Birdsell Wins State Senate Primary

A flurry of activity after revelations that state Senate candidate Jim Foley had a sordid past helped boost another candidate, state Rep. Regina Birdsell, into the win column for the Republican primary.

Birdsell received 1,980 votes, in unofficial returns, or 40 percent of the vote.

Foley, who suspended is campaign, still received 31 percent of the vote (1,527 votes). A third candidate – Frank Sapareto, another state representative – came in third with 1,447 votes (29 percent).

In the Rockingham District 5 state representative GOP primary, Mary Griffin stopped the ticket with 954 votes or 23 percent. Walter Kolodziej came in second with 19 percent of the vote (784 votes) while David Bates, a former state Representative, came in third with 778 votes (19 percent). Mark Samsel received 647 votes to come in fourth.

Two other candidates – Michelle Levell and Charles McMahon – fell short, rounding out the pack.