Trump wins big in Idaho, GOP expands Statehouse supermajority

Republican Donald Trump cruised to a win in Idaho on Tuesday along the way to winning the presidency.

With over 100 percent of statewide precincts reporting, Trump won 59 percent of the ballots cast in Idaho. His closest rival, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, managed just 29 percent of the vote in the Gem State. Trump also managed to win 42 of Idaho’s 44 counties, with the only exceptions being Latah and Blaine counties.

Just after 12:30 a.m. Wednesday, the Associated Press projected Trump would be elected president. Moments later, Trump appeared on stage in New York, claiming victory after Democrat Hillary Clinton called to concede the race.

But the big night for the GOP didn’t end at the White House. In Idaho, Republicans extended their supermajority in the Legislature by picking up four seats — three in the House, and one in the Senate.

In addition to the presidential election, Idahoans voted on every seat in the Legislature, U.S. House and Senate races, a proposed amendment to the state constitution, a nonpartisan Supreme Court race and a host of local ballot initiatives.

With 100 percent of Idaho’s precincts had reported election results. At that time, results showed:

  • Robyn Brody defeated Sen. Curt McKenzie in the state’s nonpartisan Supreme Court race, 54 percent to 46 percent.
  • The proposed amendment to the Idaho Constitution, HJR 5, passed with 56 percent support.
  • Even though all 105 legislative seats expire this year, only 66 of those races were opposed. That means 39 candidates could go to bed early without having to wait for election results.
  • Republicans increased their supermajority in the Idaho Statehouse, while key legislators are running unopposed.
  • The GOP advantage in the Idaho House swelled to 59-11, while the supermajority in the Senate expanded to 29-6.
  •  Republicans picked up two legislative House seats in District 6. With all precincts from Lewis and Nez Perce counties reporting, House Minority Leader John Rusche, D-Lewiston, lost to GOP challenger Mike Kingsley. Former GOP Rep. Thyra Stevenson, R-Lewiston, also beat her Democratic opponent Bob Blakey in District 6’s other House race. That seat had been held by Rep. Dan Rudolph, D-Lewiston, who did not seek a second term.
  • Republicans picked up an additional legislative House seat in Pocatello’s District 29 after Republican Dustin Manwaring defeated his Democratic opponent David Maguire. That seat had been held by Rep. Mark Nye, D-Pocatello, who instead ran for the Senate and won a seat the Democrats already controlled.
  • Republicans also picked up one seat in the Idaho Senate after GOP challenger Dan Foreman defeated Sen. Dan Schmidt, D-Moscow.
  • Among the Republican legislators running unopposed are Senate Education Committee Chairman Dean Mortimer, R-Idaho Falls, and House Speaker Scott Bedke, R-Oakley.

 

 

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Clark Corbin

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