Michigan Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm.

[...]

But there are signs of broader disaffection. A new Washington Post-ABC News poll found that 55 percent of those surveyed said they are inclined to look around for someone new rather than support their incumbent members of Congress this fall, the highest level of anti-incumbency since the 1994 midterm elections that dethroned Democrats on Capitol Hill.

[...]

Among U.S. House primaries in Pennsylvania, Republican Rep. Don Sherwood's primary victory with 56 percent of the vote over a little-known and underfunded opponent signaled that his admission of an extramarital affair had damaged his standing and makes him vulnerable to a Democrat in November.