Election Night So Far

The AP has called the Governor’s race for Butch Otter and Jerry Brady on the Republican and Democratic sides. Current results have Otter up 71-21 over Dan Adamson while Brady leads Jerry Cheney by an 83-17% margin.

To me, it appears that Chairman Stallings attempt to get Democrats to show up and vote in the Democratic Primary pretty much failed.

54,632 votes have been counted in the GOP Governor’s Primary while only 13,166 in the Democratic Primary as of right now. The State’s Republican, but its not that Republican. It indicates one of two things and probably a combination of the two. One, Democrats are not as excited about the election. Two, they’re crossing over to try and influence Republican races. Either way, its a tough night for the Dems and doesn’t portend well for the Fall.

In the big race of the night, its tight. With about half the precincts in, Bill Sali holds a good lead in the 1st Congressional district:

Bill Sali 9,567 26%
Keith Johnson 7,023 20%
Shelia Sorensen 6,994 20%

Now, everyone else in the race is too far back to catch up. Vasquez is around 15%, Semanko at 11%, and Skip Brandt with 9%. Clearly Brandt made a mistake giving up his Senate seat for this race.

In other races, the Statesman’s calling Larry LaRocco the next Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor. Lawrence Wasden is going to get another chance at the Attorney General’s Office, crushing his primary opponent 73-27%.

Other races, the Statesman calling too close to call. I’ll stick my neck out and project that Donna Jones will be the GOP Nominee for State Controller. She leads 59-41% with 62% of the vote counted.

The State Superintendent of Public Instruction Race is down to the wire. First, on the Democratic side. Those who wasted their votes to try and bring about the nomination of Vasquez are missing out on a nail-biting Superintendent Primary. Jana Jones leads Brenty Marley 53-47%.

GOP is even closer tonight. Steve Smiley has a 1200 vote lead with 62% of the vote counted, ahead 42-40%. This’ll be a late race.

And in blogging news, though its not a surprise, Julie Fanselow of Red State Rebels was elected Democratic Precinct Captain in Precinct 95. Stay here for further updates.

I’ll be hanging with the Dems at Red State Rebels where its an election open thread. The very restrictive 43rd State Blues has also opened things up for primary night.

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