For the week of November 6 - 12, 2002

Stennett re-elected to another term

Ridinger squeaks by Pence to retain House seat

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By GREG STAHL
Express Staff Writer

While splitting the vote in legislative District 25’s rural counties with Republican challenger, Tom Faulkner, incumbent state Sen. Clint Stennett, D-Ketchum, won his home county by a significant margin Tuesday, and will go back to Boise this winter.

State Sen. Clint Stennett, D-Ketchum, who defeated Republican challenger Tom Faulkner of Bliss for re-election, hands his ballot to election volunteer Lynn Flickinger at the West Ketchum polling place Tuesday morning. Express photo by Willy Cook

 

But in the District 25 B House election, incumbent state Rep. Tim Ridinger, R-Shoshone, barely edged out Democratic challenger Donna Pence.

"It was close," Stennett agreed about the south-district vote in his race. "We worked hard, and Tom worked hard. I’m thrilled to be able to serve the people of the Magic Valley in the Senate for a third term."

In Camas, Gooding and Lincoln counties, Stennett won 2,992 votes to Faulkner’s 2,871. But Blaine County voters overwhelmingly backed the 12-year statehouse politician. Stennett defeated Faulkner 4,788 to 1,505 in Blaine County.

The District 25 B race for the Idaho House of Representatives came down to the wire, and was too close to call early Wednesday morning. But when the dust settled, Ridinger edged out Pence by 144 votes.

While Pence won Blaine County 3,604 to 2,550, Ridinger won the district 6,046 to 5,902.

Ridinger easily won Camas, Gooding and Lincoln counties, with 3,498 votes to Pence’s 2,298.

Voter turnout across the district was excellent. Sixty-six percent of Blaine County voters, 60 percent of Camas County voters and 66 percent of Gooding County voters went to the polls. That compares to 58.5 percent statewide in 1998, the last mid-term election. Lincoln County’s voter turnout was not yet available Wednesday afternoon.

In one of Idaho’s most expensive races, incumbent U.S. Sen. Larry Craig trounced Wood River Valley resident and former U.S. ambassador to Belgium Alan Blinken, who conceded the race before 10 p.m. Tuesday night. With 97 percent of the state’s precincts reporting Wednesday afternoon, Craig had 263,384 votes to Blinken’s 131,808.

 

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