Challenger Jennifer Montgomery ousted Placer County Supervisor Bruce Kranz for the District 5 seat Tuesday. By late in the vote count, Montgomery – a Serene Lakes resident and newcomer to election campaigns – had opened up a near-10-percentage-point cushion over Kranz. “I’m feeling very happy, very excited,” Montgomery said. “I look forward, if the results hold, to working with the rest of the Board of Supervisors in taking Placer County in a more positive direction for Placer County residents.” Montgomery had out-polled Kranz and a third candidate, Bob Houston, in the June primary. Houston announced his support for Montgomery late in the summer, giving the challenger a strong support base Kranz was not able to overcome in the ensuing election campaign. Kranz, who is completing his first term, emphasized his Republican Party membership to woo conservative voters. Houston is a registered Republican. Montgomery, a Democrat, said the supervisor post should be non-partisan. “We didn’t do any polling but I felt comfortable with the message I was taking to the people,” Montgomery said. “It was the same as the primary—to grow and move forward without destroying the character of communities. We heard that from Meadow Vista to Tahoe Vista.” Kranz said he had phone Montgomery and congratulated her on her victory. “I think I’ve done the best I can for the district,” he said. “The issues I had were pretty good but I ran up against an anti-incumbency movement and issues over (removed Planning Commissioner) Michelle Ollar Burris. They tried to portray me as a criminal.” Kranz said that the reason he sought the supervisor’s post was because he wanted to do what was right. It wasn’t the $30,000 a year pay, he said. “I liked what I was doing and was having a lot of fun, accomplishing things,” Kranz said. “But they surprised me in the last 10 months – how vicious people can be. Civility seemed to leave us 10 months ago.” Kranz, a retired state parks superintendent who lives in Weimar, said he wasn’t considering taking on another political role in the county. “I have always said you’re not going to see me writing letters to the editor saying I’m a former supervisor,” he said. The Journal’s Gus Thomson can be reached at gust@goldcountrymedia.com.