Hayden mayor crushes Aryan Nations' Butler

Idaho Statesman/November 5, 2003

Richard Butler, the leader of the Aryan Nations white supremacist and anti-Semitic group, lost Tuesday´s Hayden mayoral election. With 100 percent of votes counted, Butler had only 50 votes (2 percent).

Incumbent Mayor Ronald B. McIntire had 1,924 votes (92 percent), far outpacing the other candidate in the race, Gordie Andrea, who had 148 votes (7 percent).

Butler did not expect to win the contest, but said he wanted to use it as a platform for his ideas.

During the race, Butler´s followers passed out racist literature in city neighborhoods. The fliers urged white people to wake up or face extinction.

About 10,000 residents live in Hayden. Under ordinary circumstances, a municipal election in the resort town would get little notice outside of the county.

But Butler´s candidacy drew national attention because the vote would show exactly how many Hayden residents support his racist views.

Two of Butlers supporters also ran for city council seats.

City Councilwoman Nancy Taylor, a one-term incumbent who was being challenged by one of Butler´s followers, won with 1,236 votes (60 percent). Aryan Nations member Karl Gharst had 42 votes (2 percent). The remainder went to Roger Saterfiel.

City Councilman Chris Beck won his race with 1,986 votes (97 percent) against Aryan member Zachary L. Beck, who had posted 69 votes (2 percent). The two are not related.