VOA常速英语2014--共和党初选结果事关国会控制权（在线收听）

Outcome of Republican Primaries Key for Control of Congress 共和党初选结果事关国会控制权

BOWLING GREEN, KENTUCKY — Republicans in a number of U.S. states head to the polls in coming weeks to vote in primary elections to pick the party's candidate for November's midterm elections.  The primaries in some of these states are seen as a test of the conservative Tea Party movement, which has been influential in Republican party politics since scoring significant victories in the 2010 midterms.

今后几个星期，美国很多州的共和党人将前往投票站进行初选，推举本党候选人参加11月的中期选举。其中一些州的初选被视为对保守的茶党运动的一次考验。自从2010年的中期选举大有斩获后，茶党在共和党内部一直发挥着举足轻重的影响。

In Kentucky, Senate Republican Minority leader Mitch McConnell faces a primary challenge from a Tea Party-backed candidate. But, waning enthusiasm for some of the Tea Party candidates could affect the outcome of these races with party control of Congress next year hanging in the balance.

在肯塔基州，参议院少数党领袖米奇·麦康奈尔面对来自茶党支持的候选人的挑战。不过，中期选举事关两党对国会的控制权，因为某些茶党候选人的超高人气已在衰退，这可能影响选举的结果。

Conservative Kentucky businessman Matt Bevin has forged a well-traveled path throughout Kentucky in his bid for the U.S. Senate. He says he hears the same concerns among voters across the state.

立场保守的肯塔基商人马特·贝文走遍了肯塔基州，角逐联邦参议员席位。他说，所到之处，他都听到选民们表达同样的担忧。

“They’re worried about the economy. They are worried about their ability to maintain their own jobs, let alone their children and grandchildren," said Bevin.

他说：“他们担心经济。他们担心能否保住自己的工作，更不用说他们的孩子和孙辈的就业了。”

Those are the concerns of Bowling Green, Kentucky voters such as Brian and Claudia Strow, who are looking for a candidate that can best bring job growth to Kentucky.

肯塔基州鲍灵格林的选民，比如布赖恩和克劳迪娅·斯特罗夫妇就有这样的担忧。他们希望候选人能给肯塔基带来更多的就业机会。

“Our unemployment rate is still much higher than the national average, it is 7.9 percent here in March. People are looking around trying to ask what kind of government policies might be conducive to job creation," said Claudia Strow.

布赖恩说：“我们的失业率仍然比全国平均值高出很多，3月份是7.9%。人们环顾四周，想知道政府能有什么政策来促进就业。”

Bevin is popular among conservative Tea Party voters who were key to midterm election wins nationwide in 2010 that changed the balance of power in the U.S. House of Representatives.

贝文在保守的茶党选民中很受欢迎。这些人是共和党2010年全国中期选举获胜的关键。那次选举改变了国会众议院的权力平衡。

Their concerns: what they see as government intrusion into their lives, especially President Obama's health care reform law.

他们担心的是，政府角色不断扩大，侵入他们的生活，奥巴马总统的医改法尤其让他们不满。

Republican Senate candidate in the Midwest state of Iowa, Matt Whitaker, says four years later, conservative voter outrage over President Obama's health care reform continues.

在中西部的爱奥华州，共和党参议员候选人马特·惠特克说，四年之后，保守派选民对奥巴马医改的怒火仍在燃烧。

Whitake: “It’s probably the number one issue on the minds of a lot of voters."

惠特克说：“这可能是很多选民脑子里的头号问题。”

Reporter: "Why?"

记者：“为什么？”

Whitaker: "Just because. It’s having a significant impact on people’s lives.”

惠特克：“就是如此。它对人们的生活有重大影响。”

But it might not be enough of an impact to draw out as many voters this midterm election cycle, says University of Kentucky Professor Al Cross.

不过，肯塔基大学新闻学院教授阿尔·克罗斯说，这种影响力可能还大不到吸引很多选民参见今年中期选举的程度。

“I think there is some fatigue among people who were all energized by the Tea Party," said Cross.

他说：“我觉得，那些完全是被茶党激励起来的人已经产生某种疲倦感了。”

Such as in North Carolina, where the Republican establishment candidate recently defeated Tea Party rivals to win his party's Senate nomination.

北卡罗莱纳州就是一个例子。北卡的共和党建制派的候选人击败了茶党的对手，赢得了本党参议员候选人提名。

Yet it's a different story in Nebraska, where Tea Party backing helped Ben Sasse win the Republican Senate primary.

不过，在内布拉斯加州，情况又不一样了。茶党的支持帮助本·萨斯赢得了共和党参议员初选。

But in Kentucky, despite Tea Party support, Matt Bevin trails incumbent Republican Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell in polling, even though McConnell’s approval ratings are very low.

然而在肯塔基州，虽有茶党支持，马特·贝文的民调数字却落后于现任共和党籍参议员、参议院少数党领袖麦康奈尔。虽然麦康奈尔的支持率很低，还是压贝文一头。

“McConnell, interestingly enough, had about the same job approval numbers as Obama, in one of the polls early in the race. There’s just not a great reservoir of love for Mitch McConnell," said Cross.

克罗斯说：“有意思的是，在竞选之初的一次民调中，对麦康奈尔的工作表现满意度跟奥巴马一样低，人们并没有多么深深热爱米奇·麦康奈尔。”

If McConnell does win the primary, the race against his likely Democratic challenger in November's general election could be one of the toughest of McConnell’s career.

如果麦康奈尔拿下初选，他将在11月的大选中面对民主党挑战者，这可能是他平生最艰难的选战之一。

“It matters, because he is the leader of the Republicans, and he is the most vulnerable Republican incumbent by far," explained Cross.

克罗斯说：“这很重要。因为他是共和党的领袖。现任共和党议员中地位最岌岌可危就是他了。”

It is a seat Cross says Republicans need to win in their national strategy to secure a majority in the U.S. Senate. And this could hinge on whether Tea Party-backed candidates help or hinder Republicans in achieving this goal.

克罗斯说，共和党人不能输掉肯塔基州的参议员席位，因为他们的全国战略是拿下参议院的多数党地位。成败与否，取决于茶党支持的各路候选人究竟是助力还是阻力？