WALSENBURG- After a long, mean, ugly and expsensive election, we can finally look up, scrape the mud off and see who won what. Starting at the local level: County Commissioner Art Bobian, Assessor Louise ‘Chuky’ Sandoval, Clerk Judy Benine, Treasurer Debra Reynolds, Sheriff Bruce Newman and Coroner Della Duran all ran unopposed, and were re-elected.
Question 2-A, regarding the Utility Trust Fund for the City of Walsenburg passed, with 557 yes votes and 350 no votes.
For Congressperson for District 64, Wes McKinley (D) squeaked into re-election, defeating Lisa Grace Kellogg (R), 10,695 to 10,147. In Huerfano County, Wes defeated Lisa 1,169 to 817.
For State Senate, District 2, Gloria Stultz (D) lost to rival Kevin Grantham (R), 17,753 to 24,535- but she won handily in Huerfano County.
For United States Congress, challenger Scott Tipton (R) defeated incumbent John Salazar (D) at 109,156 votes to 97,077. Salazar got more votes than Tipton in Huerfano County-1,544 to 1,020, but it was not enough to change the outcome.
In the race for Senate, between incumbent Michael Bennet (D) and challenger Ken Buck (R) has Bennet the probable winner, at 793,164 to 777,726, but Buck’s campaign might possibly call for a recount. Not all precincts have checked in by presstime.
Colorado’s new governor is John Hickenlooper (D), who defeated Tom Tancredo (I) and Dan Maes (R) 702,490 to 525,535 and 121,547. Maes received 11 percent of the overall vote, avoiding relegating the Republican Party in Colorado to minority status.
Amendments 60, 61 and Proposition 101 were all handily defeated, sparing municipal governments and services from having to cut their budgets past the bone and into the marrow.
Amendment 62, asking whether a fetus has the same rights as an individual who has been born, was defeated 70 percent to 30 percent.
Amendment 63, concerning health care choice, was defeated 53 percent to 47 percent.
