Chmelik ousted from Idaho County commission seat in GOP primary

Controversial Idaho County Commissioner Jim Chmelik, leader of the state’s movement to try to wrest ownership of federal public lands away to the state, has lost his county commissioner seat, defeated by GOP primary challenger Denis B. Duman, the Lewiston Tribune reports. Chmelik unsuccessfully challenged Lt. Gov. Brad Little in the GOP primary in 2014, taking 33.2% of the vote to Little’s 66.8%.

The Trib reports that Chmelik received just 35 percent in today’s primary. Duman is the former mayor of Cottonwood, a position he held for 24 years. He’s also served as president of the Cottonwood Chamber of Commerce and the North Idaho Chamber of Commerce.