Two long-standing political stalwarts who were expected to face defeat in primary elections held on to their seats in a night of unexpected turnarounds yesterday. Six-term Senator Thad Cochran of Mississippi edged out tea party-backed challenger Chris McDaniel in a bruising, costly Republican runoff that pitted Washington clout against Tea Party values and an insistence on conservative purity. In New York's Harlem and upper Manhattan, 84-year-old Democratic Representative Charles Rangel, a 22-term congressman and the third-most-senior member of the House, celebrated after leading the vote 47 to 44 per cent - but his challenger refused to concede. Scroll down for video
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Incumbents and moderates claimed victory in Tuesday's primaries in Mississippi, Oklahoma, New York, Colorado, Maryland and Florida
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Six-term Mississippi Senator Thad Cochran maintained his party's support in a nail-biting primary runoff against Tea Party-backed Chris McDaniel
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U.S. Representative Charles Rangel, the third most senior member of the House, won his primary in New York City's Harlem and upper Manhattan
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Rangel led competitor Adraino Espaillat 47 to 44 per cent Tuesday night, but Espaillat refused to concede saying the race was 'too close to call'
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In the Oklahoma Republican Senate race, Representative James Lankford beat Sarah Palin and Ted Cruz-supported TW Shannon
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Meanwhile in Colorado, uber-conservative Tom Tancredo lost the Republican party primary to run for governor
@placeholder had railed against the federal 'spending sprees' by Cochran but his calls to slash the budget unnerved some voters.