COLUMBIA, S.C. - Two Statehouse veterans lost their primary races Tuesday and several others are fighting for survival in runoffs later this month.

Observers say that reflects a mix of hard-charging challengers, redistricting and anti-incumbent sentiment that may overhang the June 22 runoff and Nov. 2 general election.

Some of those factors came into play as House Majority Leader Rick Quinn, R-Columbia, lost his seat to a political newcomer.

Quinn says he spent more time helping his party and less time meeting voters. "I was not able to be as visible as I wanted to be in my district," he said.

It brings to mind a basic campaign rule, said Francis Marion University political scientist Neal Thigpen. "Well-run, aggressive campaigns beat poorly run, non-aggressive campaigns," he said.

Redrawn district lines also play a role when incumbents don't get to know people and issues in newly added areas, said political consultant David Wright. Legislators "think they are picking up friendly people, but they may not know them," he said.

Quinn said neighborhoods in his district grew too fast for him to get to know voters.

He also blamed the loss partly on anti-incumbent sentiment. "There's a feeling of gridlock: 'You all can't get anything done,'" Quinn said.

"Incumbency is probably not a positive thing right now," said Wright, who lost his House seat to a primary challenger a few years ago. "It's not rabid and rampant everywhere," but it will affect people who haven't stayed in touch with voters, he said.

It was unclear whether that sentiment played a large role against veterans in the primary. If it was a factor, there would be more contested Statehouse races, said Bill Moore, a College of Charleston political scientist. "You don't see that many challengers to incumbents."

With 124 House and 46 Senate seats to be decided this year, just 27 incumbents faced primary challengers. Seven of those turned into losing or close races. In unofficial returns:

_ Rep. Teddy Trotter, R-Pickens, lost his seat to a challenger by a nearly 6 percentage points. Other than Quinn, he was the only legislator to lose a seat outright on Tuesday.

_ Republican Sens. John Kuhn of Charleston and Bill Branton of Summerville pulled fewer votes than primary challengers but advanced to runoffs.

_ Sen. Maggie Glover, D-Florence, and Rep. Larry Koon, R-Lexington, barely garnered more votes than challengers for runoff berths.

_ Sen. John Hawkins, R-Spartanburg, faces a mandatory recount in a race he won by 29 votes.

Observers saw no common themes playing out in those races.

Wright notes that Koon, the House's longest-serving member, had suggested he wouldn't run for re-election. "I believe that did not help Larry at all," Wright said.

Koon also faced new people from growing neighborhoods, Quinn said.

Gov. Mark Sanford's ongoing battle with the Legislature also could have been a factor for some incumbents, said Walter Whetsell, a political consultant who handled Hawkins' race. "The winner last night was Gov. Sanford," he said.

Voters are responding to the perception that legislators, particularly Democrats, are obstructing Sanford's agenda, Whetsell said. Incumbents "better read the tea leaves," he said.