Hansen waits for results at GOP HQ

Kris Hansen, who is now the Republican candidate for Senate District 14 facing Greg Jergeson in the general election for state Senate, was waiting in anticipation at the Duck Inn's Vineyard Room Tuesday night for voters' ballots to be counted.

"I feel like I have worked pretty hard on this one," Hansen said before the results began coming in. "I'm hopeful that the effort I put in is going to come to fruition in the next couple of hours."

Hansen said her opponent, Carl Mattson, ran a clean campaign and she was pleased by it.

"I am nothing but pleased with the way it went," Hansen said. "There was nothing dirty about it. … So I feel great about it. This is what a primary is for: If you want to serve and you think you can bring something to the table, then you go ahead and run. There's no hard feelings there at all."

Various notable Republicans from the Havre area were at the Duck Inn to watch their own results come in and to show support for Hansen.

Bruce Myers, the Republican candidate for House District 32, Stephanie Hess, the candidate for House District 28, Havre City Councilmembers Andrew Brekke, Matthew Boucher and Brian Barrows and others filed into the Duck Inn to watch the results being posted on the Internet.

When the laptop and projector were unable to refresh the website on which the results were being posted and it was apparent Hansen had a comfortable lead on Mattson, the Republicans began to leave some time after 10 p.m.

"It's looking pretty good," Hansen said. " … I'm pretty comfortable now that it's going to come through."

Hansen thanked Mattson for running a "really good, clean race."

"I want to ask his voters — his supporters — to give me a chance, give me a shot," Hansen said. "I'd appreciate the opportunity to win their vote over. I'm looking forward to spending some time getting to know them."

Hansen said she is going to go back to towns like Chester, Joplin, Hingham, Geraldine and Highwood in the next couple of months to continue her campaign.

"Then, it's the general election to prepare for," Hansen said.