HELENA – Democrats and Republicans, each eyeing control of the Legislature, were both optimistic as candidate filing drew to a close Monday.
The major parties are putting a lot of focus into control of the Legislature this election cycle, which has been split with razor-thin margins in recent years. Democrats are pitching a message of job creation, while Republicans are honing fiscal conservative credentials with a renewed call for budget cutting.
Republicans outpaced Democrats in the sheer number of candidates that filed for election to the Legislature, with 188 hopefuls filing under the GOP banner compared to 133 Democrats. The secretary of state’s office said the total number was a record.
Jobs, the economy and renewable energy was the message Democrats wanted to send Monday at events marking the end of candidate filing. The party is hoping to gain control of a House currently tied 50-50, and a Senate Republicans hold by a slim margin.
“We have an incredible lineup of candidates from every corner of the state, and we’ve got the right folks in the right races where we can win,” party chairman and longtime legislator Jim Elliot said. “Democrats have proven we can balance the state’s checkbook, create good-paying jobs and make Montana a leader in the future of renewable energy.”
Not everyone stuck to the playbook, though.
Dave Gallik, who use to be in the House and is now running for a Helena Senate seat, said a looming budget deficit could be shored up by revoking a tax break given years ago to the extremely wealthy.
“I honestly think that the hole is too deep to cut out of,” he said.
Gov. Brian Schweitzer has been steadfastly against any notion of raising taxes.
“I am not interested in doing anything with the tax code, perhaps other than collecting the money we are all owed,” Schweitzer said Monday. The governor tried last session to close what he described as loopholes used by corporations to get out of paying taxes.
Another Schweitzer could be entering public life. Friedrick Schweitzer, nephew to the governor, filed as a Democrat for a Senate seat in Laurel. Republicans, however, generally view the territory as safe for their candidates.
The Republican message of smaller government is certainly not new, but the party is hoping it can gain more traction in the current political environment.
“The voters will have a very clear contrast of our philosophies and I’m confident that when given that choice the people of Montana will choose fiscal sanity and send a Republican majority to Helena,” said Sen. Jeff Essman, a Billings Republican heading up the parties legislative campaign effort.
The majority of the focus will come down to a few swing districts that are competitive, and include a battle in Billings between Sen. Roy Brown, a former gubernatorial candidate, and Kendall Van Dyk, who won acclaim while in the House for championing a new stream access law through the Legislature.
Monday also saw two more congressional hopefuls enter the race on the last day of campaign filing.
Democrat Sam Rankin of Billings, who decries money in politics, and perennial Libertarian Party candidate Mike Fellows join a large field vying for the seat held by incumbent U.S. Rep. Denny Rehberg.
Republicans are confident that Rehberg, who holds a huge fundraising edge over any of the challengers and has easily won re-election in recent years, will be able to hold the seat.