Incumbents lead in Dist. 1 legislative races

By CAMERON RASMUSSON

Staff writer

SANDPOINT — It was a good day for state legislative incumbents in the District 1 elections on Tuesday.

In a race largely defined by tea party conservatives challenging long-standing Republicans for the party nomination, the incumbents claimed early leads and didn't look back

By the time the final precinct — Washington — was counted at 1:58 a.m., all incumbents claimed wins.

Among the representative candidates, incumbent George Eskridge defeated challenger Pam Stout 4,368 to 2,161 between both counties. Fellow incumbent Eric Anderson had 4,090 votes, while Louis Kins and Donna Capurso had 419 and 1,886, respectively. As for the senate race, Shawn Keough defeated challenger Danielle Ahrens 4,671 to 1,976.

On the Democratic side of the primary election, representative candidates Tim Tucker and Andrew Sorg received 429 and 412 votes, while Senate candidate Laura Bry took 425.

In District 7, senate candidates Sheryl Nuxoll defeated Mary Wade Heston 3,848 to 1,241. Meanwhile, representative candidates Shannon McMillan finished ahead of Rex Rammell 2,286 to 1,498, while Ed Galloway had 1,082. Unopposed candidate Paul Shepherd had 4,500 votes for a second representative position.

Like District 1, unopposed District 7 Democrat representative candidate James Paradiso received a smaller amount of support with 782 votes at last count.