Election results posted; Zinke heads to DC

Gwyneth Hyndman, Interim Editor | Nov 17, 20220

By Gwyneth Hyndman

A precinct breakdown of Seeley Lake, Swan and Potomac election results show that voters in these areas voted overwhelmingly in favor of Republican 1st Congressional District candidate Ryan Zinke for Montana’s newly created western U.S. House district. The AP Press declared Zinke the winner on Thursday morning, Nov. 10.

On the whole, Missoula County voted in favor of Democrat Monica Tranel, who secured 63.58% of the vote, over Zinke’s 33.32% and Libertarian John Lamb’s 2.97%.

In Seeley Lake, Zinke won 720 votes, Tranel secured 384 votes and Lamb won 43 votes.

In Swan, Zinke won 254 votes, Tranel had 91, and Lamb won 14 votes.

In Potomac, Zinke secured 376, Tranel had 261, and Lamb had 37 votes.

Overall in Montana, Zinke had 120,285 votes; Tranel received 112,271 votes and Lamb had 9,304 votes.

“I’m incredibly grateful to the people of Western Montana for once again placing their trust in me to fight for them in Washington, D.C.,” Zinke said in a statement Wednesday night. “The voters saw through the vicious lies and deceit of my opponents and radical political groups. Truth matters, and now it’s time to fight for freedom and protect our way of life in Montana.”

On Thursday morning, Tranel gave an emotional concession speech at the University of Montana campus, thanking her supporters for “joining me on this journey."

“We will continue to walk together,” she said. “We will continue to build this movement of the people, a movement that includes everyone, regardless of our differences - of our color, of our faith, who we love, and how we live in this world. You represent the Montana I know. The Montana that is big enough, and big-hearted enough to share.”

In other races of local interest:

HD 92 - Incumbent Republican Mike Hopkins

Missoula County - 2,689 for Hopkins; 2,097 for Stein

Potomac - 420 for Republican Mike Hopkins; 248 for Democrat Gary Stein

Seeley Lake - 780 for Mike Hopkins; 363 for Gary Stein

Swan - 274 for Hopkins and 86 for Stein

Missoula County Commissioner District 2: Winner Democrat Dave Strohmaier

Missoula County - 22,309 for Chambers; 31,779 for Strohmaier

Potomac - 438 for Republican Kim Chambers; 229 for Democrat Dave Strohmaier

Seeley Lake - 769 for Chambers; 376 for Strohmaier

Swan - 266 for Chambers; 95 for Strohmaier

Missoula County Fairgrounds general obligation bond: Failed