The insidious evil of so-called political leadership in Montana strikes again. At the 11th hour, with mere minutes remaining in the candidate filing window, the former head of the National Republican Senatorial Committee and soon-to-be-former Senator from Montana, Steve Daines, withdrew his candidacy paperwork shortly after his hand-picked successor, Kurt Alme, filed his paperwork to run for the Senate seat Daines has now abdicated. This obvious political ambush prevented other candidates from having an opportunity to run for this public office.
Just as in the Zinke/Flint ruse, immediate endorsements piled in from soon-to-be-past Governor Greg Gianforte, Senator Tim Sheehy, soon-to-be-former Senator Steve Daines himself, and, of course, the total and complete endorsement from President Trump. Montanans are not blind, deaf and stupid. The despicable, manipulative behavior of the Montana Republican leadership is disgusting.
I am one Republican voter who is fed up with DC bureaucrats, Montana elected officials, and out-of-state special interest groups force feeding me their preferred candidates who will do their bidding in my home state. I won’t stand for it anymore and I will no longer act as a puppet marching into the voting booth voting for anyone with an “R” next to their name.
I want a candidate who acts in the best interests of Montana and its residents. I want a candidate who will fight to preserve individual property and water rights; who will lower property and income tax burdens, reduce government overreach; prevent special interests from pillaging the Treasure state; stand for America and Montana First policies; and especially who is open and honest with their constituents and their political party. Do any of those sorts of candidates exist anymore?
Watch out, Montanans. Wolves are howling. Snakes are coiling.
Janet Walters
Bigfork