County follows state in GOP near-sweep

By and large, voting in Stoddard County reflected the near-sweep by Republicans in Missouri of yesterday's election. In the presidential race, the county went for George W. Bush nearly 3 to 1, with 9,241 votes for the president and 3,946 for Sen. John Kerry.

Statewide, based on figures from the Secretary of State's office, Bush won 1,452,715 to 1,253,879, or 53.4 percent to 46.1 percent. As of press time, the race had yet to be decided nationally.

Stoddard County voted overwhelmingly for Sen. Kit Bond over state treasurer Nancy Farmer, 9,123 to 3,945. The state likewise went for the Republican, 1,514,793 to 1,153,422, or 56.1 to 42.7 percent

The county followed the state's lead in going for Matt Blunt, currently secretary of state., as governor over state auditor Claire McCaskill, 8,151 to 4,940. Blunt's victory across the state, however, was much narrower, 1,380,200 to 1,296,362, or 50.9 percent to 47.8 percent.

In the lieutenant governor's race, state Senate pro tem Peter Kinder defeated opponent Bekki Cook in Stoddard County by a 7,731-4782 vote. At the state level, however, Kinder squeezed a very narrow victory, 1,297,523 to 1,281,188 (49-48.4 percent).

And while House Speaker Catherine Hanaway carried the county by a substantial 7,465-5,218 vote for Secretary of State, she was unable to overcome the remaining magic of the Carnahan name statewide. Robin Carnahan defeated her by 51 to 46.5 percent, or 1,362,523 to 1,240,660.

State Sen. Sarah Steelman is the treasurer-elect, defeating Democrat Mark Powell by 1,339,216 to 1,208,877 statewide, or 51 percent to 46.1 percent. In Stoddard County, Steelman won by 6,819 to 5,092 despite six visits to the county by Powell and only one by Steelman.

Attorney General Jay Nixon bucked the GOP trend by winning statewide and in Stoddard County over Chris Byrd. In the county the vote spread was 6,770-5,874 while statewide the Democrat routed his opponent, 1,587,307 to 998,495 (59.9 percent to 37.7 percent).

US Rep. JoAnn Emerson routed opponent Dean Henderson in the 8th Congressional district with 72.2 percent of the vote, 193,524 to 71,220. In the county it was even worse, with the Republican incumbent winning 10,221 to 2,875.

State Rep. Rob Mayer defeated Patt Sharp to succeed state Sen. Bill Foster in the 25th district, by 37,574 to 28,131 or 56.6 to 42.3 percent. Mayer easily won the county, beating the Democrat 9,171 to 3,857.

Democrat Boyce Wooley took the county by 30 votes for state representative in the 159th district, edging Republican Billy Pat Wright by 5,778 top 5,748. But Wright's strength in Cape County (also part of the district) put him over the top by 8,518 to 6,978 or 55-45 percent.

Incumbent Republican state representatives Lanie Black (161st) and Otto Bean (163rd) easily turned back challenges from Curtis Burch and Jeff McCormick respectively. Black won 9,684-4,295 (439-200 in Stoddard County) while the margin for Bean was much closer, 6,929-5,497 (989-471 in the county).

Supreme Court Justice Richard Teitelman easily kept his job (1,366,831-827,789 statewide, 6,584-4,195 county) as did appellate court judges John Parrish (364,151-128,924 statewide, 7,067-3,297 county), James Prewitt (333,775-135,395 state, 6,738-3,295 county) and Kenneth Shrum (340,257-132,308 statewide and 7,237-3,166 in the county).

Amendment 3, aiming to dedicated more money to the state highway fund, easily passed at the state level and in Stoddard County, by nearly 4-1 (9,276-2,661 in the county, 1,950,960-521,320 statewide).

In countywide races, however, Democrats won convincingly. Carl Hefner defeated Bill Stroup by 8,239-4,786, while incumbent treasurer-collector Carla Knowles Moore easily turned back a challenge from Harry Dean Bennett, 8,517-4,430.

In other issues being decided by voters:

* a county sewer bond issue passed 363-141

* the Bernie Schools no-tax bond issue passed 1,164-184

xlb@dailystatesman.com