[LARAMIE BOOMERANG]
BY AARON LECLAIR / LBEDIT7@LARAMIEBOOMERANG.COM • SATURDAY, AUGUST 21, 2010
The Albany County Canvassing Board certified Friday the unofficial results for the 2010 primary election.
The official results show that voter turnout was 6,580, with Democrats casting 2,727 votes (41.4 percent) and Republicans casting 3,679 (55.9 percent).
Write-in candidates have emerged in the county assessor, State House District 14 and State Senate District 9 races.
Democrat Craig C. Cook received 42 write-in votes and has accepted the nomination to run against Republican Kermit C. Brown for HD 14.
In the county assessor’s race, Cheri Frank received enough write-in votes from Republicans to challenge Democrat Grant C. Showacre if she accepts the nomination.
In an e-mail, Frank said she would not comment until the official results are posted and she is “notified officially of what the process involves.”
For SD 9, Republican Matthew L. Lundberg received more than the 25 write-in votes necessary to challenge Democrat Chris Rothfuss, who defeated Jodi Guerin in his party’s primary election.
Republican voters spelled Lundberg’s name six different ways on their ballots, which all added up to 29 write-in votes.
If the Wyoming Secretary of State’s Office certifies his write-in candidacy, Lundberg said he would accept the Republican nomination for SD 9.
Lundberg said he agreed to a write-in campaign for SD 9 after dismissing a plan to run for House District 45 after Republican Matt Greene had filed for the seat.
“Some folks knew that I was thinking of running and knew that Senate District 9 would be unopposed, and asked if I’d be willing to run a write-in campaign,” he said. “I agreed to do that.”
A political newcomer, Lundberg said he is looking forward to campaigning and showing the voters that he is the best candidate for SD 9.
“It’s going to be a challenge, and I’m looking forward to the challenge,” he said. “I don’t know a lot about Chris Rothfuss, but I’m looking forward to debating issues with him.”
Lundberg said he is a building materials salesperson and lifelong Laramie resident.
County Commissioners
Democrats Pat Gabriel and Tim Chesnut will advance to the general election to face Republicans Jerry Kennedy and Eric S. Lewis in a free-for-all for two open seats on the county commission.
In the Democratic primary, Chesnut received 1,708 votes (31.2 percent) to Gabriel’s 1,476 (27.1 percent) and Hugh Lockhart’s 1,015 (18.6 percent).
Chesnut said he plans to continue his low-key campaign of placing signs in and around Albany County and attending the League of Women Voters candidate forums.
“I have 13 signs left of the 50 I originally bought,” he said. “I (also) do all the candidate forums and things like that.”
Chesnut said he knows and respects all three of his opponents, having served with Kennedy and Gabriel on the county commission.
“I don’t think the voters of Albany County could make a wrong decision,” he said. “All four of us are really viable candidates.”
Gabriel said he is running to lead Albany County through the next four years, which are expected to be tough financially due to less assistance from the Wyoming Legislature.
“I have the experience to resolve the issues that are facing the county, and some of those include future funding issues, Casper Aquifer protection (and) Title 25 dealing with involuntary commitments at IMH,” he said. “Those are the issues I see forthcoming and, with my background and experience, I feel like I can resolve the issues.”
With staunch competition heading into the general election, Gabriel said he would step up his campaign efforts by going door-to-door.
“With Jerry in the race now and, of course, Tim, I know I’m going to have to get out,” he said. “I think it would be to my advantage to get out there and tell everybody what the county commissioners actually do and maybe hand them a brochure.”
Like Chesnut, Gabriel said he has a lot of respect for his opponents.
“Jerry’s a great guy, and he was a good commissioner and represented the rural interests for eight years,” Gabriel said. “It’s unfortunate … that all four of us can’t be on the commission, but that’s the way it comes out.
“I wish all the candidates the very best and just hope we have a real good campaign, and we’ll see what happens in November,” Gabriel added.
On the Republican side, Kennedy received 2,387 votes (32.4 percent) to Lewis’ 1,114 (15.1 percent) and John Brengman’s 960 (13.1 percent).
Kennedy thanked voters for their support.
“It’s a good feeling to know that I have support out there, and hopefully we can continue the things that we started,” he said.
Kennedy said he would begin a door-to-door campaign so he can get a better idea of what voters want in their next county commissioner.
“That’s our plan,” he said.
Kennedy served on the commission with Chesnut and Gabriel from 2000-08.
While he considers them friends, Kennedy said the county commission needs someone who lives outside of the city limits and can speak for the rural landowners.
“It’s hard because there’s friendships there that go pretty deep,” he said. “But it’s just a necessary thing. We need rural representation back in Albany County. I sure can do that.”
Lewis thanked voters for sending him to general election.
“It’s fantastic,” he said. “It feels really good to get in. I want to thank everybody that voted.”
Lewis said he did some door-to-door campaigning during the primary election.
“What I did beforehand was … I got kind of a base level of what the people from rural communities and Laramie were looking for,” he said.
Because he faces an uphill battle in the general election, Lewis said he would ratchet up his campaign by hosting open houses and meet-and-greet events leading up to Nov. 2.
“I’m going to move on now and … give everybody a little bit more of an idea about where I’m coming from,” he said.
For the official results of the 2010 primary election, go to http://www.co.albany.wy.us/election-results.aspx.