With results from Tuesday’s election reported from all municipalities except Washington, Sullivan County Democrats will head to Concord in January with a one seat majority, 7-6, in the delegation of state representatives.
Democrats picked up one seat in District 6, Newport and Unity, but lost two from Claremont.
In District 1, Democrat state Reps. Andy Schmidt (2,731) and Lee Oxenham Walker (2,703) easily retained their seats over Republican challengers Ken Gilchrest (1,994) and Thomas Greenhalge (1,723).
Grantham’s Schmidt and Plainfield’s Oxenham won in Cornish, Grantham and Plainfield while Plainfield’s Gilchrest and Grantham’s Greenhalge won in Springfield.
In the floterial District 9, Rep. Linda Tanner, D-Sunapee, who lost a state senate bid two years ago, won her former House seat back over Spec Bowers, R-Sunapee, 5,749 to 5,087. Tanner won in Cornish, Grantham, Plainfield, Springfield and Sunapee while Bowers captured Croydon, Newport and Unity.
Rep. Virginia Irwin, D-Newport, who was the incumbent in District 9, received 1,446 votes and incumbent Rep. Skip Rollins, R-Newport, 2,427, in winning the two District 6 seats over Bill Schroeter, R-Unity (1,28) and John Lunn, D-Newport (859).
Rep. Steve Smith, R-Charlestown, retained his seat in District 11 over John Tuthill, D-Acworth, 2,439 to 1,660, with all towns reporting except Washington. Smith won in each town except Acworth.
Republicans Francis Gauthier, District 3, and John O’Connor, District 4, grabbed the two seats from Democrats in Claremont. Gauthier won an open seat held by Democrat Andrew O’Hearne, who lost a bid for sheriff, over Allison Zito, 758-660, and O’Connor beat incumbent Democrat Rep. Larry Converse, 1,065 to 958.
Longtime House Democrats Reps. John Cloutier, District 10, and Ray Gagnon, District 5, both of Claremont, easily won re-election over Republicans Walt Stapleton and David Numme.
Other winners were Rep. Sue Gottling, D-Sunapee, in District 2, over Ian Underwood, R-Croydon, 1,304 to 1,144, and Thomas Laware, R-Charlestown over Kendra Yakovleff, D-Charlestown, in District 8, 1,291 to 951.
Finally, incumbent Republican Rep. Jim Grenier, of Lempster, defeated Democrat Melanie Bell, of Goshen, in the District 7 race.
Incumbent Republican Sheriff John Simonds won every town except Grantham and Plainfield in defeating Democrat O’Hearne, a retiring police officer, in the sheriff’s race, 11,923 to 8,294.
In the county commissioner race for the third district, Goshen’s George Hebert defeated Acworth’s Jay Phinizy, 10,529 to 9,025. Incumbent Ethel Jarvis was not on the ballot.
Janet Gibson, the incumbent Republican register of deeds beat Democrat James Reed, a former city councilor, 9,861 to 7,881. In the only other contested race, Republican Register of Probate Diane Davis defeated Democrat Patrick Adrian, 11,834 to 7,856.
Patrick O’Grady can be reached at pogclmt@gmail.com.
