Hess tops Trethewey in upset

Stephanie Hess was a political unknown when she announced her candidacy earlier this year.

Tuesday night, she was no longer an unknown, she was the state representative-elect from the Havre area.

Hess, a Republican, narrowly defeated longtime Democratic activist Janet Trethewey, a Havre city councilwoman, 1,611 to 1,491,

The district includes the city of Havre, one of the main Democratic strongholds on the Hi-Line.

Well-wishers gathered around Hess at the Republican headquarters at the TownHouse Inn of Havre on Tuesday night.

"I'm honored to be able to represent the area," Hess said. "This is not something I take lightly."

Hess’ election means the Hi-Line’s delegation to the Legislature will be most Republican in memory.

Sen. Jonathan Windy Boy, D-Box Elder, who is in the middle of his four-year term, will be the only Democrat from the area.

Hess has worked as a legislative aide during the 2009 and 2011 sessions but had not run for office before.

She is a social worker at Northern Montana Care Center.

She and Trethewey differed on many political issues. Hess was more conservative on every issue.

The district lines were redrawn in the recent reapportionment plan. The city was once divided into two districts in an effort by earlier legislatures to spread the Democratic votes into two districts. Even Republicans conceded they would have a hard time winning an election in the district since it traditionally voted Democratic.

The turnout in Tuesday's election was the lowest in recent history. On the Hi-Line, lower turnouts almost always hurt the Democrats, a review of recent elections show.

Hess will take office shortly after Jan. 1, and she will serve in the legislative session that runs through April.

Republicans, who have controlled the House for the last two sessions, retained control in Tuesday’s voting, It was unclear this morning what the margins would be.