Butte-Silver Bow race: Gallagher vs. Foley

J.P. Gallagher and Bill Foley have cleared primary hurdles in the race for chief executive of Butte-Silver Bow County and will face each other in the Nov. 5 general election.

Gallagher is seeking a second term as the county’s top political official and finished first in a four-way primary on Tuesday, getting 45% of 11,225 votes cast, according to unofficial results.

Foley finished second with 25%, Rayelynn Brandl got 22% and Cathy “Moe” Goodwin got 8%, but only Gallagher and Foley advance.

Gallagher was pleased with his primary showing.

“I think people spoke with confidence in the leadership of the chief executive’s office so we’re going to continue to work every day for the people of Butte and I look forward to the general election,” Gallagher said Wednesday morning.

Foley, a longtime sportswriter and columnist in Butte, had a different take on the results.

“Fifty-five percent of the voters voted against the incumbent last night and I think that’s telling,” he said. “I feel really good about my position right now, because I think what I stand for is the same thing that Rayelynn Brandl and Moe Goodwin stand for.”

In neighboring Anaconda-Deer Lodge County, incumbent Bill Everett finished first in a four-way primary for chief executive, capturing 49% of the vote. Greg Bahr, the county’s building inspector, finished second with 33% of the vote.

In local races with three or more primary candidates in Butte-Silver Bow and Anaconda-Deer Lodge counties, only the two two vote-getters advance to November. That means Everett and Bahr will square off in the fall.

Kevin Morley finished third in that chief executive race with 12% of the vote and Daniel Goddard got 5%.

In another four-way primary Tuesday in Butte-Silver Bow County, prosecutor Ann Shea finished first in a bid to replace longtime state District Court Judge Kurt Krueger, who is retiring at the end of the year.