Local voters buck some state trends

The Daily Inter Lake

Flathead County voters favored Republicans for the state and country's highest leaders.

In the race for president, George W. Bush won with a sizable margin in Flathead County, tallying 25,966 votes to John Kerry's 11,566 votes. Independent Ralph Nader picked up 509 Flathead votes; Libertarian Michael Badnarik got 163 and Constitution Party candidate Michael Peroutka won 307 votes.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob Brown lost to Democratic newcomer Brian Schweitzer in the state race, but Brown won Flathead County, with 21,921 votes to Schweitzer's 14,949 votes.

Whitefish voters split the vote somewhat evenly for the two gubernatorial candidates, who are both from Whitefish, but Schweitzer had an edge in at least a couple of Whitefish area precincts.

In Precinct 20, set up at City Hall, Schweitzer got 58 percent of the vote and Brown had 38 percent. In Precinct 45, with polling at the Moose Lodge, Schweitzer received 48 percent of the vote; Brown had 45 percent.

Flathead voters were also in a Republican state of mind for top state offices.

They chose Republican Duane Grimes with a total of 18,968, while Democrat John Morrison of Whitefish, who won the state race, received 17,578 votes.

Also winning in Flathead County was Bob Anderson, Republican candidate for state Superintendent of Public Instruction. Anderson got 19,742 votes here, while incumbent Democrat Linda McCulloch, the winner in that race, tallied 17,095.

Secretary of State Republican contender Brad Johnson was boosted to victory by the Flathead's strong support. He received 23,513 votes here, while Democrat Bill Kennedy earned 13,260 votes.