Suttmeier Ousting Mueller In Commission Race

Well-financed, moderate Republicans were winning Bonner County’s local primary races for county commissioner and sheriff Tuesday.

Preliminary results indicated that incumbent commissioner Bud Mueller was being ousted by challenger Tom Suttmeier.

Suttmeier, a retired San Francisco police captain, raised more than $8,000 for his primary bid, compared with Mueller’s $1,800.

With 22 of 30 precincts reporting, Suttmeier was leading with 66 percent of the vote to Mueller’s 29 percent. Jesse Keller, who pulled out of the race, had 4.5 percent.

“It’s a good day for Bonner County,” Suttmeier said from the Beach House Lounge where he was celebrating. “The results affirm that the county wants to move forward, and united we’re going to do some very good things for Bonner County.”

Suttmeier will face Seth Batt, a former construction superintendent and Sandpoint police officer, in the general election. Also running is independent candidate Gary Carlson of Sagle.

Facing incumbent Commissioner Dale Van Stone in the general election most likely will be Jerry Clemons, who said he was “cautiously optimistic” Tuesday evening as the results rolled in.

He had 43 percent of the vote, while Bill Stevens had 31 percent, and Thomas Clark had 26 percent.

Clark challenged Van Stone in the 1998 election, losing by a narrow margin. Clark, a political ally of Mueller’s, stood apart from Clemons and Stevens. While Clark scolded the county leadership for overspending tax dollars, Clemons and Stevens focused more on issues such as the county’s image, and economic development.

In the hotly contested sheriff’s race, voters chose experience.

Phil Jarvis, a retired commander with the San Diego Police Department with 33 years in law enforcement, swept past two other Republican contenders, Bill Litsinger and Roy Winter.

Preliminary results showed him leading with nearly 75 percent of the vote.

Jarvis benefitted from the strong financial support from business leaders in the community, including a $1,000 donation from Coldwater Creek’s CEO Dennis Pence. Jarvis raised more than $11,000 in his campaign, outpacing Litsinger 7 to 1 in campaign contributions.

“I’m feeling kind of humble,” Jarvis said Tuesday night from The Powerhouse, where he was joined by supporters.

In the Democratic primary, a former Ohio law officer, Maurice `J.R.’ Banks, was neck and neck with Lance Nichols, a two-year Bonner County resident who touted his administrative experience for the job.