Republican Hinkle Grabs SD 7 Seat

By MEGAN McLEAN and ANDREW DUSEK

Republican Greg Hinkle said he was optimistic that he’d nailed down a victory Tuesday against former Rep. Paul Clark, D-Trout Creek.

As of 1:15 a.m. Wednesday, Hinkle maintained a 954-point lead over Clark, 5,231 to 4,277.

Mineral County reported that Hinkle, a retired handyman from Thompson Falls, won the county race with 961 votes to Clark’s 945. With nine out of 10 precincts in Sanders County reporting, Hinkle led Clark with 3,184 votes to 2,519 votes. Missoula County reported that Hinkle maintained the lead with 1,086 votes to Clark’s 813 votes with six out of seven precincts reporting.

According to the Missoula County elections office, final absentee ballots may not be counted until around 4 a.m. because of the large amount of ballots received. Sanders County is also waiting on final absentee results because of technical issues.

“It’s not over ‘til it’s over,” Hinkle, 62, said of the close race.

Clark, 58, an educator and conservationist, said he didn’t know how to feel, noting that he was “a little down” in Missoula and Mineral Counties. Clark said that the race is similar to the primary election when Clark’s winning votes came from the last precincts in Sanders County late in the race.

“I feel like I’m right there,” he said. “I don’t know if I’ll get those votes, but that’s where I’m at.”

Though Clark wouldn’t comment until all results were final, Hinkle said he was optimistic.

“No matter the outcome,” Hinkle said, “I still win.”

HOUSE DISTRICT 94: It’s McAlpin again

RACE AGAINST FREY ‘CLOSER THAN EXPECTED’

By BECKY MALEWITZ and MIKE WEBSTER

A tight race in House District 94 ended Tuesday night with Democratic Rep. Dave McAlpin winning a third term by edging out Republican opponent Linda Frey.

With 99 of 101 precincts reporting, McAlpin is the apparent winner with 54 percent of the vote compared with Frey’s 46 percent, a 363 vote difference. McAlpin had 2,395 votes,and Frey had 2,032.

“It’s a closer race than I expected,” McAlpin said.

The Democrat said he was excited to continue representing House District 94.

“It’s a great district. It’s a working families’ district, and they’ve always been very supportive and I’m glad that they were supportive again this time around.”

The race saw the candidates running on separate platforms with little overlap.

Health care has been McAlpin’s top priority throughout his time in the House, an interest he says stems from his background in tobacco prevention work. What started as a fairly narrow focus during his freshman term – four of the 10 bills McAlpin sponsored then were anti-tobacco – has widened over his two terms to include general health care.

For his third term, McAlpin’s said his top priority will be to “continue to try and improve health care and access to affordable health care.”

McAlpin also said he’ll focus on education and employment.

“We need to continue to make sure that our education in our public schools is well funded, so that our kids are competitive in a world market, and then always the economic drumbeat of trying to create good paying jobs with benefits in Missoula.”

Frey, on the other hand, is a staunch opponent of property taxes and entered the race after her fight against the Hillview Special Improvement District, which would have raised taxes in the neighborhood to widen the road.

Frey, 61, has been a history professor at the University of Montana since 1991 and had no political experience before the election.

Despite running a close race, Frey has no future political plans.

“I’m anxious to get back to my books,” said Frey. “I don’t regret running. I had a fantastic time.”

Away from the legislature, McAlpin, 43, is the executive director of Court-Appointed Special Advocates of Missoula, a program that pairs community volunteers with child victims of abuse and neglect.

McAplin commended Frey on the close race, saying, “I will be happy to give my opponent, Professor Frey, credit for hard work. But I think that the issues prevailed in this election.”

Seeley Lake Voters Sink Resort Tax

A Seeley Lake voter prepares to cast her ballot on a proposal to establish a resort tax to improve the local water system. The measure failed. Photo by CHARLES PULLIAM.

By CHARLES PULLIAM

SEELEY LAKE – A proposed resort tax in Seeley Lake was failing to clear its final hurdle early Wednesday.

