Republicans sweep Lyon County
Two close races could be affected
By Bobbi Mlynar
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Republican Tammy Vopat gathered in 131 votes more than her opponent in today’s election, but she isn’t ready yet to claim victory.
Vopat received 5,953 votes in the race to replace Lyon County Clerk Karen Hartenbower, who will retire early next year. Vopat’s opponent, Democrat Mike Dorcey, received 5,822 votes.
With an estimated 200 provisional ballots remaining to be verified and counted, the numbers could change when the official vote count is tallied on Friday. What is Vopat going to do until then?
“Pray,” she said.
The campaign has been “quite an experience,’ she said. “A very, very, good learning experience.”
As a first-time candidate, Vopat spent spare time and weekends going door to door to ask Lyon Counties to vote for her.
“The support was overwhelming,” she said.
Vopat and other Republicans joined a small crowd of other party faithfuls at headquarters after the last vote was counted at the Lyon County Courthouse.
The evening had had a slow start, with only a handful of quiet people in the temporary headquarters, watching Fox News update vote tallies and make projections.
“I just hope he wins, even if it’s only 10 votes. I don’t want Obama,” said Teresa Mahoney, who had gone to headquarters before 7 p.m. to watch the results with a companion, Tom Lorenz.
“She and I have been praying a lot, for the sake of the country,” Lorenz said.
For a time, local prospects were not what party leaders had expected.
With the first eight precincts reporting, Chuck Hanna was mildly disappointed with the numbers.
“We’re a little behind in a couple of races that I thought we’d be ahead,” Hanna said, assessing the results that were being telephoned in by Monte Miller.
The night was early, though, and there were Republican bright spots already beginning to surface. Hanna noted them as he read the numbers to former state representative Lloyd Stone, who tallied them on a chalk board.
“And Jim, it’s a landslide for him,” Hanna said of State Senator Jim Barnett’s sizable lead.
With 15 of 38 precincts reporting, numbers were beginning to improve, and the mood continued to brighten until at 8:35 p.m., with 35 of 38 precincts in, Hanna became gleeful.
“The Republicans are ahead in Lyon County — all of them,” he announced to the crowd. “It’s not over ‘til it’s over, but it’s better to be ahead.”
Barring challenges to the outcome, or changes when the provisional ballots are counted, all of the winning candidates from Lyon County were Republicans.
None attending the post-election celebration seemed surprised by Democrat Barack Obama’s victory, though Republican John McCain carried Lyon County.
“I thought the Republicans would get Lyon County pretty well,” said former county commissioner Clarence Arndt. “I just knew they were going to lose the national. I didn’t want them to, but ...”
Several Republicans faced no opposition in the general election. Sheriff Gary Eichorn, County Attorney Marc Goodman, Register of Deeds Vickie Lopez and state Rep. Don Hill all ran unopposed, as did Democrat Dora Hartig.
Lyon County voters preferred McCain over Obama by a margin of 6,424 to 5,622, respectively. Ralph Nader pulled in 159 votes for the independent party; the Libertarians received 63 votes and the Reform party received 48.
U.S. Senator Pat Roberts carried Lyon County with 6,843 votes to Democrat Jim Slattery’s 4,804.
Congressman Jerry Moran’s margin of victory over Emporian James Bordonaro was more substantial, with 7,716 votes to Bordonaro 3,593.
Emporian Jim Barnett defeated Democrat Kitty Frank of Admire by a margin of 7,519 votes to 4,108 to retain the Kansas Senate seat in the 17th district. The vote was 1,532 to 439 in Barnett’s favor in Coffey County and 613 to 207 in Barnett’s favor in Greenwood County.
Incumbent 76th District Representative Peggy Mast received 3,136 votes from Lyon County voters, 2,776 in Coffey County, and 324 votes in Greenwood County, compared to Democratic opponent Carol Strickland’s 1,828 in Lyon County, 775 in Coffey County and 190 votes in Greenwood County.
Teresa Walters, a newcomer to formal politics, received 2,674 votes to 2,448 votes for Philip E. Winter, former Lyon County counselor who ran against Walters for the county commission seat for the Second District.
Republican Rollie Martin of rural Hartford defeated his neighbor, Chris Bartel of rural Hartford, for the Third District County Commission seat. Martin received 1,614 votes to Bartel’s 1,500.
Comments
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hartford (anonymous) says...
I just hope Judge Wheeler will be tossed out!
November 5, 2008 at 11:44 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
wirewatt (anonymous) says...
It seems to me that we never see what the results of the voting on the Judges. I feel if we did, there would be a movement to get rid of some of them.
November 5, 2008 at 1:20 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )