Few upsets in Lakes Region Republican Statehouse primaries

CONCORD — Incumbents largely fared well in Tuesday’s primary races for local Statehouse districts, though there will be some new names for voters to choose from among those in the General Election on Tuesday, Nov. 5.

Belknap District 2

Matthew Lunney narrowly held off fellow challenger Edward Twaddell, and incumbent Matt Coker easily survived, in the Republican primary to represent Meredith in the Statehouse.

Coker and Lunney will face Ben Brookmyer and Lynn Thomas, who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary, in the General Election in November.

In the GOP primary, Coker skated to the front of the pack with 749 votes. Lunney earned 345 votes, and Twaddell trailed with 309.

Belknap District 5

In the Republican primary election for Laconia's four Statehouse seats, incumbents Mike Bordes and Steven Bogert, as well as challengers Sheri Minor and Richard Littlefield, earned enough votes to move on to the General Election. Former Rep. Dawn Johnson failed in her bid to return to the legislature.

Bordes led the field with 1,061 votes, followed by Bogert’s 962. Littlefield earned 871 votes and 848 supported Minor. Johnson had a total of 724 votes.

District 5 represents Laconia Wards 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6.

These winners of the Republican primary will face Charlie St. Clair, Erika Gray and Wendy Chase, who ran unopposed on the Democratic side.

Belknap District 6

State Rep. Richard Beaudoin was upset by challenger Glen Aldrich, himself a former state representative, in the results of Tuesday’s Republican primary for the four Statehouse seats representing Gilford, Gilmanton and Laconia Ward 2. The other incumbents — David Nagel, Harry Bean and Russell Dumais — earned enough votes to appear on the ballot for the General Election.

Bean earned the lion’s share of the votes, with 1,592. He was followed by Dumais, who earned 1,212, then Nagel with 1,032 votes. Catching the last seat on the train was Aldrich, who had the support of 887 voters. Challenger Ronnie Abbott had 716 votes, and Beaudoin, who is finishing his first term in Concord, trailed the pack with 625.

The Republican nominees will face Bob McLean, Jonathan Arsenault, Kurt Webber and Lena Nirk, who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.

Belknap District 7

Incumbents Barbara Comtois, Paul Terry and Peter Varney held off insurgent Brianna Weller in the primary for the three Statehouse seats in District 7, which represents Alton and Barnstead.

Terry led the field with 1,100 votes, Varney wasn’t far behind with 1,089 and Comtois was a close third with 1,009. Weller trailed by a significant margin with 503 total votes.

Terry, Varney and Comtois will face Ruth Larson and Susan Church Stevens, who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary, in the General Election.

Belknap County treasurer

Michael Muzzey, incumbent Belknap County treasurer, was able to fend off challenger Leo Bernier in the primary election. Muzzey earned 5,626 votes to Bernier's 2,987.