By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post
The Ellis County Republican primary featured several contested races and by the end of voting Tuesday two incumbents were defeated.
All of Tuesday’s election results are unofficial until approved by the Ellis County Commission during the official election canvass. That meeting is scheduled for Aug. 13 at 5 p.m. at the Administrative Center.
In the race for Ellis County treasurer incumbent Lisa Schlegel was defeated by challenger Vernon Ruder Jr. Ruder will face Democrat Julie Mercer in the November general election.
Ruder edged Schlegel 38.26% to 31.89%.
Ruder received 1,856 votes while Schlegel amassed 1,547 votes.
Sherry Dryden finished third with 29.85% of the vote — 1,448 votes.
In the race for Ellis County Commission Second District, Neal Younger defeated incumbent Dustin Roths and challenger Kerry McCue.
Younger received 639 votes to Roths 547 and edged him 40.16% to 34.38%. McCue received 405 votes for 25.46%.
Younger is expected to run unopposed in the November election, unless a challenger mounts a write-in campaign.
In the Republican race for Ellis County Attorney. Robert Anderson Jr. defeated Chris Lyon 64.94 to 35.06%. Anderson collected 2,958 votes to Lyon’s 1,597.
No Democratic candidate filed for the race, so Anderson will run unopposed.
With all 70 precincts reporting, another incumbent was defeated in the race for 23rd Judicial District judge. Former Ellis County Attorney Tom Drees was the winner over incumbent Blake Bittel, 45 percent to 39 percent. Kerry Wasinger had 16 percent of the vote. The 23rd Judicial District is comprised of Ellis, Gove, Rooks and Trego counties.
Incumbent Magistrate Judge of the 23rd Judicial District, Doug Bigge, Rooks County, was re-elected in a defeat of Nolan Weiser, 60 percent to 40 percent.
You can find a complete list of Tuesday’s election results by clicking HERE.