Adkins, Bird, Critten win election

Three local candidate races helped fuel voter interest in yesterday’s election. The most hotly contested race proved to be for Presiding Commissioner where Democrat Lance Critten defeated Republican David Michael by 434 votes. Michael carried majorities at Winston and Coffey. Critten won by significant majorities at Jamesport and Gallatin to cement his victory.

Daviess Countians selected incumbent Associate Circuit Judge Daren Adkins over independent challenger Mike Arnold by a 913-vote margin, which was a 64% majority.

Democrat Sue Bird defeated Republican Nancy Garnett for Circuit Court Clerk by a 962-vote margin, which was a 64.7% majority.

Daviess County voters said "No" to stem cell research (Amendment No. 2) but statewide the measure passed by a close vote. This ballot decision was the only one nationally in yesterday’s election to directly address the disputed research technique. Most outstate counties joined Daviess County in rejecting the measure, but votes cast in St. Louis and Kansas City reversed early election returns.

Locally voters also bucked the statewide decision to elect Clair McCaskill to the U.S. Senate. Daviess County went for Republican Jim Talent but only by a scant 188 vote margin. The election triumph for McCaskill was part of a Democrat surge nationwide where the Democrats took control of the U.S. House.

The McCaskill-Talent race attracted national attention. The $40 million contest that consumed thousands of campaign miles resulted in what everyone expected: a very close race. The success that Democrats posted in yesterday’s elections is being interpreted largely as a clear signal that Americans want a new direction in Iraq.

Nowhere was the race for 12th District State Senate between Democrat James Neely and Republican Brad Lager more close than in Daviess County. Only 11 votes separated these candidates here countywide, where Neely was perhaps better known due to his medical practice here in Gallatin. But Lager, previously a state representative from Maryville, tallied a 60% majority to succeed David Klindt who reached his term limit.

Daviess Countians endorsed incumbent Congressman Sam Graves who easily defeated his main opponent, Democrat Sarah Jo Shettles, to remain in office.

Likewise, incumbent Jim Whorton was endorsed by Daviess County voters and defeated Republican challenger Casey Guernsey of Bethany by a 7,304 to 6,418 count. Guernsey carried three local precincts (Altamont, Coffey, Jameson) and nearly split Pattonsburg’s vote count perfectly (152-154), but Whorton countered with larger majorities at Jamesport and Gallatin.

The election marked the second time "touch screen" voting was provided to local voters in addition to the optical scan ballots. County Clerk Linda Steward says 188 voters chose to use the touch screen voting booths, and no problems were reported.