Written by Paul D. Dail
With 100 percent of the precincts having reported on the Utah State House of Representatives and Washington County Commission races and no one contesting the results, the Republicans have swept the elections in Washington County.
The race for Washington County Commission Seats A and B garnered some attention earlier this year when Zachary Renstrom and Victor Iverson, relative newcomers to the scene, made waves by taking the Republican nominations from incumbent Commissioner Jim Eardley and the former mayor of St. George, Dan McArthur.
When the final votes were tallied, Renstrom defeated Democratic Party candidate Chris White for County Commission Seat A. Renstrom said that he is glad the campaigning is over and is ready to get started on the job.
“There is a lot of new energy in the office,” he said. “We have a lot of big goals, new ideas, and thoughts to bring to the office. It will be really exciting to see what happens in the next couple years.”
Renstrom said that, as commissioner, he intends to focus on bringing new business and new jobs to the area.
“Whenever I get done with this whole politics thing, if people say that economic development was [my] strong point, that would make me feel really good,” Renstrom said.
White conceded the race, thanking all who supported him. While he expressed disappointment in the low voter turnout—only around 41 percent of registered voters—and stressed the importance of Washington County citizens pushing for a vote on the Lake Powell Pipeline, he also congratulated Restrom.
“I have gotten to know Zach Renstrom and believe he will engage the citizens,” White said. “He represents a move in the right direction from our current leadership. I congratulate him on his victory, and I look forward to the good that I believe he will offer Washington County and its citizens.”
Victor Iverson won Commission Seat B for the Republican party, defeating Democrat Paul Van Dam. In his concession, Van Dam acknowledged that he and his supporters knew the race would be an uphill battle.
“We kept our hopes up that we could make a difference,” Van Dam said, “but it was not to be. For that I am sorry. As Studs Terkel said, ‘Hope dies last.’ My hope now is that we at least left voters with something to think about.”
The race for the Utah House of Representatives District 75 seat also provided some surprises, although not necessarily in the case of the victor. The District 75 race included three candidates: Incumbent Don Ipson for the Republican Party, Cheryl Hawker for the Democrats, and newcomer Nihla Judd for the Independent American Party.
Ipson defeated the two other candidates and will serve his fourth term. In his acceptance speech, he thanked the voters in his district for giving him this opportunity.
“I am committed to work hard and honor the trust you have placed in me,” Ipson said.
In results that have surprised many, Independent American Party candidate Judd came in second place with nearly 20 percent of the vote, beating Hawker by over 5 percent of the votes. However, Hawker said this might not be the last time District 75 voters see her name on the ballot.
“I send out my congratulations to Don Ipson for his win,” Hawker said. “I am grateful for the civil campaign that we were able to conduct … Don’t count me out yet. I will probably be back to campaign at the next election!”
In District 62, Republican incumbent Jon Stanard ran on a platform that emphasized the importance of addressing health care, while Democrat Shirley Nelson championed clean air and water and the need for environmental reforms. However, the candidates weighed in with opposing views on such issues as Sen. Steve Urquhart’s proposed anti-discrimination legislation, the Lake Powell Pipeline, and the Transfer of Public Lands Act. Stanard defeated Nelson by more than four-to-one.
The margin was a little slimmer in District 74, where Republican incumbent Lowry Snow defeated Democrat Dorothy Engleman with 76 percent of the vote. Snow touted the importance of water rights, something he has worked on during his previous service, and Engelman stressed the importance of open dialogue between local governments and residents.
Snow said that he was “honored and humbled by the election results.” He went on to thank everyone who provided support to the campaign, whether through financial means or just walking the neighborhoods putting up signs. “I look forward to continuing my service on behalf of the citizens of my district,” he said.
