A former Republican congressman narrowly beat his Democratic rival early yesterday for the House seat once held by jailed Randy “Duke” Cunningham, a race closely watched as a possible early barometer of next fall’s vote.

Republican Brian Bilbray emerged victorious after a costly and contentious special election race against Democrat Francine Busby, a local school board member.

With all precincts reporting, Mr. Bilbray had 60,319 votes, or 49%, while Ms. Busby had 55,578 votes, or 45%.

“I think that we’re going back to Washington,” Mr. Bilbray told cheering supporters.

The race – one of dozens of contests Tuesday in eight states – was viewed by Democrats as an opportunity to capture a solidly Republican district and build momentum on their hopes to capture control of the House.

Also in California, State Treasurer Phil Angelides narrowly beat Controller Steve Westly in the state’s gubernatorial primary. He next faces Governor Schwarzenegger, a Republican who faced no credible opposition in his party’s nomination.

Mr. Angelides had 980,065 votes, or 48%, to Mr. Westly’s 888,948 votes, or 43%, with all precincts reporting.

“You’ve given me a chance to fight for you, for the California of our dreams, and I will not let you down,” Mr. Angelides said while his supporters chanted, “Go, Phil, go!”

The race proved long on negative ads and short on excitement and attention, giving the Republican governor a timely lift as he publicly launched his reelection drive yesterday.

Elsewhere, Governor Riley of Alabama easily beat back a GOP primary challenge from Judge Roy Moore, while a Democratic former governor, Don Siegelman – who campaigned while on trial on corruption charges – lost his comeback fight against Lieutenant Governor Lucy Baxley. Also in Alabama, voters passed a ban on gay marriage by a 4-to-1 margin.

Mr. Riley said voters saw state government has changed while he has been in office. “People appreciated the difference in the level of corruption we had in the past and the corruption we don’t have today,” he said. His challenger, Judge Moore, the former state chief justice who became a hero to the religious right in 2003 when he was ousted after refusing to remove the Ten Commandments monument from the state judicial building, said: “God’s will has been done.”

Ms. Baxley is trying to become Alabama’s second female governor. The state’s first, Lurleen Wallace, was elected in 1966 as a stand-in for her husband.

“There was a time in this state when I could not have stood here, in spite of how hard I worked, because of gender. Tonight proves that is gone forever,” Ms. Baxley told cheering supporters.

Another Washington corruption case figured in Montana’s primary, where Senator Burns, a Republican, won the nomination for a fourth term. After his ties to a disgraced lobbyist, Jack Abramoff, became known, Mr. Burns saw his popularity fall. But he beat several primary challengers and won nearly three-quarters of the vote. His Democratic challenger in the fall will be the state Senate president, Jon Tester.

In Iowa, the retirement of a two-term Democratic governor, Tom Vilsack, set off a wide-open race. Secretary of State Chet Culver will face Rep. Jim Nussle, a Republican, in the fall.