Vito Barbieri was on his way early this morning to being elected to a third term to serve District 2 in the Idaho House.

As of midnight, Barbieri, a Republican, held a 6,832 to 3,760 lead over Democratic challenger Cheryl Stransky in the District 2 House Seat A race.

The results included absentee votes and 39 of 73 precincts.

The final result was expected to be released later in the morning, well after The Press deadline.

District 2 includes Dalton Gardens, Hauser, northern Kootenai County, Rose Lake, Cataldo and Medimont.

Barbieri, a 63-year-old retired attorney who owns a catering business and electronic cigarette store, said he believes his conservative views appealed to many voters in his district.

"We need to stay the course and return to traditional America values across the state," Barbieri said. "I intend to do that."

Stransky, a 62-year-old retired school counselor, was making her second run for the House seat.

"The biggest focus for me was making sure that I touched as many voters as possible," she said. "When I ran two years ago, I didn't have enough mailers and didn't get the word out on who I was. I believe I did that this time."

Barbieri called Stransky a strong opponent.

"She did an excellent job of blanketing the district," he said. "She worked hard. We disagree on the fundamental principles of governance, but I did not take her lightly."

Stransky said she made a point to not attack the federal government in a state race.

"I didn't go on a federal rant," she said. "I refused to engage in those conversations."

Stransky said her plan was to be a tough opponent, not simply fill a spot for the Democrats.

"If I'm going to do something, I'm going to do it right," she said. "Being a placeholder does not fit me. If I'm going to make a commitment, I'm going to do it to the best of my ability."

Stransky said it's not easy to run as a Democrat in a Republican-dominated district, but she said the support she received was "heartwarming."

"I enjoyed it, and I grew a lot," she said. "A nice sense of community has come from this campaign. This was a good experience."