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Show Page A8 THE DAILY HERALD, (www.HifkTheHCTldxom), STATENATION I Prow), Utah, Wednesday, November 6, 2002 election 2002 GOVERNORS STATE LEGISLATURE County Republicans take six House races The Daily Herald -- UTAH COUNTY ,;lv i ."''"' 56 Rep. David N. Cox, is heading back to the state Capitol for another term after the schoolteacher defeated his Libertarian challenger in Tuesday's election. "I'm excited about going back," Cox said. "I think I've done a good job." His challenger, Bryan Livingston of Lehi, said he hoped he would do better but "was all right" with the outcome. He said he was able to get Cox to lean toward the Libertarian Party platform on some views. "I had a little bit of influence on his ideas, and I hope he carries on with that," Livingston said. Cos said he looked forward to making progress on education legislation on which he has begun work. House District 56 serves western parts of American Fork and all of Lehi and Cedar Valley. 58 HOUSE DISTRICT Twice is nice for James Ferrin who was elected Tuesday to serve his second term representing House District 58. Ferrin defeated Democratic challenger Maria O'Brien of Orem. House District 58 serves Lindon and parts of Orem and A. Pleasant Grove. "It's certainly an honor and a privilege," Ferrin said. "It is a pretty exciting thing." But, the outcome came as no surprise to the candidates. "I'm very disappointed, but it was a long shot," O'Brien said. "I did what I set out to do. I gave the voters a choice." Ferrin, who said he wasn't shocked by the result but was surprised by the margin of victory, added that his efforts during his first term were responsible for his victory. "I've worked pretty hard to be influential on the '.. f Victorious: Massachusetts Republican candidate Mitt Romney celebrates his win with supporters and his wife, Ann, to his left. District 56 David N. Cox District 58 James District Becky A. issues," he said. 64 Incumbent Becky Lock-haris headed to the Capitol for a third term. After serving four years in the Legislature, Lock-hatrounced Libertarian opponent Mark Lees to maintain her House Dist, rt trict 64 seat Tuesday. "I'm excited and honored to serve the people of my district for another term," she said. Lockhart, a mother of three and a registered nurse who worked for seven years in labor and delivery, is looking forward to continuing her focus on d issues health in the Legislature, among other things. "I will continue to work on issues of health care, education and human services, as well as the transportation needs of Utah County," she said. District 64 encompasses downtown Provo, southeast Provo, Springville north of 400 North, Palmyra, Benjamin and Lakeshore. care-relate- HOUSE DISTRICT District Mike Morley Lockhart Ferrin HOUSE DISTRICT 64 65 Republican Calvin G. Bird's priorities as District 65's rookie representative in the Utah House would focus on relieving the congestion on Interstate 15 in Utah County. "We don't have the secondary highways or belt routes Salt Lake has had," said Bird, who had a strong lead early this morning in unofficial returns. "With our growth, that's going to hit us really hard. We've always been told that as soon as the Olympics ended, the Legislature would look down here. So far nothing's on paper." Bird, who will represent Mapleton, southern Springville and northern Spanish Fork, feels the same about water issues. "Those are two issues where we've had to take a second seat to Salt Lake, and I don't think we should do that," Bird said. "I think if the rest of the county's delegation works together as a team, we can do something about it." HOUSE DISTRICT 66 Voters sent Rep. Mike Morley back to the House of Representatives on two months Tuesday after Gov. Mike Leavitt appointed the Payson Republican to fill this house seat. For Morley, beating Democrat Paul J. Penrod by a popular vote is much better than being nominated to the seat, which serves Woodland Hills, Salem, Elk Ridge and parts of Spanish Fork. "It's always nice to be selected by your constituents," Morley said. "Certainly, it's more enjoyable and sweeter than an appointment." Penrod said he was not disappointed and even somewhat relieved by the outcome. "I think I'd be more nervous if I won than if I lost," said Penrod, who added that he feels Morley will do a good job. Morley said he was excited to go back to the state Capitol and continue the work he started. HOUSE DISTRICT 67 When wishing