Meehan posts resounding win

With 17,051 ballots cast, Flat-head County voters picked a new sheriff on Tuesday. Undersheriff Mike Meehan easily defeated his two opponents, taking more than 55 percent of the votes in the Republican primary.

There were no Democratic candidates. Barring a successful write-in campaign for the November general election, Meehan will take over for Jim Dupont in January.

Dale Lauman narrowly won a nine-way Republican race for county commissioner, taking nearly 23 percent of the vote and beating Gerry Banzet by 600 votes. Pamela Holmquist came in a close third.

Democrats overwhelmingly chose Mark Crowley for the commissioner spot, giving him nearly 55 percent of the vote. He nearly doubled second-place candidate Don Hines.

Voters threw their support to Jerry O'Neil in the four-way race for Justice Court position 2. O'Neil received 29 percent of the vote. Mark Sullivan, with about 24 percent, will face O'Neil again in November in the nonpartisan race.

Statewide, state auditor John Morrison conceded to state senate leader Jon Tester before midnight in the Democrat primary for the U.S. Senate. Tester ended up with about 60 percent of the vote.

Tester will face Sen. Conrad Burns in the November general election. Burns easily won his race, tripling the votes won by Bob Keenan, who fared better in the Flathead than he did statewide.

In the Republican primary race for House District 6, Bill Beck defeated Harm Toren by 897-632. He will face Democrat Scott Wheeler, who ran unopposed, in the November election.

Both county levies were defeated. Voters turned down the two-mill proposal for mosquito control 9,207-8,622. They also turned down a three-mill proposal for operation of a juvenile detention center 9,455-8,282.

In the five-way Republican race for the District 5 seat on the Public Service Commission, Mike Taylor easily won with nearly 45 percent of the votes.