Outside the Beltway

Ben Quayle Booted From Congress In Primary Loss

Doug Mataconis · Wednesday, August 29, 2012 · 3 comments

Ben Quayle, the son of former Vice-President Dan Quayle who won election to Congress two years ago, will not be returning to Congress in January:

Rep. David Schweikert (R-Ariz.) defeated fellow freshman Republican Rep. Ben Quayle Tuesday, bringing to an end one of the cycle’s most heated member-versus-member primaries.

With 94 percent of precincts reporting, Schweikert led Quayle 53 percent to 47 percent, according to the Associated Press, which called the race for Schweikert.

Arizona gained an additional House seat following the decennial redistricting process. The new lines also prompted some reshuffling among the state’s current delegation. Quayle was faced with a choice: run in the swing 9^th district or the more Republican 6^th district. He chose the latter last winter, setting off a fierce competition for the seat.

As the race progressed, House Republican leadership appeared to prefer Quayle. That prompted the anti-tax Club For Growth to warn GOP leaders not to meddle in the race on behalf of Quayle. The Club said in a letter that if leadership made it clear it was behind Quayle, it would intervene on behalf of Schweikert. On Tuesday, the Club said it was pleased that House GOP leaders did not get involved.

Quayle is the 13th incumbent booted in a primary this year, most of them by precisely the kind of incumbent-on-incumbent primary that Quayle fell victim to.