By Mike Weland
A repudiation of sorts Tuesday in North Idaho of the extremist “conservative” sect of the the GOP, and a John Bircher’s attempt to return the Democrats to their post Civil War prime failed miserably. Jim Woodward took back the Idaho District 1 Senate seat, overcoming another high cost smear campaign by Herndon, and a bruising race that saw aspersions cast on all three candidates ended with Travis Stolley on the winner’s dais despite false but insistent smears derived from old and unfounded resentments.
In perhaps the most expensive Idaho Senate race ever run, with Woodward raising $129,773 and ending with a balance of $25,3877 and Herndon raising $115,865 and ending with a $25,768 balance, Woodward prevailed by just 613 votes overall, 8,219 to 7,606 to Herndon, and just by 29 votes in Boundary County, 1,883 to Herndon’s 1,854.
Mark Sauter easily held on to his Idaho House Seat 1A, garnering 7,622 votes to Jane Sauter’s 4,828 and Spencer Hutchings’ 2,830. In the Republican primary for House Seat 1B, Cornel Rasor defeated Chuck Lowman, 7,623 to 7,051; he will face Democrat Kathryn Larson in the general. She held off a fierce bid by Bob Vickaryous, who tried to evoke memories of the Party of Nathan Bedford Forrest by a slim 900 votes, 987 to 87.
In challenged Republican precinct committee seats, Dave Walter defeated Gregory Lamberty, 287-167 in the Bonners Ferry/Kootenai precinct and Erik Olson defeated Mark Moseley, 192-137.
Barring more lies and dirty tricks from MAGA leaders, I feel our community is on its way now to getting back to being the Mayberry we earlier settlers love.
Thanks to every last person who voted for Woodward. Reasonable people must stand up and be counted!
Hopefully Herndon will never again run for office in Idaho.
I can’t help but wonder what the out come of this election would have been if paper ballots were used.
Exactly the same.
Paper ballots were used…they can all be counted by hand if there is ever any question of an accurate outcome. You shouldnt question the integrety of our election system in this County or the good people who run it without the facts. Did you even vote ? If you did, you should have remembered filling out the paper ballot
Greg Johnson
You are correct Mr. Johnson. There were paper ballots. It’s the tabulators that have not been proven to be trustworthy. It’s the non- hand counting that is the problem. There has been problems with tabulators in other states, why wouldn’t they be problematic here.
Jim Spent a lot of money and told a lot of lies to get back in the Senate. Most expensive race for a primary state office. Now we can get back to the business of the lobbyists. Holding agencies to a limited budget out the window. Girls being invaded by boys in their locker rooms, that is ok if the “local officials” want it. Let’s get some porn written by adults for kids in the libraries! Let’s keep concealed carry out of schools for responsible gun owners, like California allowed until ten years ago before they removed that ability to be like Idaho. I mean Constitutional rights are subject to the whims of officials clearly. Except for health, let’s Give corporations power to mandate ineffective Trump shots to their workers, they know more about health than the employees and their doctors do. I’m so glad we got rid of that extremist Herndon out, I heard he was against abortion! Oh the lies were thick over doctors leaving as well from Herndon, that current abortion law was Woodward era nothing to do with Herndon, the unborn deserve to ripped apart and places in a steel tray to make sure all limbs and organs are accounted for, and certainly we shouldn’t help the child if they are born alive on a botched abortion attempt! Scott Herndon shot a dog years ago though, that is unforgivable.
Jim Woodward did not tell a single lie.
I question the validity of some of Mr. Wisberg’s comments.