With primary elections taking place in several key states today, here’s a sampling of what some AAN papers are saying:

In Pennsylvania, where Republican-turned-Democrat Arlen Specter is taking on challenger Joe Sestak, Philadelphia Weekly‘s Randy LoBasso says that early reports of low turnout in the Philly region bode ill for Specter. Yesterday, LoBasso mused that a Sestak victory may be the best scenario for the Democrats since he’s better suited to making the inevitable general election pivot towards the center “after months of pandering to the left.”

Also in Philly, the City Paper hit the streets last week with a cover (pictured here) that left one of its cat-loving commenters less than pleased. The paper endorsed Sestak.

Over in southwestern Pennsylvania, where a special election is taking place to fill the U.S. House seat of the late Jack Murtha, Pittsburgh City Paper‘s Chris Potter notes that outside interest groups are bombarding the airwaves with ads, including one that was sponsored by the same people that were behind the “swift boat” ads.

Other key battleground states include Arkansas, where Gerard Matthews of Arkansas Times summarizes both the Democratic and Republican primaries for that state’s Senate seat; and Kentucky, where LEO Weekly‘s Jonathan Meador breaks down the Democratic primary race. He notes that the neither of the candidates on the Republican side “could be bothered to speak with a left-leaning alt-weekly in the biggest metropolitan area in the state, which will likely vote Democrat anyway.”

Finally, in Oregon the Portland Mercury introduces its “Cheater’s Ballot” (aka: endorsements) by reminding its less sober readers that elections don’t only take place in November. Or as its editors so eloquently put it: “No, druggie, it’s May. And that means it’s time for local elections and primaries.”