HELENA -- Barack Obama claimed Montana's primary Tuesday night, just hours after securing the Democratic presidential nomination in his historic race against Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Obama's victory quickly prompted the state's five uncommitted superdelegates -- including Gov. Brian Schweitzer and U.S. Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester -- to endorse the Illinois senator.
''I want to thank all those in Montana and South Dakota who stood up for change tonight,'' Obama said in his victory speech from St. Paul, Minn., site of the upcoming Republican national convention.
Obama will challenge Republican Sen. John McCain in the fall.
With the win, Obama showed his continued strength in the Rocky Mountain West. He won earlier contests in Colorado, Idaho, Utah and Wyoming.
The contested race brought unexpected attention to Montana, where the June 3 primary usually means little in presidential politics. This year, both candidates and their respective spouses came to Montana to personally ask for votes.
Montana voters went to the polls in large numbers Tuesday, taking advantage of both same-day voter registration and early voting with absentee ballots.
''This is the first chance we've had in an election to really voice ourselves and say this is where we stand on the issues,'' said Colin Curry, a 26-year-old coffee shop barista in Helena.
Curry, describing himself as ''mostly independent,'' said the excitement prompted him to vote in his first election since he turned 18. He picked Obama over Clinton.
''It's like they say. He represents change,'' Curry said.
The state's primary was open to all voters, allowing Republicans and independents to vote on the Democratic side.
Exit polling showed that about one in 10 voters decided on Election Day who to vote for, while most made up their minds long ago.
About equal numbers said the long campaign energized the Democratic party, versus those who thought it divided the party, according to exit polls conducted for The Associated Press and television networks.
This year, the candidates fought hard for the state. Obama was here first with offices and advertising, while Clinton hired experienced Montana political operatives.
A Clinton supporter said she voted early for the candidate and hoped the New York senator will continue to pursue the nomination.
''Why should all of this be pre-decided? This should be decided on the convention floor,'' said Cindy Butler, 50, of Billings. ''I hope she stays in and continues to fight.''
Some voters were attracted to Obama's message of change. Republican Crisse Hall, 44, of Billings said she voted for Obama because he ''talks a lot about doing what's right and not just a short-term fix.''
South Dakota residents also voted Tuesday, but the polls there closed an hour earlier -- allowing Montana to lay claim to the title of last primary in the nation.
With more than 8,200 Democratic votes tallied in Lewis and Clark County, Barack Obama has built a large local lead over Hillary Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination.
Obama was leading Clinton 6,362 to 3,982, a 59 percent to 37 percent margin, according to unofficial results from the county.
Clerk and Recorder Paulette DeHart said the 7,480 votes counted so far in the Democratic races represent absentee voters and early pickups from outlying precincts. She said the figure is probably half of the county's total turnout.
Arizona Sen. John McCain has claimed Montana over Ron Paul. McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee going in, leads 12,148 to 2,411.
Voters were overwhelmingly approving a $1.43 million levy for the Lewis and Clark Library, with 8,506 voting for the levy and 3,173 voting against.
Library Director Judy Hart was astonished to hear the numbers.
"We're delighted," she said while dining with library employees at a local restaurant. "We are so happy for the support.
"Thank you, citizens of Lewis and Clark County," Hart added. "You love your library and we will continue to offer you everything we can."
The library will immediately expand hours at the Helena branch to include Sundays year-round. Officials also plan to install book-return drop boxes at sites across the Helena Valley, pay for minor renovations at the downtown branch, add two half-time positions to assist with operations and maintenance, and upgrade Internet services in Helena, East Helena, Augusta and Lincoln.
Property owners will still see their library taxes cut by 14 percent from the existing seven-year levy, which expires June 30. That tax raised additional funds for a Helena branch renovation project completed several years ago and the opening of a branch at East Valley Middle School.
The new levy will raise $27.73 per $100,000 in assessed property values, a 20 percent reduction in voter-approved taxes. The library also receives funding from a levy set by county commissioners. To analyze the levy's impact, property owners should check the state Department of Revenue's assessed value for their property on their latest tax bill.
