ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Political newcomer Allen McCulloch won the Republican primary for U.S. Senate on Tuesday to face Democratic incumbent Jeff Bingaman in November, and former legislator Gary King won a three-way Democratic race for attorney general. Bernalillo County Clerk Mary Herrera won a four-way contest for the Democratic nomination for secretary of state — spoiling a potential comeback for two former officeholders seeking to return to the job. With 89 percent of the precincts reporting in the Republican primary, the unofficial count showed McCulloch, a Farmington physician, with 52 percent of the votes, 31 percent for state Sen. Joseph Carraro of Albuquerque and 17 percent for David Pfeffer. Bingaman was unopposed in the primary and enjoyed a big fundraising advantage over McCulloch at the start of the general election campaign. “We’re just going to continue with the same basic issues that made me willing to take the risk to jump in the race,” McCulloch said in a telephone interview from Farmington. He listed education, health care and tort reform and energy issues as key to his victory. In the Democratic contest for attorney general, King had 46 percent of the vote, 32 percent for Geno Zamora and 21 percent for Lemuel Martinez. Republican Jim Bibb was unopposed in his party’s primary for attorney general. Jeff Armijo won the Democratic nomination for auditor. He had 62 percent of the vote to 38 percent for Thomas Bruckner. Armijo, who owns a travel agency, will run in the general election against Daniel Alvarez of Albuquerque, who had no opponent in the GOP primary. Democratic incumbent Domingo Martinez could not run for re-election. In the Democratic secretary of state’s race, Herrera won with 39 percent to 29 percent for former Secretary of State Stephanie Gonzales. Shirley Hooper, also a former secretary of state, had 20 percent and 12 percent went to Letitia Montoya of Santa Fe. In the general election, Herrera faces Republican Vickie Perea, a former Albuquerque city councilor who had no primary opponent. Democratic incumbent Rebecca Vigil-Giron could not run for a third consecutive term. In the race for the Democratic nomination for land commissioner, Jim Baca led with 52 percent of the votes to 48 percent for Ray Powell. Both formerly held the position. Republican incumbent Pat Lyons was unopposed in the primary. The most expensive contested primary race was for the Democratic nomination for attorney general. The three Democrats had spent more than $1.3 million on their campaigns heading into Election Day. King, of Moriarty, is the son of New Mexico’s longest-serving governor, Bruce King. Martinez, of Grants, has been a district attorney since 2001. Zamora, of Santa Fe, was Richardson’s chief legal counsel in 2003-2005. Incumbent Attorney General Patricia Madrid was term limited. She ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination in the Albuquerque-area 1st Congressional District, a seat held by incumbent Republican Heather Wilson, who also had no primary opponent. Turnout was very light and could drop to a record low because of a relatively quiet campaign season and many unopposed races. “It’s one of the slowest ones I’ve seen because there’s no really heated contest,” said Harold Hazen, a poll worker in Albuquerque for eight years. Top-of-the-ticket races, such as for governor, typically draw voters to the polls by generating statewide attention to an election, although hotly contested local contests can help attract voter interest. Neither Democratic Gov. Bill Richardson or Republican J.R. Damron had ballot opponents, although each faced token challenges from write-in candidates. Four years ago — the most recent gubernatorial election cycle when the same assortment of state offices were on the ballot — only 34 percent of eligible voters cast ballots in the primary election. Brian Sanderoff, an Albuquerque pollster, expects lower turnout in this primary. The worst primary turnout in state history came two years when 23 percent of eligible voters cast ballots during a presidential election year. But statewide offices like governor, attorney general or secretary of state weren’t on the ballot. That primary also was unique because Democrats had no presidential primary contest. The party held a first-ever presidential preference caucus months earlier. President Bush also ran unopposed in the GOP primary. On the Net: Secretary of State: www.sos.state.nm.us