Baumgartner elected to Congress

POMEROY–Preliminary Election-Night returns show that some 79.50% of Garfield County's voters cast ballots in the 2024 General Election and it appears that conservative candidates and causes were favored by local balloteers.

Washington's Fifth District will remain in the Republican Party as Michael Baumgartner outpolled Democrat Carmela Conroy 59.79% and 164,626 votes to Conroy's 110,352 votes and 40.08%. Here voters gave Baumgartner 79.89% and 1,037 votes to Conroy's 20.11% and 261 votes.

Statewide, one of the four initiatives appears to be passing, I-2066, stop the ban on natural gas, which is leading 1,288,228 (51.22%) yes to 1,227,068 (48.78%) no. I-2109 (repeal of the capital gains tax), I-2117 (stop hidden gas tax) and I-2124 (Opt out of state-run long-term care), all are losing by significant margins statewide.

In Garfield County, voters approved each of the initiatives: I-2066 862 yes to 382 no; I-2109 698 yes to 577 no; I-2117 826 yes to 451 no; and I-2124 743 yes to 519 no.

Ninth District incumbent State Representative Mary Dye (R-Pomeroy) garnered 1,067 Garfield County votes while challenger Patrick Miller (D) received 222. Rep. Joe Schmick (R-Colfax) also received 1,067 votes versus Democrat Pam Kohlmeier's 225 votes in Garfield County. Dye received 37,107 and 66.29% approval across the Ninth District and Schmick prevailed with 65.21% and 36,805 votes.

State Senator Mark G. Schoesler (R) was unopposed and received 1,087 Garfield County votes. In the Ninth District, Schoesler counted 41,723 total votes.

County Commissioners Jim Nelson and Larry Ledgerwood, both running unopposed for four-year terms, received 100% of the 2,372 ballots counted as of election night and incumbent Superior Court Judge Brooke J. Burns, unopposed, was returned to office with 943 votes.

Garfield County voters were 72.56% for Donald Trump/JD Vance with 931 votes to 313 votes and 24.4% for the Democratic ticket of Kamala Harris/Tim Walz.

Local voters were also supportive of Dr Rual Garcia, Republican, casting 892 votes and 69.47% to Democrat Maria Cantwell's 392 votes and 30.53%. Cantwell is leading statewide 59.77% to Garcia's 40% of the vote.

Washington voted 58.32% for Kamala Harris/Tim Walz and 38.9% to the Donald Trump/JD Vance Republican ticket. In Garfield County, Trump/Vance received 72.56% and 931 votes to the Democrat Harris/Walz ticket's 313 votes and 24.4%.

Garfield County voters gave the nod to gubernatorial candidate Republican Dave Reichert, 1,019 votes (78.14%) to former Attorney General Bob Ferguson's 285 votes (21.86%). Ferguson leads statewide 56.28% to Reichert's 43.53%.

Lieutenant governor candidate Dan Matthews (R) received 1,005 votes (78.45%) to Democrat Denny Heck's 276 (21.55%) in Garfield County, while statewide Heck leads with 56.6% to Matthews's 43.29%.

For Secretary of State, Republican Dale Whitaker received 955 Garfield County votes (75.29%) to Democrat Steve Hobbs's 310 (24.51%). Across the state, Hobbs is in the lead, 59.57% to 40.34%.

For State Treasurer, Republican Sharon Hanek got 958 Garfield County votes (76.33%) compared to Democrat Mike Pellicciotti's 297 and 23.67%. Statewide, the Democrat Pellicciotti is ahead 57.88% to Hanek's 42.02%.

The next State Auditor will likely be Pat (Patrice) McCarthy, Democrat, who received 58.57% compared to Matt Hawkins's 41.3% statewide. In Garfield County, Hawkins was supported with 962 votes (76.59%) to McCarthy's 294 votes and 23.41%.

Attorney General candidate Pete Serrano (R) received 985 votes (78.42%) in Garfield County to Nick Brown's (D) 21.58% and 271 votes. Across Washington, Brown holds the edge with 56.26% versus Serrano's 43.66%.

Public Lands Commissioner is likely to be Dave Upthegrove (D) with 52.99% to Republican Jaime Herrera Beutler's 46.70%. In Garfield County, Herrera Beutler trounced Upthegrove 1,019 votes to 232. Herrera Beutler received 81.45% to 18.55% for Upthegrove.

Superintendent of Public Instruction candidate David Olson got Garfield County's approval with 688 (64.30%) to Chris Reykdal's 382 votes and 35.7%. In Washington, Reykdal holds a 53.51% margin over Olson's 45.94%.

Local voters liked Phil Fortunato (R) with 946 votes (76.66%) to Democrat Patty Kuderer's 288 votes and 23.34%. In the state, Kuderer leads 57.16% to Fortunato's 42.73%.

State Supreme Court Justice Pos. 2 went to Dave Larson 835 to Sal Mungia's 213 in Garfield County, and in the state, it appears to be a dead heat: Larson has received 1,116,230 and 49.78% to Mungia's 1,115,134 and 49.73%. Unopposed justices Steve Gonzalez and Sheryl Gordon McCloud will return to office.