Incumbent Tondee trails challenger Eberlein
COEUR d'ALENE - Kootenai County Commissioner Todd Tondee was way short on votes in the Republican primary Tuesday night, and opponent Marc Eberlein appeared to be cruising to victory.
As of press time, however, only absentee ballots and 11 of 70 precincts had been counted.
"The people of the county are ready for good management," said Eberlein.
Early in the night at Daanen's Delicatessen, Eberlein said he was feeling positive as he waited for the first results to come in.
"I'm a realist," he said. "When it all comes in, I'll know. I also know only optimists are successful. I try to blend the two of them together."
Eberlein had 2,580 votes at press time and Tondee had 1,586.
Tim Herzog, the third-place finisher in the commissioner race, said Tondee would have been the "lesser of two evils."
"Good luck for the county," Herzog said of Eberlein's possible victory. Herzog got a paltry 635 votes.
Appointed Republican County Clerk Jim Brannon led challenger and former state House member Don Pischner.
Brannon had received 3,044 votes to Pischner's 1,678.
Steve Matheson was barely ahead of Laurie Thomas in the Republican primary for the county treasurer post.
Thomas had 2,319 votes at press time to Matheson's 2,326.
Also among the Republican contests, county coroner challenger Warren Keene appeared to be on his way to unseating incumbent Debbie Wilkey.
Keene had 2,653 votes to Wilkey's 1,928.
"I'm still on pins and needles," Keene said near midnight. He attended the party at Red Lion Templin's Hotel, but the party broke up when it became clear results wouldn't arrive until late.
County Assessor Mike McDowell led big in the Republican primary. McDowell, who has been the county assessor since 2003, had 4,028 votes while challenger Patrick Galles trailed with 710 votes.
On the Democratic side, Bruce Noble looked to be winning the county commissioner race in the 1st District to replace Tondee. Larry Belmont appeared to be winning the county clerk race on the Democratic side to face Brannon or possibly Pischner in the Nov. 4 general election.
Janet Callen will likely be the Democratic candidate in the treasurer race in November.
Larry Spencer, a Republican turned Democrat for this election in the assessor's race, had 342 votes. Write-ins had 395 votes.