Although some absentee ballot had yet to be counted, roughly 56 percent of voters had opposed the creation of a resort tax district, which would have established a designated area affected by the resort tax.

The actual tax, which would have tacked on an additional 3 percent tax on items such as alcohol, tobacco and restaurant food, was failing by a vote of 220-to-156 as of 1 a.m.

An official total wasn’t available as absentee ballots are still being counted, but the number isn’t expected to affect the final result.

“It was shot down,” said provisional judge Chris Jewett, who headed the polling operation at Seeley Lake Elementary School Tuesday.

About 600 people were eligible to vote on the issue, according to a July district voter report that counted the number of qualified residents within the area.

Becky Kyle, who resides within the district directly affected, said she voted for the tax because it would have helped boost the community as a whole.

“Seeley Lake is lacking infrastructure,” Kyle said. “This is basically a retirement community and for us to grow into something different than that, the resort tax was the answer. It was a great way to start gathering the funds necessary to change."

Kyle, 28, who is employed by Farmers Insurance, owns one of the roughly 540 homes within the water district. The district was a big reason the resort tax was even brought up after voters narrowly approved a 30-year general obligation bond last November to pay $4 million in upgrades to the town’s haphazard water system.

“I thought they might as well take advantage of the people who come here and the people that put their boats in the water and stay at our hotels,” she said. “We might as well have used that to our advantage to create revenue.”

Seeley Lake, which is home to about 1,600 residents, is expected to double within the next 20 years, but the key variables for further growth are how upgrades to the water and sewer systems are approached.

Most residents are currently using septic tanks, which are beginning to threaten the town’s cherished lake.

Addrien Marx, secretary of the town’s community council, said residents will be seeing water bills increase by $35 to $60 per month without the resort tax.

“I think most people see the word ‘tax’ and are turned away from the issue,” she said.

Marx, who owns Rovero’s, a small store and gas station in Seeley Lake, said her business, like others, will see increases of several hundred dollars per month. She said plenty of residents might not be able to meet the necessary jump in costs now.

“I know some old-timers around here who won’t be able to pay, say an extra $40 per month,” she said. “We lose those people, we lose the personality of the town. One of the solutions was the resort tax.”

Marx said she was frustrated in the outcome, but feels the possibility of a resort tax in Seeley Lake resurfacing isn’t too far away.

“I’m very disappointed because I thought it could help residents,” she said. “By next year they will realize they missed the opportunity after facing higher bills without the assistance from the people who pass through our valley.”

Old school beats new in HD 92

By CARMEN GEORGE and JOSH BENHAM

Experience trumped youth Tuesday night as retired high school teacher Robin Hamilton beat his 21-year-old GOP challenger in a landslide.

Republican candidate Dan Stusek chalked his loss up to timing, but vowed he would someday return to the ring.

“It’s a Democratic year,” said Stusek, A University of Montana senior. “He’s also an incumbent and he’s a lot more well known than I am.”

With all the precincts and some absentee ballots counted, Hamilton claimed 66 percent of the vote, out polling Stusek 3,035 to 1,567. The district covers 771 square miles centered on the Rattlesnake.

Hamilton couldn’t be reached for comment Tuesday night.

The fourth-generation Rattlesnake resident is well known in the district he has represented since 2005. He taught at Hellgate High School for 24 years and campaigned on a platform supporting a government-backed educational system in Missoula, as well as the implementation of eco-friendly ideas into the school system.

Stusek advocated for increased domestic oil, gas and coal extraction and increased power for the legislature.

Stusek said he didn’t know what office he would seek next, but that he would be in the running again soon.

“I’ll definitely still be around,” Stusek said. “And I’ll have better results for next time for sure.”

SENATE DISTRICT 50: Larsen beats the 'unusual, extreme'

By BRENNA BRAATEN AND ERIN GALLAGHER

Rancher Cliff Larsen roped in a victory over small-business owner Kandi Matthew-Jenkins to be the next state senator for District 50.

