After it was announced Republican Brad Little had won the governor race, Latah County Republican party chairman Thomas Lawford explained that he had expected the results.
“No one here was surprised about the governor’s race… our thinking was Paulette never thought she was going to win … and (that) this whole thing was a resume builder,” Lawford said.
Lawford said he felt confident about the statewide election results, but was more worried about local election results due to the increase of new voters.
“We’re a little more concerned with Latah County, especially with the 3,000 people that showed up who had never voted before … I don’t know how they are going to vote… it means that they aren’t local people but they are voting on our local issues and local candidates,” Lawford said.
Lawford said his biggest worry about new voters in Latah County was that there would be an increasing number of uninformed voters making decisions.
Lawford said he believed there to be more voter turnout in Latah County for the midterm elections than there had been in the Presidential elections.
Lawford said that he believed that candidates such as Caroline Nilsson Troy, were so well respected and loved in the community that they were confident that they would win.
Caroline Nilsson Troy, District five Idaho represenative, said she was nervous but excited to see election results.
“I’m always so nervous … This district is so important to me, the University of Idaho is so important to me … I’d like to continue to represent this district, but I’ve done everything I can do,” Troy said.
Troy said she was excited to see so many new voters, especially college students, taking part in the midterm elections.
It appeared that many at the Latah County Republican watch party shared that same sentiment of — confident about statewide elections, but concerned about local elections with the increase in new voters.
Member of the College Republicans club, Luke Henrie, said that he expected many of the election results but was unsure of what local election results would look like.
As more votes were announced, and it appeared that the Republicans would retain control of the Senate, while Democrats would take control of the House, Henrie said he expected it.
“I feel like it was pretty expected… they projected the Republicans to keep the Senate and the Democrats to take the house… as for the local elections though, it’s a mixed bag,” Henrie said.
Cody Allred can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @CodyLAllred