Entertainment and politics collide

Entertainment and politics collided on Tuesday with an original "Real World" cast member running for Congress in New York. Voters in five other states and the District of Columbia also faced weighty decisions, but with less star power. Nominations for House, Senate and governor were on the line. Here's a look at how some key contests played out:

In Brooklyn, longtime Rep. Edolphus Towns fended off a spirited challenge from Kevin Powell, a community activist who appeared on the first installment of the MTV reality show "Real World."

Voters on Staten Island also chose candidates to replace Rep. Vito Fossella, who stepped aside after a drunken-driving arrest led to revelations that he'd fathered a child with a woman who was not his wife. City Councilman Michael McMahon won the Democratic primary, while former state Assemblyman Bob Straniere prevailed on the Republican side.

In the Buffalo area, environmental lawyer Alice Kryzan won an upset in a heated Democratic primary to replace one-time GOP power broker Rep. Tom Reynolds, who is retiring. Kryzan beat Iraq war veteran Jon Powers and millionaire Jack Davis, who received much more attention as they savaged each other.

A congressman who has represented Milwaukee's wealthy suburbs for nearly 30 years easily won his first test for re-election Tuesday. U.S. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, a conservative and powerful Republican who receives high marks from the anti-tax National Taxpayers Union, defeated newcomer Jim Burkee of Cedarburg, a 40-year-old college history professor, in District 5's GOP primary election.

Burkee campaigned on a promise of "change for a better America," reflecting the message now proclaimed by both parties' presidential candidates.

With 96 of 386 precincts reporting, Sensenbrenner had 13,760 votes, or 79 percent, and Burkee had 3,623, or 21 percent.

New Hampshire's two House seats, now held by Democrats, were also in play. Former Rep. Jeb Bradley earned the Republican nod in one primary; Jennifer Horn, who put motherhood at the top of her résumé, defeated four Republicans in the other race.

State treasurer Jack Markell won the most expensive gubernatorial primary in the state's history, beating Lt. Gov. John Carney. Markell, a Democrat, will face retired judge Bill Lee, who clinched the Republican primary.

Rep. Peter Welch, the state's only House member, won the Democratic primary. Welch has no Republican opposition but will face Progressive and Liberty Union candidates in November.

Sen. Jack Reed, a West Point graduate and former Army Ranger, beat perennial candidate Christopher Young, who raised no money to match Reed's $3.8 million campaign fund, to seek a third term.

Former mayor Marion Barry easily held off four challengers seeking his City Council seat in the Democratic primary. Barry is expected to win a second four-year term in November in the overwhelmingly Democratic city.