Hansell

SALEM — Bill Hansell, R-Athena, won the 29th District State Senate Republican primary Tuesday night, easily defeating challenger Garison Lee Alger, according to the Oregon Secretary of State’s website.

Hansell won 15,606 votes, or 92% of the vote total, easily outdistancing Alger, who received 1,350 or the remain 8% with the exception of 16 write-ins.

Union County supported Hansell with 4,465 votes or 92.5% of the total. Wallowa County vdid the same, casting 1,529 votes — 93.9% — for Hansell.

Hansell is in his eighth year as a senator for District 29, which includes Umatilla, Morrow, Wallowa, Union, Gilliam, Sherman and half of Wasco counties. Hansell served for 30 years as a Umatilla County commissioner.

Alger, a Pendleton carpenter, filed Feb. 5 to run in the Republican primary. According to his filing paperwork, Alger is a Pendleton High School graduate with experience in construction, flooring, metal fabrication and customer service.