Incomplete count shows Hawkins leading District 2 House race

Nov. 9—Former Latah County Commissioner Tom Stroschein was trailing Fernwood Republican Dale Hawkins late Tuesday in the race for Idaho's 2nd Legislative District House B seat.

The 2nd District includes all of Clearwater, Benewah and Shoshone counties, as well as the eastern half of Kootenai County and a sliver of southern Bonner County.

As of 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, Clearwater County was reporting partial results to the Idaho Secretary of State's Office. No results had been posted from any other county in the district.

The incomplete count showed Stroschein with 399 votes or 22.4%, compared to 1,334 votes and 75% for Hawkins. Libertarian candidate Jennifer Ann Luoma of Bayview had 45 votes or 2.5%.

During an interview in October, Stroschein said he hadn't planned to run for the Legislature. However, he threw his hat in the ring after some Orofino Democrats asked him to run for the open seat.

"I couldn't just let someone walk into the seat," he said.

Hawkins declined to answer questions from the Lewiston Tribune before the election.

Luoma said she was running so average Idahoans could sleep better at night.

"Things have become so biased up here and everything is so polarized, I think people just need a chance to have someone they can completely trust," she said. "People can trust me because I'm not going to come up with some emotionally challenging issue (to push at the Legislature)."

Incumbent Rep. Heather Scott, R-Blanchard, was unopposed in her bid for a fifth term in office representing the district's House A seat.

Former Rep. Phil Hart won a three-way race for the district's Senate seat during the May Republican primary. He was unopposed in Tuesday's general election.

Spence may be contacted at bspence@lmtribune.com or (208) 791-9168.