Democratic Larsen, 65, defeated Constitution Party candidate Matthew-Jenkins, 58, by about 3,000 votes, though a few absentee ballots have yet to be to be counted. Larsen led Matthew-Jenkins, 5,224 votes to 2,217 at 12:30 a.m.

Larsen said he was not surprised by his substantial lead in the votes, declaring Matthew-Jenkins to be “a very unusual person running on a ticket that’s kind of extreme.”

“I think I represent the mainstream of Montana voters and people in my district,” said Larsen. “I think they want me to represent them in general for the positions that I take and that I hold.”

Matthew-Jenkins said she wasn’t surprised by her loss and attributed it to the “heavily progressive liberal district” in which she ran.

Larsen said that as a senator he will focus on health care, veterans’ benefits and senior citizens’ privileges. He said his “big issue” will be to get a portion of Montana tobacco tax revenues designated to Insure Montana, a program that helps small businesses offer employees health insurance. If it works out, Larsen said, the number of people the program covers could potentially double.

While Matthew-Jenkins does not know if she will run for office again, she said she didn't plan to stop working for political reform.

Larsen, who said he was tired from knocking on thousands of doors, plans to take it easy for a while.

“I feel like I really talked to the voters and I feel good about it," he said. "Now I’ll take a couple days off and just relax.”

HOUSE DISTRICT 93: Victory for Barrett

TOUGH DISTRICT FOR A REPUBLICAN, SAYS DOGIAKOS

By ADRIENNE BARNETT and KIP SIKORA

The Garden City voted green by electing conservation-minded Democrat Dick Barrett for the District 93 seat in the state House of Representatives.

With 98 of the 101 precincts reporting, Barrett led with 65 percent of the votes. He had 2,584 votes (64.6 percent) to Republican Steve Dogiakos’ 1,404 (35.1 percent).

“I am gratified by my victory, but not terribly surprised,” said Barrett, “I had a number of advantages, including being a Democrat in the district as well as my name recognition.”

Barrett, who retired as a University of Montana professor of economics after 25 years, focused on land stewardship and support for aggressive, state-sponsored land-use management.

His proposals included instituting development setbacks and expanding the ability of the state to place its own land under conservation easement.

Dogiakos spoke about balancing the changing environment and society’s needs for transportation and consumption. But Missoulians voted for Barrett’s specific solutions.

Barrett, 66, and Dogiakos, 23, agreed on many issues in their campaign, but age, experience and political-party affiliation stood out as the main differences.

“It is a great learning experience,” said Dogiakos, who might run again. “I know what it takes to win next time. I know what needs to happen next time.

“It is a tough district to run in. By putting an R (Republican) after your name, you are automatically down by 20 points.”

Furey wins one for his son in HD 91

By SHANDA BRADSHAW and TROY WARZOCHA

Once an appointed fill-in for his lawmaker son, Democratic incumbent Tim Furey proved his ability to serve in his own right Tuesday and secured his second term as House District 91 representative.

Running in his first election, Furey defeated Republican challenger Walt Hill 62 to 38 percent. With all precincts reporting, Furey received 2,356 votes compared to Hill’s 1,465.

Furey, 54, said his victory is a testament to the vision his son Kevin had for the sprawling district. Kevin Furey left his House District seat in order to report for duty with the Army Reserves. He is serving in northern Iraq.

“It’s quite an honor to be able to carry on your son’s legacy,” Tim Furey said.

That legacy includes Furey’s support for state-provided energy assistance for low-income individuals and funding first-class facilities for the University of Montana.

Hill, Furey’s opponent, is a 71-year-old retired University of Montana professor who lives in Seeley Lake. He said the combination of challenging a Democratic incumbent in a Democratic stronghold was too much.

“I guess I should have campaigned harder,” Hill said.

Hill said this will be his last campaign because there are younger, more vibrant candidates available.

Furey said he knocked on more than 3,000 doors between May and November and attributed his victory to being involved with the community as much as possible.

“The main thing is visiting with people, knocking on doors and talking to people,” Furey said.
Currently, Furey is director of development at Opportunity Resources in Missoula.

The major issues in the House District 91 race surrounded Montana’s economy, energy costs, and university funding.