Incumbents win big in legislative races
SANDPOINT — Tuesday’s primary election avoided any major upsets, with District 1 and 2 congressional incumbents winning easily in their primary bouts.
District 1 state Sen. Shawn Keough, R-Sandpoint, steamrolled past challenger Don Heckel.
With all precincts counted, Keough earned 3,795 votes to Heckel’s 1,334, giving her the most dominant victory in all District 1 and 2 races.
Keough said she was pleased with the outcome and appreciative of the support during the most personally contentious race of her career.
“I’m hopeful that this (victory) will be a sign that negative personal politics are not something that we, in Bonner and Boundary counties, appreciate,” Keough said.
District 2 Sen. Joyce Broadsword, R-Cocolalla, was also victorious in her primary race, earning double the votes of her nearest competitor. Broadsword won 1,278 votes, compared to the 507 and 527 votes that Bill Largen and James Stivers garnered, respectively.
Broadsword said that while she would have liked to have seen a stronger voter turnout, she was pleased with the results and applauded her two challengers for running what she called a clean campaign.
In the District 1, position A representative race, incumbent Eric Andeson, R-Priest Lake, won big over his Republican challenger, Laclede’s Daniel Lawrence. Anderson collected 3,225 votes to Lawrence’s 1,325. Running unopposed on the Democratic side, Sandpoint’s Steve Elgar tallied 1,406 votes.
The race between Lawrence and Anderson was collegial throughout, with both men publicly stating their respect for each other.
“I’m pleased I won and I’m pleased I got to meet my opponent. I think he has a future in politics and he’s a nice young man. I look forward to working with him in the future,” Anderson said.
Both George Eskridge, R-Dover, and his Democratic challenger, Bonners Ferry’s Tom Hollingsworth ran unopposed in their District 1, position B primary races.
In the statewide races, Democrat Larry LaRocco won big over his closest contender, Fort Hall’s David Archuleta in the race for the seat currently held by Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho. LaRocco earned 29,000 votes to Archuleta’s 11,076.
Facing LaRocco in November will be current Lt. Gov. Jim Risch, who also won big in his Republican primary race. Risch wracked up 80,730 votes, compared to the 16,652 votes won by his closest competitor, Scott A. Syme.
The Republican race for the District 1 U.S. Representative seat was closer than many expected, with incumbent Bill Sali, R-Idaho, beating his opponent, Matthew Salisbury, by 13,794 votes. Sali won 41,046 votes, while Salisbury won 27,252.
Democrat challenger Walt Minnick ran unopposed for the same seat, earning 19,445 votes.