The only candidate with support from CULAC, CUNA's politicalaction committee, who had a Super Tuesday contest won, knocking alongtime liberal icon out of the House of Representatives.

Democrat Marcy Kaptur, representing the currently drawn OhioNinth District, defeated fellow Democrat DennisKucinich for the seat representing the newly drawn OhioNinth District.

Kucinich, a former Cleveland mayor, has represented the currentTenth Congressional District since 1997. Kaptur is thelongest-serving woman in the U.S. House, representing herToledo-based district since 1983.

After Ohio lost one congressional seat due to the 2010 census, aRepublican-dominated legislature redrew the district maps to pitthe two long-term Democratic lawmakers against each other.

CULAC had contributed at least $5,000, the limit for a primaryrace, to Kaptur for the contest, according to Trey Hawkins, CUNA'svice president for political affairs.

CUNA's political staff said it was backing Kaptur because, while both had been supportive ofcredit unions, Kaptur had been more supportive.

“Kaptur has stepped out for credit unions on a number ofissues,” explained Richard Gose, senior vice president forpolitical affairs for CUNA.

The race pit Kucinich's national reputation for supportingliberal causes (he had been a presidential candidate in 2004 and2008) versus Kaptur's larger base in the new district (CUNA staffcited reports that 47% of the new district came from Kaptur's Ninthand 34% from Kucinich's Tenth).

The race became steadily more shrill, according to mediareports. Both local and national media outlets reported that Kapturaccused Kucinich of becoming more interested in attracting nationalattention than representing his Ohio constituents.

A local media outlet also noted that her campaign ran radio adssuggesting Kucinich would abandon the Cleveland area just as theCleveland Browns football team and basketball star LeBron Jamesdid.

Media outlets also reported that Kucinich accused Kaptursupporters of stealing his bright yellow “Dennis!” yard lawn signs,a charge she denied, and that he criticized her for acceptingdonations from defense contractors.

Kaptur will face Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher (aka Joe thePlumber) in November as Wurzelbacher barely won his primary contestagainst little-known auctioneer Steve Kraus.

Wurzelbacher came to national attention in October 2008 after heobjected as Joe the Plumber to then-candidate Barack Obama's planto let the Bush tax cuts expire for those making $250,000 or more.Subsequent reporting indicated that he did not have plumber'slicense and he later accused John McCain's presidential campaign oftrying to “use” him in an election ploy.

Credit union trade groups had not taken a position on the twoother Ohio congressional races with March 6 primaries. Ohio was theonly state with legislative races at issue on that day.