Republican challenger Pam Holmquist ousted Democrat incumbent Joe Brenneman in the race for the Flathead County Commission District 2 seat, winning by a vote of 20,195 to 10,458. The Secretary of State’s office reported Flathead County voter turnout at nearly 53 percent.
“I’m just humbled by the support and I just appreciate all the voters that have their confidence in me,” Holmquist said late Tuesday evening. “I’m just going to do the best I can and I’m excited to get in there.”
Holmquist touted jobs as her main priority through the campaign season and beat out two other GOP challengers in the primary election to earn her name on the party ticket for the general election.
During her campaign, Holmquist said her 32 years as a business owner would help her whittle down the county budget, which she said has grown too much in the past six years.
She will replace Brenneman, a one-term commissioner elected in 2004.
“I wish Joe well, I really do,” Holmquist said. “He did what he could.”
Brenneman said he was proud of running a clean campaign when contacted on Tuesday night, and thanked his supporters for their help.
“I appreciate the tremendous support, obviously it wasn’t as bipartisan as I hoped,” Brenneman said. “A lot of good people worked for me. We ran a campaign that wasn’t negative and I’m proud of that. We can walk away saying, ‘Look, we talked about the issues.’”
As the only Democrat currently on the county commission, Brenneman ran a campaign highlighting the county’s solvency in tough economic times, something he says he helped with when taking his seat in 2005.
He also prioritized water quality in the Flathead Valley, using examples such as the Bigfork stormwater project and the Flathead County River Commission to show his work in the past six years.
The incumbent caught some flak from property rights groups in the Flathead during his tenure, especially dealing with the Whitefish donut area and the North Shore Ranch Subdivision lawsuit.
Brenneman, however, maintained that he was pleased with the efforts of his campaign and the people who lent a hand.
“I’m proud of what people did, the work we put into it,” Brenneman said. “And we don’t have a thing to be ashamed about.”
2010 GENERAL ELECTION RESULTS (unofficial)
FLATHEAD COUNTY RACES (absentee ballots and 42 of 42 precincts reporting)
COUNTY COMMISSIONER DISTRICT 2
Pam Holmquist-R – 20,195 (66%)
Joe Brenneman (incumbent)-D – 10,458 (34%)
DISTRICT COURT JUDGE, DEPARTMENT 4
David M. Ortley – 15,918 (55%)
Heidi J. Ulbricht – 12,878 (45%)
JUSTICE OF THE PEACE, DEPARTMENT 1
Glen Neier – 8,347 (36%)
Daniel R. Wilson – 14,961 (64%)
JUSTICE OF THE PEACE, DEPARTMENT 2
Travis. W. Bruyer – 10,019 (39%)
Mark R. Sullivan – 15,724 (61%)
Sheriff candidate Chuck Curry-R, County Clerk and Recorder Paula Robinson-R, County Attorney Ed Corrigan-R, Treasurer/Assesor Adele Krantz and Superintendent of Schools Marcia Sheffels all were unopposed.
STATE RACES
U.S. HOUSE
Denny Rehberg (incumbent)-R – 20,996 (68%) Statewide: 215,720, (60%)
Dennis McDonald-D – 8,070 (26%) Statewide: 120,750, (34%)
Mike Fellows-L – 1,947 (6%) Statewide: 20,446 (6%)
STATE SENATE DISTRICT 4
Jon Sonju-R – 3,961 (68%)
Mary Reckin-D – 1,881 (32%)
STATE SENATE DISTRICT 5
Verdell Jackson-R (incumbent) – 5,690 (75%)
Edd Blackler-D – 1,934 (25%)
HOUSE DISTRICT 3
Jerry O’Neil-R – 1,725 (52%)
Zac Perry-D – 1,299 (39%)
Shawn Guymon-I – 283 (9%)
HOUSE DISTRICT 4
Derek Skees-R – 1,936 (51%)
Will Hammerquist-D – 1,849 (49%)
HOUSE DISTRICT 5
Keith Regier-R (incumbent) – 3,534 (80%)
James Henry Mahnke-D – 873 (20%)
HOUSE DISTRICT 6
Bill Beck-R (incumbent) – 3,178 (67%)
Scott Wheeler-D – 1,535 (33%)
HOUSE DISTRICT 7
Randy Brodehl-R – 2,237 (72%)
Karen Reeves-D – 851 (28%)
HOUSE DISTRICT 8
Steve Lavin-R – 1,444 (53%)
Bryan Schutt-D – 1,017 (37%)
Bill Jones-I – 285 (10%)
HOUSE DISTRICT 9
Scott Reichner-R (incumbent) – 2,390 (75%)
Neal Brown-D – 808 (25%)
HOUSE DISTRICT 10
Mark Blasdel-R (incumbent) – 3,508 (79%)
Carla Augustad-D – 908 (21%)
HOUSE DISTRICT 11
Janna Taylor (incumbent)-R – 693 (84%)
Cheryl Wolfe-G – 134 (16%)
PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSIONER #5
Bill Gallagher-R – 20,058 (66%) District-wide: 42,082, (58%)
Ken Toole-D (incumbent) – 10,271 (34%) District-wide: 30,374, (42%)