Heinert holds off Carney in tight state House race

By GWEN ALBERS Western News Reporter

Libby Democrat Eileen Carney's loss by 18 votes to Republican state representative Ralph Heinert doesn't mean she'll quit.

One day after losing to Heinert for a second time in a row, Carney said she plans to run again in two years for the District 1 seat, which includes the cities of Troy and Libby and outlying areas.

"I think I will because it was so close," said Carney, a retired Libby Public Schools teacher. "I'm going to watch him and let people know how he votes."

Also from Tuesday's election, Republican Chas Vincent of Libby defeated Eureka Democrat Ken Utter for state representative.

Republican incumbent state Sen. Aubyn Curtiss of Fortine won a second term after defeating Libby Democrat Coral Cummings.

Carney said she will not ask for a recount after losing to Heinert by 1,576 to 1,594.

"The system they use here is really good," Carney said. "I've watched several recounts and it's not likely that I would win."

"I feel proud of the campaign I ran, and I think I communicated directly with the voters," she continued.

Heinert in 2004 unseated Carney by 49 votes. She had been a state representative for four years.

Heinert was pleased with Tuesday's win, yet "a little disappointed" at how close the race ended.

"That's the way elections are," he said. "It was a tough race. My opponent fought a hard battle. I knew it would be very close."

Heinert also suspects he lost some Republicans' votes to Russ Brown of Libby, the Constitution Party candidate. Brown received 172 votes.

Vincent, program coordinator for Provider Pals educational program, defeated Utter, a logger and rancher, 2,118 to 1,543. Vincent won in eight out of 10 precincts. His losses in Eureka and McCormick were by two votes in each.

Constitution Party candidate Freeman Johnson of Troy received 209 votes for the seat.

Current state Rep. Rick Maedje, a Republican from Fortine, did not run.

District 2 includes Eureka and much of the area outside Libby and Troy.

Curtiss defeated Cummings 3,991 to 3,228. A former state representative who served from 1995 through 2002 and 1977 to 1983, Curtiss won in 11 of 14 precincts

Cummings, the current four-term Lincoln County clerk and recorder, won two of five Libby precincts and one of two in Troy.