PHILADELPHIA – Political veteran Bob Casey was heavily favored yesterday to win the Democratic nomination in Pennsylvania to challenge Senator Santorum, a conservative Republican, in the fall.

Pennsylvania voters also decided whether to punish state lawmakers for giving themselves a big pay raise in the middle of the night last year. Under public pressure, the legislators repealed the increases.

In Oregon, Governor Kulongoski, a Democrat, faced two rivals for the nomination for another term. And Iraq war veterans sought the Democratic nomination for Congress in Kentucky and Pennsylvania.

The 46-year-old Mr. Casey, son of the late Governor Robert Casey, now serves as Pennsylvania treasurer. He was courted by national Democratic Party leaders to take on Mr. Santorum, the Senate’s no. 3 Republican and a close ally of President Bush. The race could cost a combined $50 million.

Mr. Santorum was unopposed in the GOP primary.

Mr. Casey was expected to easily defeat two political newcomers in the Democratic primary, a Philadelphia pension lawyer, Alan Sandals, and a Philadelphia college professor, Chuck Pennacchio.

Some Democratic voters said they were more interested in picking a candidate who could defeat Mr. Santorum than in sending a message to Mr. Casey that some of his positions, like his opposition to abortion, are too conservative.

“I’m too old at this point in my life for symbolic victories,” a Philadelphian, David Hyman, 52, said.

Lynn Swann, a former Pittsburgh Steeler making his debut in Pennsylvania politics, was unopposed for the Republican nomination for governor. The former NFL star will face Governor Rendell, who had no opposition on the Democratic side.

Sixty-one incumbents in the 253-member Pennsylvania Legislature faced primary challenges yesterday, the most since 1980, including legislative leaders from both parties. Most of the challengers were recruited by PACleanSweep, a group organized at the height of the pay raise furor.