COEUR d’ALENE — According to election results, Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra’s victory Tuesday was due in no small part to voters in North Idaho.

The incumbent Republican chief of schools staved off her Democratic challenger, Cindy Wilson, by 17,127 votes statewide. That was less than her margin of victory in Kootenai and Bonner counties. In Kootenai County, voters gave Ybarra a 17,853-vote edge over Wilson on Election Day; in Bonner County, voters gave Ybarra a 4,606-vote edge over Wilson.

Ybarra told The Hagadone News Network on Friday that “voters in counties like Kootenai, Boundary, Bonner and Benewah overwhelmingly cast their ballots for me because we share a lot in common.” She shares their values of local control and voters here “appreciate that I’ve made empowering rural school districts a top priority in my administration. They’ve also seen gains in student achievement, and understand that by staying the course, our kids and teachers will continue to benefit from sound leadership.”

Idaho Republican Party Region 1 chairman Bjorn Handeen also attributed Ybarra’s success in Kootenai County to the candidate’s achievements in office.

“Sherri Ybarra has been so good at helping Idaho educators get back to focusing upon their students. She was a federal programs manager in Mountain Home, so she has been very adept at helping administrators to maneuver amongst the bureaucratic obstacles that stand between educators and the students they serve. For example, she reduced in amount and frequency the Idaho System for Educational Excellence reporting requirements.”

A Kootenai County Republican leader, who chairs the board of Idaho’s largest virtual school, Idaho Virtual Academy, also credited high local Republican turnout to the efforts of local political parties.

Wilson outraised Ybarra by more than three to one during the election cycle, including last-minute $5,000 donations each from Melaleuca and Frank Vandersloot. However, on election day that didn’t matter to voters, said Ybarra.

“Some think success at the polls is determined by how much money a candidate raises, or who supports (or opposes) you,” she said. “Obviously, one’s team, campaign plan and funding all play a role in determining the outcome of elections, but I believe what matters most is the voter. To be specific, the alignment between a voter’s beliefs and a candidate’s approach to governing.”