Local voters choose McCain, but Obama earns White House
As Obama cruised to a seemingly easy victory over McCain nationwide, area Democrats and Republicans alike gathered in Burnet to watch election returns at a pair of events hosted by each party.
News of Obama’s predicted victory was met with a muted response from several Burnet County Republicans, who watched the election from their party headquarters on the Courthouse Square.
“It is better to be here where misery loves company,” quipped Burnet Republican Pat Dickey.
County Court-at-Law Judge Randy Savage said he had just finished a long day in court hearing a case involving a wayward preacher.
“Anything is better than that,” Savage said.
Local Democrats heralded Obama’s historic election from their party’s gathering at Diego’s Mexican Restaurant.
“I think it is an exciting night,” Democrat Jo Karr Tedder said at the gathering. “I think it will definitely go for Obama. I think it shows the grass roots really works. That is what I have learned from the Obama campaign.”
One of the night’s GOP winners, State Rep. Jimmie Don Aycock, R-Killeen, was on hand at the Burnet GOP gathering, saying he was encouraged by early vote totals that favored McCain.
“Right now, I think it looks better than it did two weeks ago,” said Aycock, who won re-election to his seat in Austin over Libertarian challenger Nicolaas Kramer.
As predicted early on, McCain easily carried Texas’ 32 electoral votes, picking up about 55 percent of the state’s vote during Tuesday’s polling.
In Burnet County, McCain picked up 12,034 votes, or about 71 percent of 16,700 ballots cast. Obama received 4,596 votes, or about 27 percent.
In Llano County, McCain garnered 7,279 votes, or 75 percent of about 9,600 ballots cast. Obama received 2,250 votes, or about 23 percent.
Burnet County voters confirmed Republican state District Judge Gil Jones’ return to the 33rd state District Court, along with District Attorney Sam Oatman. Neither man faced opposition in their re-election bids. Also a winner Tuesday was Sheriff-elect W.T. Smith, who defeated incumbent Joe Pollock in the March Republican primary. Also elected without opposition were County Attorney Eddie Arredondo, Tax Assessor-Collector Sheri Frazier, Precinct 1 Commissioner Bill Neve, Precinct 2 Commissioner Ronny Hibler, Precinct 1 Constable Mike Harnisch, Precinct 2 Constable Chuck Caraway, Precinct 3 Constable Jimmy Ballard and Precinct 4 Constable Chris Jett.
In LlanoCounty, voters also confirmed both Jones and Oatman’s re-election. Also among Tuesday’s winners were Sheriff-elect Bill Blackburn, who faced no opposition after defeating incumbent Nathan Garrett in the March Republican primary.
Also earning nods in the Highland Lakes were U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, who won a second term on Capitol Hill over Democratic challenger state Rep. Rick Noriega. U.S. Rep. Mike Conaway, R-San Angelo, also won re-election to his third term in Congress, easily trouncing Libertarian challenger John R. Strohm with nearly 89 percent of the vote.
State Sen. Troy Fraser, R-Horseshoe Bay, also easily defeated Libertarian challenger Bill Oliver, garnering about 88 percent of the vote Tuesday.
Joining Aycock in the state House of Representatives will be state Rep. Harvey Hilderbran, whose district includes Llano County and who picked up 86 percent of the local vote over Libertarian Brian W. Holk.
Some local Democrats said they believed Obama’s victory — which was mirrored in several Congressional races across the country — signaled a new resurgence for Democrats in the traditionally-red Lone Star State.
“I think the (presidential) election will be a springboard for Burnet County Democrats in 2010,” Burnet County Democratic Party Chairman Guy Stewart said.
Except for one man who spoke to www.thepicayunetv.com to report problems with electronic balloting, there were no other complaints that surfaced. Lines were not long at the voting booths because so many people cast early ballots, officials said.
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