North Dakotans have decided four Republican legislative primary races, including one that ousted a Williston state House incumbent, and narrowed the race for a Northwest District judgeship.

"I had absolutely no idea where I would finish," said Todd Cresap, who came in first in a group of five Minot lawyers in Tuesday's judicial primary. Cresap and Richard Hagar, who ran in his fourth election in six years, qualified for the November ballot.

In Bismarck's District 35, two House candidates endorsed by Republican activists, incumbent Rep. Bob Martinson and newcomer Karen Karls, defeated challenger Michael Zimny in final, unofficial returns from Tuesday's primary. The trio were running for the district's two GOP spots on the state House ticket in November.

Martinson was the leading vote-getter with all six district precincts reporting Tuesday. Martinson had 1,300 votes, followed by Karls, with 1,051, and Zimny, with 562.

The district's second House incumbent, Republican Margaret Sitte, is running for the Senate. Zimny filed petitions to run against Martinson and Karls, who is married to state GOP chairman Ken Karls.

Martinson and Karls will oppose the district's Democratic House candidates, Ryan Gustafson and Michael Frohlich, in November.

"I'm just grateful for the turnout. We hope that the momentum continues into the fall," Karen Karls said Tuesday. "We worked hard. We went door to door. We did a postcard mailing. We did yard signs. We did a lot of phone calls … I think in your first election, you're always nervous."

In Williston, incumbent GOP Rep. Mike Norland lost in unofficial returns to two Republican primary rivals, Gary Sukut and Patrick Hatlestad. Republican activists did not endorse Norland for a second term, and he filed petitions to run in the primary.

With all five of the district's precincts reporting late Tuesday, Sukut had 1,032 votes, followed by Hatlestad, with 947, and Norland, with 451. Sukut and Hatlestad will run against Democrat Dan Gerhardt in November for the district's two House seats.

Hatlestad, a former Williston High School principal who taught history and government in the school, estimated he rang 2,000 doorbells during his campaign.

"That was a factor, the house-to-house, personal touch with the voters," Hatlestad said. "It's a unique experience for me. It's my first crack at the political scene. I'm really pretty excited right at the moment."

District 1's other House incumbent, Republican Earl Rennerfeldt, did not seek re-election.

Republicans in District 33, a coal-producing area in west-central North Dakota, picked the party's two endorsed candidates for GOP House ballot spots.

With all 23 of the district's precincts reporting late Tuesday, incumbent state Rep. Gary Kreidt, R-New Salem, and his running mate, Brenda Heller, of Beulah, defeated challenger Keith Jacobson, of New Salem.

Kreidt, who got 1,232 votes, and Heller, who received 1,095 votes, advanced to the November general election. Both had been endorsed by Republican activists for the race. They will run against Democrats Kevin Herrmann, of Beulah, and Mike Quinn, of Hazen, in the fall.

"I think it's going to help us a lot," Kreidt said of the race's potential effects in November. "We talked to a lot of people. We've pretty much got the feel of the district now. People have seen us. They know what we're about. And we'll be back again in the fall."

Jacobson trailed Kreidt and Heller with 820 votes. He is the principal of New Salem High School, and ran unsuccessfully two years ago for state superintendent of public instruction.

District 33 includes Oliver County, most of Mercer County and a chunk of northern Morton County. Its other House incumbent, Rep. Pat Galvin, R-Hazen, is standing down.

Two New Rockford Republicans fought for the GOP's November ballot spot to run for District 23's state Senate seat.

Preston Meier, who was backed by Republican activists, defeated Frank Walker, who filed petitions to run against him. With all 22 of the district's precincts reporting Tuesday, Meier won the nomination with 541 votes, or 56 percent, to Walker's 421, or 43 percent.

The incumbent, Minnewaukan Democrat Mike Every, is not running for re-election. Joan Heckaman, also of New Rockford, is the Democratic candidate for the seat.

District 23 is a rural region south of Devils Lake. It includes Nelson and Griggs counties and parts of Benson, Eddy and Steele counties.

In the Northwest District judgeship primary, Cresap had 2,269 votes, followed by Hagar's 2,253, with all 81 precincts reporting late Tuesday. Hagar is running his fourth campaign for a judgeship since 2000.

Trailing the two finalists were Mark Rasmuson, with 2,037 votes; Mark Flagstad, with 1,577; and Robert Thomas, with 1,347.

The incumbent judge, Robert Holte of Stanley, is retiring at year's end. The North Dakota Supreme Court has ordered the job moved to Minot once Holte departs.

The district includes Burke, Divide, McKenzie, Mountrail, Ward and Williams counties in northwestern North Dakota. It has six district judges.