Keough, Shepherd claim wins

SANDPOINT — Final tallies for Wednesday's primary elections are in, and two incumbents, Idaho Sen. Shawn Keough of Sandpoint and Rep. Paul E. Shepherd of Riggins, are celebrating.

District 1 Sen. Shawn Keough culled 55.7 percent of votes statewide to Republican challenger Glenn Rohrer's 44.3 percent. The 10-term senator won 4,140 votes while Rohrer received 3,291. Democratic candidate Steve Tanner, running unopposed in his party, collected 549 votes, according to unofficial results from the Idaho Secretary of State's office.

"I am honored and humbled by the win and look forward to the fall race, and being able to have the honor to continue serving our area in the State Senate," Keough said Wednesday. "Should I be elected in the fall, I will work to represent everyone in the district as I have in the past.”

Mr. Rohrer did not respond to requests for comment.

In the District 7 race, Republican Sen. Sheryl L. Nuxoll ceded the GOP nomination to challenger Carl G. Crabtree, who won 51.2 percent of voter support to Nuxoll's 48.8, or 2,504 votes to Nuxoll's 2,383. Democrat Ken Meyers, running unopposed in the primary, received 2,399 votes, according to the Idaho Secretary of State.

Democrat Kate McAlister of Sandpoint, who ran unopposed in the primary for District 1 State Rep. Position A,  collected 940 votes. Incumbent Rep. Heather Scott, R-Blanchard, who was also unopposed within her party, had a total of 5,501 votes.

The primary election for State Rep. Position B saw unopposed GOP Rep. Sage Dixon receiving 5,542 votes. Democrat Bob Vicaryous ceded the nomination to fellow Democrat and write-in candidate Stephen Howlett, with the former garnering 392 votes and the latter, 408, according to the Spokesman-Review.

Republican Priscilla Giddings, challenger for State Rep. in District 7 Position A, prevailed over incumbent Rep. Shannon McMillan, R-Silverton, with 2,848 to McMillan's 1,798, or 61.3 percent to 38.7 percent. Democratic candidate Jessica Chilcott, who was running unopposed, captured 2,435 votes of confidence, according to the Idaho SOS.

GOP incumbent Paul E. Shepherd prevailed over challenger Kris L. Steneck in the contest to represent District 7 Position B, winning 3,261 votes to Steneck's 1,193, or 73.2 percent to 26.8 percent.

Of three Democrats vying for the U.S. Representative, District 1 post, James Piotrowski won the nomination with 56.2 percent over opponents Shizandra Fox and Staniela Nikolova. Piotrowski garnered 6,952 votes to Fox's 3,427 and Nikolova's 2,000. Republican incumbent GOP Rep. Raul R. Labrador prevailed over Gordon Counsil and Isaac M. Haugen for the Republican party nomination. Rep. Labrador received 81 percent of the votes while Counsil collected 10.2 percent and Haugen, 8.8 percent, as reported by the Idaho Secretary of State office.

Constitution Party candidate for a U.S. Senate position, Pro-Life, received 89 votes and opponent Ray J. Writz, 129. Unopposed Democratic candidate Jerry Sturgill, D, gathered 26,467 in an unopposed contest. Incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Crapo, also unopposed in his party, racked up 119,662 votes.

Robyn Brody and Curt McKenzie prevailed over Clive J. Strong and Sergio A. Sutierrez in the race for an open Idaho Supreme Court seat. Brody received 29.9 percent of the votes, or 44,371, while McKenzie culled 27.9 percent, or 41,268, according to unofficial results. The two will face off in this fall's general election.

Roger J. Burdick ran unopposed to recapture his state Supreme Court Justice seat, winning 135,647 votes while Molly J. Huskey totaled 136,325 voter nods in her unopposed bid to retain her Appellate Court judgeship.