luck to candidate Darin G. Peterson, some supporters in District 67 told him to break a leg but they didn't mean it literally. Despite crushing his V J; 66 District 67 Darin G. Gubernatorial bragging rights go to Democrats Peterson Despite Republican victo- ries Tuesday in Florida and other prominent states, HOUSE Democrats scored significant District 56 Cox (R) Livingston (L) 90 10 District 58 Ferrin (R) O'Brien (D) 85 15 District 64 Lees (L) Lockhart (R) 13 87 District 65 C. Bird (R) G. Bird (D) 73 25 Wyllie Jr. (L) 2 District 66 Morley (R) Penrod (D) 69 31 District 67 Peterson (R) Thomas (L) 91 Bush triumphed solidly over The Associated Press 82 18 precincts reporting foot in an accident just days before the election, which prevented him from doing much campaigning, incumbent Peterson kept Republicans on top Tuesday by beating Libertarian opponent Steve Thomas. Peterson's accident occurred Thursday morning when he was using a loader to dig post holes on a hill at his farm in Nephi. Peterson was laid up in bed on Election Day with pins in his foot. He said his win came as good news and he is looking forward to the next two years in the Legislature representing the constituents of Payson, Spring Lake, Goshen and Genola. "I really enjoy serving the people here. It's a conservative district," he said, adding Tuesday was his birthday and the support he received was the best present he could have ever gotten. County incumbents in enate repeat victories gains in gubernatorial contests and were poised to deny the GOP a majority of for the first time in years. eight With wins in Illinois, Pennsylvania and Michigan, Democrats made inroads in the Midwest and elsewhere as voters chose governors in 36 states. Three female gubernatorial candidates won election, raising the chances that a g number of six or more women would be governors next year. Republicans, on the defensive in a year when many of their incumbents were leaving office and others were facing severe budget trouble, held ground in several major gover-norshi- ps record-settin- states. The GOP also tri- umphed in two contests in the Northeast. In Massachusetts, Mitt Romney, leader of the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, defeated Democrat Shannon O'Brien to continue the GOFs hold on the governorship in the otherwise solidly Democratic state. Capitalizing on his reputation as an experienced manager who created jobs and rescued the 2002 Olympics, the venture capitalist won handily in a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans nearly three to high-profi- le one. A graduate of Brigham ' Young University and the son Gov. of former Michigan George Romney, Mitt Romney continues 12 years of Republican control of the governor's office. In Maryland, Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. defeated Democrat Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, who was aiming to become the first member of her famous clan to be elected governor. New York Gov. George Pataki easily won a third four-yeterm, defeating Democrat Carl McCall. Ohio Gov. Robert A. Taft cruised to In his quest for a second term, Florida Gov. Jeb ar The Daily Herald Y- Both Republi- can incumbents vying for state Senate seats will return to the Legislature after winning their contested races for the districts that serve Utah County. SENATE DISTRICT 11 Incumbent Republican Howard Stephenson defeated Democrat Bennion Spencer for the District 11 state Senate seat. Stephenson, who has been in the Senate for 10 years, said his major work this term will be education reform, including tuition tax credits and greater funding for public education without increasing taxes. He also said he will work to expand the state charter school law. "There is a real push by parents to have customized schools that they feel will meet their children's needs," he said. State Senate District 11 includes Alpine, Highland, most of Lehi, all of Bluffdale, Riverton and most of Draper. SENATE DISTRICT 15 It came as no surprise to four-ye- incumbent Sen. Parley Hellewell that he won Tuesday's vote in a landslide against his Libertarian opponent Beryl Furner who said publicly she would prefer to lose. The district covers Provo, Vineyard and south Orem. "Neither one of us got out and campaigned at all," Hellewell said. "I didn't do any literature. She told me right from the beginning that she wasn't going to campaign and she didn't want to win the race, so I didn't see any need to go out and make brochures