Zika, Helt winning Bend-area Oregon House seats

One of two Bend-area races for Oregon House seats was closer than the other, but the Republicans were winning both seats in Tuesday night’s balloting.

In House District 53, covering much of Deschutes County outside of Bend, Jack Zika, who had both the Republican and Independent parties’ nominations, took 55 percent of the vote to 45 percent for Democrat Eileen Kiely.

As for Bend’s District 54, after a tumultuous campaign, Republican and Independent party nominee Cheri Helt, after months of heavy advertising, was easily winning with 60 percent of the early ballots to Democrat Nathan Boddie (who lost the backing of Democratic leaders this summer) at 23 percent and Amanda La Bell, who withdrew from the race, at 14 percent.

For updates: http://results.oregonvotes.gov/Default.aspx