By Marie Horrigan, CQ Staff

Six-term Michigan Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick narrowly survived the Democratic primary Tuesday for her Detroit-based seat, in a contest rife with controversy over the troubles of her son, embattled Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick.

Kilpatrick won with a 2-point lead over former state Rep. Mary Waters for the 13th District, a heavily Democratic black-majority seat. Kilpatrick received 39.5 percent of the vote and Waters received 37.5 percent, while state Sen. Martha G. Scott got 23 percent of the vote, according to the Wayne County Clerk.

And the Democratic candidate is virtually assured of winning in November. The 13th is a majority black district that encompasses half of Detroit and has a heavily Democratic lean. Voters in the 13th District gave 80 percent of the vote to John Kerry in 2004 and Kilpatrick easily won each of the past six general election contests with more than two-thirds support. But just five months ago, it was apparent this year would be different. The congresswoman’s son has been charged with eight felony counts, including charges of perjury for allegedly covering up a sexual affair with his former chief of staff.

In June, Waters put up an ad criticizing Kilpatrick for her support of her son despite widespread calls for him to resign. The ad featured videotape of the congresswoman at a rally for Kwame Kilpatrick in which she called on attendees to stand up for the mayor. “Don’t let nobody talk about y’awls’ boy! . . . We’re here to fight!” she cried.

“Sorry congresswoman, we deserve better than ‘y’awls’ boy’,” the Waters ad said.

Early results indicated Kilpatrick was in third place, behind both Waters and Scott, but a strong showing in Detroit enabled her to pull out the win.

Kilpatrick will face Republican Edward J. Gubics in the general election. Gubics was unopposed in Tuesday’s primary and has not filed campaign finance reports with the Federal Election Commission.

There were no surprises in the other competitive congressional primary in Michigan: The race for the Democratic nomination to take on first-term conservative Republican Rep. Tim Walberg in the south-central 7th District. State Senate Democratic leader Mark Schauer won the primary over Sharon Marie Renier, an organic farmer who came within 4 percentage points of beating Walberg in 2006 despite being massively outspent. The Democratic Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) normally does not get involved in races with primary contests but has supported Schauer. In March the party added him to its list of “Red to Blue” races which gives money and campaign help to Democratic candidates mounting strong challenges against Republican seats.

Schauer is significantly better funded than Renier and also has raised more money than the incumbent. As of July 16, the latest date covered in the candidates’ pre-primary reports, Schauer reported raising $1.3 million and had $929,000 on hand while Walberg reported raising $1.2 million and had $855,000 on hand. CQ Politics rates the November race Leans Republican.