JACKSON (AP) — Tea party candidates were unable to dent the popularity of Mississippi’s congressional Republicans in voting Tuesday, and former Greenville Mayor Heather McTeer fared no better in her Democratic primary race against longtime U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson.

U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, a Tupelo Republican, and Mississippi’s four U.S. House members breezed to victory in their Tuesday party primaries, setting up November races in which each will be heavily favored.

The closest race involving an incumbent was in north Mississippi’s 1st district. First-term U.S. Rep. Alan Nunnelee of Tupelo won a comfortable majority over Henry Ross of Eupora and Robert Estes of Southaven in north Mississippi’s 1st District. Ross and Estes, though, were holding Nunnelee under 60 percent, while the other races involving incumbents were walkovers.

Wicker was so secure that he barely campaigned. On Friday, when speaking at a Rotarian convention in Jackson, he only indirectly alluded to the fact he was on the ballot. He defeated E. Allen Hathcock of Stewart and Robert Maloney of Madison, barely having to tap his $2.1 million war chest.

Wicker will face Albert N. Gore Jr. of Starkville, who won the Democratic primary against Will Oatis of Silver Creek and Roger Weiner of Clarksdale.

Thomas Cramer of the Constitution Party and Shawn O’Hara of the Reform Party also are on November’s Senate general election ballot.

Ross and Estes criticized Nunnelee, saying he hadn’t done enough to cut federal spending. The 53-year-old Nunnelee said he wanted to do more, but disagreed with claims that he had betrayed his promises or hadn’t been conservative enough. In November, the Republican nominee will face Democrat Brad Morris of Oxford, Libertarian Danny Bedwell of Columbus, Reform Party member Chris Potts and Constitution Party member Jim Bourland.

Nunnelee and the other Republicans, already were looking forward to November and focusing on President Barack Obama and overturning the federal health care law.

“Do we want to continue the failed policies of two years ago?” Nunnelee asked. “Or do we want someone who will go back to Washington and fight to cut spending and repeal Obamacare?”

The Republican congressional primaries in the 4th and 3rd districts were fought along similar lines, although challengers there were less competitive.

U.S. Rep. Steven Palazzo, also in his first term, rolled past challengers Ron Vincent and Cindy Burleson, both of Hattiesburg. Palazzo, a 42-year-old Biloxi resident, will face Michael Herrington, who decisively defeated Jason Vitofsky of Gulfport in the Democratic primary. Reform Party member Robert W. Claunch of Diamondhead will also be on the November ballot. Like Nunnelee, he said his general election campaign will be focused on achieving Republican goals that have been largely thwarted so far.

“We’ve got a lot of unfinished business,” Palazzo said.

In central Mississippi’s 3rd District, U.S. Rep. Gregg Harper of Pearl defeated Republican challenger Robert J. Allen, a Starkville tea party activist.

“We all have the same goals of reduced spending and balancing the budget,” Harper said.

Harper, 55, will seek a third term in the House in November against Democrat Crystal Biggs of Florence and Reform Party member John “Luke” Pannell.

Mississippi’s lone congressional Democrat, U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson of Bolton, continues to march toward a 10th term. He beat former Greenville Mayor Heather McTeer in the 2nd district, which includes the Delta region and much of the city of Jackson.

Thompson said he believed voters were persuaded by his commitment to constituent service and seniority. In the general election, Thompson will square off against Republican Bill Marcy of Vicksburg, Reform Party member Lajena Williams and independent Cobby Mondale Williams of Canton.

“We’ll continue to talk about economic security, continuing to improve education, not forgetting our veterans and not forgetting the common man,” Thompson said. “I pride myself on doing all I can on behalf of the people I represent. Clearly in the vote totals and other things people, people identify with it.”

Joe Forbes, a 63-year-old retiree voting in north Jackson, said he didn’t want to give up Thompson’s seniority.

“He can do the most good,” Forbes said. “There’s too much to do to start from scratch.”

However, Abby Watson, 34, favored McTeer, saying the majority-black second district is lagging economically.

“Nothing’s really changed here that I can see,” she said. “There’s been no progress in relation to anybody that’s not able to keep up with the Joneses.”