Cooper earns GOP nod for SD20

WORLAND – Unofficial results from Tuesday night's primary showed a tightly fought race between Ed Cooper of Ten Sleep and Linda Weeks of Basin for the Republican nomination split by just over 200 votes with Cooper winning at an unofficial total of 2,300 votes (47.6%) to Weeks' 2,084 (43.1%).

Cooper outperformed Weeks in Washakie County, seeing a total of 1,298 for Cooper and Weeks garnering 719, which resulted in a 579 margin of victory for Cooper in Washakie County.

Weeks gained ground back in both Hot Springs and Big Horn counties, she had 482 votes in Big Horn and 689 in Hot Springs compared to Cooper's 313 in Big Horn and 477 in Hot Springs.

The two then split Fremont and Park counties by a slight margin, with Cooper winning Fremont County by a count of 101 to 71 and Weeks winning Park by a count of 123 to 111.

"I am humbled by all of the support and I am very proud to represent District 20 as a Republican in the general election," Cooper said. "Mrs. Weeks was a tough opponent and ran a great campaign."

"I ran a very clean respectable race and it was a close one," Weeks said. "I spent time in every town in District 20, It all came down to Washakie County."

In total there were 4,831 total votes cast by all districts, with Roland Luehne of Thermopolis placing third with a total of 440 votes (9.1%).

Cooper now advances to face Theresa Livingston of Worland, who ran unopposed on the Democratic side and received 418 out of 421 votes cast (99.2%).

Representative John Winter (R-Thermopolis) won his House District 28 primary against David Bayert, Winter received 2,009 of the 2,524 total votes cast which gave him a percent of 79.5% and Bayert received 509 of the votes for a total percentage of 20.1%.

Winter will face Levi Shinkle of Thermopolis in the general election, as he received 231 out of 233 (99.1%) votes cast in the Democratic race where he was unopposed.

House District 28 Representative Mike Greear (R-Worland) ran unopposed in the House District 27 primary, receiving 2,073 of the 2,110 votes cast (98.2%). There were nine write-ins on the Democratic side.

COUNTY

Washakie County Commissioner Aaron Anderson of Ten Sleep ran unopposed in the Republican Primary for re-election, receiving 1,830 of the 1,924 votes cast. There were 19 write-in votes on the Democratic side.

In Hot Springs County, incumbent commissioner Phillip Scheel won the Republican nomination over challenger Michael Liesch, 843 votes to 415.

In Big Horn County, Bruce Jolley of Lovell defeated incumbent commissioner Deb Craft for the Republican nomination.

There were no Democrats on the ballot in Big Horn or Hot Springs counties.

Results are unofficial until the county canvassing boards meet and the state canvassing board meets.