Sellman beats Barrutia

Rep. Sher Sellman easily defeated incumbent state senator Robbi Barrutia for the GOP nomination for the state senate seat in the new District 22, polling 1,296 votes in Elmore County to Barrutia's 772.

The unofficial total was with all but the Atlanta precinct reporting).

In Boise County, the other part of District 22, the race was slightly closer. Sellman garnered 484 votes to Barrutia's 409, giving her a convincing win.

Sellman moves on to the general election where she will face Democrat Fred Kennedy in November. Kennedy earned 571 votes on the Democratic nomination ballot. Libertarian Mark Shuster received 21 votes for state senate.

Barrutia, who served ten years in the legislature, had faced a difficult battle against Sellman following her second DUI conviction in the last five years while serving in the legislature this year, which clouded her re-election bid.

Although exact precinct totals were not available by press time, Sellman appeared to have generally won across the board in Elmore County by better than a 60-40 margin, including in Barrutia's home area of Glenns Ferry and King Hill.

In the other key contested local race for the GOP nomination for the District 1 county com- missioner's seat, Arlie Shaw, a former accountant for the Simplot Company, edged Jim Steelsmith by a slim 678 to 640 margin, while Hank Redford garnered a respectable 510 votes in the relatively light turnout. Ferenc Edes trailed that triumvirate with only 103 votes.

Shaw did not win an outright majority. He polled 35 percent of the vote, Steelsmith 33 percent, and Redford 26 percent. The winner of that contest will face Democrat Mary Egusquiza-Stanek, who polled 575 votes, in the fall general election.

The only other contested local race, for the District 22 House Seat B, saw long-time GOP party stalwart Pete Nielsen turn back a surprisingly strong effort by Tish O'Donnell-Bangeman, 1082 to 761 in Elmore County, and 487-278 in Boise County. Nielsen will face Democrat David Phillips, who garnered 511 votes in Elmore County, in the fall general election.

Craig McCurry, who is unopposed on either ballot, earned 1,641 GOP votes in Elmore County in his first-time bid for the legislature, District 22 House Seat A.

On the GOP ballot for other local races, Larry Rose earned 1,674 votes for re-election to the District 2 county commissioner's post. He is unopposed this fall.

Marla Spence got 1,440 votes for county coroner. She also is unopposed in the fall.

On the Democratic ballot for local races, incumbent county clerk Gail Best earned 571 votes, incumbent treasurer Rose Plympton received 569 votes, and incumbent assessor Jim Haydon garnered 560 votes. None of those are opposed by GOP candidates this fall.

In the state races, on the GOP ballot, incumbent senator Larry Craig earned 1,911 votes and incumbent District 2 congressman Mike Simpson received 1,859 votes in Elmore County.

Gov. Dirk Kempthorne won locally with 1,400 votes to Milt Erhart's 516, Walter Bayes' 121 and Gaynelle George's 72. For lieutenant governor, Jim Risch polled 795 votes to incumbent Jack Riggs' 530, Celia Gould's 317, Larry Eastland's 307, Jim Pratt's 76 and Darrell Babbitt's 51.

Ron Crane earned 1,656 votes for state treasurer.

Ben Ysursa handily turned back a challenge from Evan Frasure for the secretary of state post, 1,555-404, Donna Jones edged Keith Johnson 688-633, with Gene Winchester third at 449 for state controller, and Michael Bogert beat Todd Lakey 528-458, with Lawrence Wasden and Myron Gabbert finishing third and fourth for attorney general with 431 and 232, respectively, in local balloting.

On the Democratic ballot, Alan Blinken beat Dave Sneddon 382-167 for the chance to face Craig for the U.S. senate seat in the fall, Edward Kinghorn garnered 480 votes for the District 2 congressional seat, Jerry Brady beat Rue Stears 482-75 for the gubernatorial nomination, and Bruce M. Perry edged Karl Shurtliff 304-246 for the lieutenant governor nomination. Steven Scanlin polled 501 votes for secretary of state, Bob Sonnichsen earned 467 for state controller, Sally Beitia got 508 for state treasurer, Keith Roark got 501 for attorney general, and Marilyn Howard polled 542 for superintendent of public instruction.

In the race for judgeships, incumbent supreme court justice Linda Copple Trout turned back a challenge from Starr Kelso 1,616 to 800 locally, while Geral Schroeder, running unopposed for the state supreme court, earned 2,006 votes.

In the two local District 4 judgeship races that were contested, incumbent Cheri Copsey defeated Larry M. Dunn 1,325 to 679, and Mike Wetherell handily defeated Kevin Borger 2,145 to 365.

All the other judgeship positions were unopposed. One Republican precinct committeeman race was contested. Karen Mashak defeated Jim Ward 78-63 for the Precinct 8 position to the GOP central committee.

No races were contested on the Libertarian ticket, which drew only a score of votes in Elmore County by voters choosing that ballot.