and mailers." Hellewell said he will now focus on fighting "for business and lower taxes." "I would just like to say thank you to all those who supported me," he said. "I think the fact that I didn't have a Republican opponent or a Furner (L) Hellewell (R) 91 da voters refused Tuesday to make their state the first to 10 legalize possession of marijuana, and reform measures also failed in Ohio and Arizona. precincts reporting Democratic opponent is a mandate. I think the people are happy about the things that I fought for and the work that I've done." Furner said she was surprised and delighted to receive about 10 percent of the votes cast. "It's great," she said. "I have no idea why I got so many. I sent out a lot of letters. I think more people are Libertarian-thinkin- g movement, Neva- 23 77 90 than they realize because they do want more conservative things and I think they are realizing we need to be more conservative because of the condition of the economy." Vil-sac- Bruce Mirkin, spokesman for In a sharp rebuff of the drug-refor- m District 15 Mexico took governorships from the GOP In Wisconsin, Doyle unseated Republican Gov. Scott McCallum. On Tuesday, Republicans managed to snare some governorships now held by Democrats. In New Hampshire, Republican Craig Benson defeated Democrat Mark Fernald in the race to succeed an outgoing Democrat. In South Carolina, Republican Mark Sanford unseated Democratic Gov. Jim Hodgea And in Alabama, Democratic Gov. Donald Siegelman fought off a strong challenge from Republican Bob Riley. k Democratic Gov. Tom of Iowa seemed to be in solid shape. Several Republican incumbents coasted to victory, among them Bill Owens of Colorado, John G. Rowland of Connecticut, Mike Johanns of Nebraska and Kenny Guinn of Nevada. up against the full weight of the federal government," said AP National Writer Stephenson (R) ar Brad Henry of Oklahoma and Bill Richardson in New Drug reform measures shot down in three states SENATE District 11 Spencer (D) Democrat Bill McBride. And Texas Gov. Rick Perry beat Democrat Tony Sanchez. In Georgia, Republican Sonny Perdue beat Democratic incumbent Gov. Roy Barnes in a major upset. He will be the first GOP governor in that state in more than a century. But Democrats were hopof Caliing for the fornia Gov. Gray Davis and claimed victory in at least eight states now governed by Republicans. Ed Rendell, the former mayor of Philadelphia and one-tim- e chairman of the Democratic National Committee, defeated Republican Mike Fisher in a race for governor of Pennsylvania. In Michigan, Democrat Jennifer Granholm beat Republican Dick Posthumus to succeed a retiring GOP incumbent. And in Illinois, Democrat Rod Blagojevich, a U.S. House member, defeated Republican Jim Ryan. Blagojevich was the first Democrat in 30 years to be elected Illinois governor. In addition, Democrats Phil Bredesen in Tennessee, Kathleen Sebelius in Kansas, James Doyle in Wisconsin, BALLOT INITIATIVES By DAVID CRARY UTAH COUNT- x JIM BOllkliKeuiere Republicans claimed a strong victory in the elections for the state House of Representatives on Tuesday night, sweeping all six contested county races. HOUSE DISTRICT ...... Federal and state law enforcement officials teamed up to oppose the Nevada measure, which would have legalized possession of up to 3 ounces of pot The Arizona proposal downgraded e maryuana possession to the equivalent of a traffic violation, while the Ohio measure would have forced judges to order treatment instead of jail for many drug offenders. The results in Nevada, Arizona and Ohio were a blow for a national alliance of drug reformers, who vowed to keep up the fight in future elections. "For the first time, we were would small-scal- have- - the Marijuana Policy Project "I never for a moment believed this was going to be easy." Warned of drastically higher taxes, voters in Oregon rejected a proposal to create the nation's first comprehensive health care plan. The estimated price tag was to give every citizen fiul medical insurance was $19 billion a year. Oregon voters also rejected a proposal to make their state the first in the nation to require labels on genetically modified foods. Among the many measures on local ballots, the proposed secession of the San Fernando Valley and Hollywood from Los Angeles drew particularly vigorous opposition from elected officials. Mayor James Hahn, hopeful of defeating the two measures, said he would seek a state law barring future secession attempts. |