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Despite what was thought to be some tough competition in a few races, five House incumbents from Georgia all cruised to victory over primary challengers on Tuesday.

The most notable race was that of Rep. John Lewis of the 5th district in Atlanta, who faced his first primary challenge in 16 years. Lewis, the civil rights leader who has been in Congress since 1987, had received criticism in his district for his initial support of Sen. Hillary Clinton instead of Barack Obama in the Democratic primary. Two younger black candidates -- Rev. Markel Hutchins and state Rep. "Able" Mable Thomas -- challenged Lewis in the primary, but Lewis won with about 70 percent of the vote. He is unopposed in the general election.

The other notable Democratic race was in the 12th district in Eastern Georgia, where Rep. John Barrow defeated state Sen. Regina Thomas with about three-quarters of the vote. As we wrote about earlier in this space, this race was significant because Obama endorsed and recorded a radio ad for Barrow, a white centrist Democrat, over the more liberal black challenger, Thomas, in a district that is 42 percent black. But Barrow, who won his 2006 race by less than 1000 votes, can't rest easy now – he now faces Republican John Stone, a former congressional aide who won the GOP primary.

On the Republican side, the most notable race was that of Rep. Paul Broun in the 10th district in northeast Georgia. Broun, who first won his seat in a special election last year, easily defeated state Rep. Barry Fleming, despite the fact that the challenger had much of the party establishment behind him. Broun is favored to win over Democrat Bobby Saxon in November.

In other Georgia races, Democrats Rep. Jim Marshall and Rep. David Scott also defeated primary challengers. And no Democrats got the needed 50 percent in a Democratic primary for the right to take on incumbent Republican Sen. Saxby Chambliss. So there now will be an Aug. 5 runoff election between DeKalb County Chief Executive Officer Vernon Jones and former state lawmaker Jim Martin.

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Georgia Congressman John Lewis will switch his super delegate vote to support Barack Obama. In a statement released this afternoon, Lewis said he had reached his decision to relfect the wishes of his consituents. Obama won Lewis' district overwhelmingly. Lewis had endorsed Hillary Clinton early in the campaign.

"After taking some time for serious reflection on this issue, I have decided that when I cast my vote as a superdelegate at the Democratic convention, it is my duty as a representative of the 5th Congressional District to express the will of the people," Lewis said in the statement. "As a U.S. representative, it is my role not to try to subdue or suppress the will of the people, but to help it prosper and grow."

More: "Something is happening in America. There is a movement, there is a spirit, there is an enthusiasm in the hearts and minds of the American people that I have not seen in a long time, since the candidacy of Robert Kennedy. The people are pressing for a new day in American politics, and I think they see Sen. Barack Obama as a symbol of that change.” Lewis said his decision was difficult. "I have a deep and abiding love for both Sen. Clinton and President Clinton," he said.

Lewis stirred up confusion earlier this month when he said he was leaning toward supporting Obama after having endorsed Clinton early on in the campaign process. Lewis' office called a report that he was switching his support inaccurate at the time.

Senior Clinton spokesman Doug Hattaway told CBS News that Clinton "respects him enormously and respects his decisions."

North Dakota Senator Byron Dorgan endorsed Barack Obama in the Democratic primary contest today, telling reporters in a conference call hosted by the campaign that the Illinois Senator is the candidate "who has really inspired the American people to become a part of something bigger than ourselves and to try to move this country in a different direction."

Dorgan discussed their joint work on trade and jobs, noting that Obama has "never felt that NAFTA was good for America" (are you listening Ohio?). Obama won North Dakota's caucuses with 61 percent of the vote and Dorgan said his success in states like his gave Democrats hope of competing in all 50 states this fall. One more super delegate for Obama.

There has been quite a bit of confusion over whether or not U.S. Rep. John Lewis, a highly respected civil rights leader, has shifted his support from Hillary Clinton, whom he had long backed, to Barack Obama.

The New York Times ran a front-page story today saying Lewis now "tilts to Obama." The story claimed that Lewis "planned to cast his vote as a superdelegate for Senator Barack Obama in hopes of preventing a fight at the Democratic convention."

But the Clinton campaign is now circulating a story in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution suggesting the Times report "is not accurate." The Washington Post has a similar report in which a Lewis spokesperson says he "has left the option of changing his superdelegate support for Clinton on the table, but made no decisions."

Why are people so concerned with Lewis' opinion? It has a lot to do with Obama's recent emergence as Democratic front-runner. The Democratic establishment still largely backs the formerly "inevitable" first lady, but with Obama's recent run that support is shaky.

There is a sense that the defection of the enormously well-respected Lewis could open the door for other Democrats to switch sides as well. And in a race that could come down to the opinions of the superdelegates, a group largely comprised of party insiders, such a shift could decide the nomination.

The big endorsement of the day may be Tommy Thompson's backing of Rudy Giuliani, but it's also worth noting civil-rights pioneer Rep. John Lewis's decision to back Hillary Clinton.

The Hillary team trumpeted the news in a press release.

“I have looked at all the candidates, and I believe that Hillary Clinton is the best prepared to lead this country at a time when we are in desperate need of strong leadership,” Lewis said. “She will restore a greater sense of community in America, and reclaim our standing in the world.”

The fact that Lewis, a Georgia congressman who was director of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and a victim of police brutality during a 1961 civil rights march, decided not to back Barack Obama is a setback for the Obama campaign.