The library's annual revenues will drop from $2.8 million to $2.5 million with the new, cheaper levy.
Tuesday's vote rounds out a decade-long effort to revitalize the institution. Voters first approved an emergency two-year levy in 1998, following that with the current seven-year renovation-and-operations levy. Voters in the future have the power to recall the new permanent levy.
If the levy hadn't been approved, the library would have immediately cut hours at all branches, froze wages, cut two existing half-time jobs, reduced its materials budget, and cut maintenance, operations and equipment-replacement funds across the board, spending more than $750,000 less than this year's budget.
John Driscoll has taken a lead over Jim Hunt in the Democratic race to face Rep. Denny Rehberg in the U.S. House. Driscoll leads 21,228 to 19,337 as of 10:13 p.m.
Gov. Brian Schweitzer has easily defeated his challengers in Tuesday's Democratic primary as he seeks re-election.
Schweitzer had 91 percent of the vote with about 10 percent of precincts reporting.
Schweitzer and Lt. Gov. John Bohlinger faced a light challenge from Helena teachers Donald Pogreba and Jason Neiffer and political unknowns William Fischer and Steve White, who help run a Kalispell-based Christian ministry group.
On the Republican side, state Sen. Roy Brown of Billings and running mate Steve Daines were leading with 83 percent of the vote with 10 percent of precincts reporting.
Trailing Brown and Daines were Larry H. Steele of Great Falls and running mate Harold Luce, who had 17 percent of the vote.
In the District Court primary, Steve Frankino (3,491 votes) and Kathy Seeley (2,931) led the pool of six candidates. The two highest vote-getters face off in the nonpartisan general election.
Butte attorney Bob Kelleher had a surprising early lead Tuesday evening in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate, besting five other candidates for the nomination to challenge incumbent Democrat Max Baucus this fall.
And in the Democratic U.S. House primary, former state Public Service Commissioner John Driscoll held a slim lead over Helena attorney Jim Hunt in early returns. The winner will challenge U.S. Rep. Denny Rehberg, R-Mont.
With 13 percent of the precincts counted, Kelleher led the six-person Republican Senate primary field with 34 percent of the vote, ahead of Kirk Bushman and state Rep. Michael Lange at 24 percent.
Patty Lovaas, a Missoula accountant, was third with 10 percent; truck driver Anton Pearson of St. Regis had 5 percent and Shay Joshua Garnett, who withdrew from the race but whose name remained on the ballot, had 3 percent.
The winner of the primary will take on Baucus, who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary and who is a heavy favorite to win re-election.
In the House race, Driscoll, who didn't campaign or raise money, was winning 48 percent of the vote to Hunt's 44 percent, with 12 percent of the precincts reporting.
Richey farmer Bob Candee was third with 8 percent.
The winner will challenge Rehberg, who's up for a fifth consecutive term as Montana's only U.S. House member. Rehberg, favored to win re-election, was unopposed in the Republican primary.
The GOP Senate primary is considered a wide-open race, as none of the candidates is well-known among Republican voters. Kelleher has run for office more than any other candidate, as a Democrat and Republican, but hasn't won an election since 1972.
The winner has the unenviable task of taking on Baucus, who has more than $6 million in his campaign fund and already has broken fund-raising records for a Montana race.
State Sen. Christine Kaufmann was leading Rep. Hal Jacobson 2,366 to 1,889 in the Senate District 41 Democratic primary.
County prosecutor Mike Menahan led former state administrator Matt Cohn 1,220 to 671 in the House District 82 Democratic primary.
In the Republican primary for the House District 84 seat, incumbent John Ward leads challenger Mike Miller 243 to 181.
In the Republican primary for the open House District 17 seat, Russ Bean of Augusta led Jim Anderson of Choteau 45 to 22.
Denise Juneau has taken a 18,326 to 10,998 lead over Holly Raser in the race for the Democratic ticket for Office of Public Instruction as of 10:17 p.m.
Check helenair.com throughout the evening for more updates.
Posted in News on Tuesday, June 3, 2008 12:00 am
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