In the upcoming general election in November, voters in Montana’s 1st Congressional District have a moral choice to make when they vote for a candidate to represent them in the House. Their choice is between two candidates with vastly different loyalties and priorities. One choice is for a Democratic candidate, Sam Forstag, whose loyalty and priority are to act and legislate in the public interest by doing what is best for Montana and defending and supporting the U.S. Constitution. The other choice is for a fear-mongering Republican candidate, Aaron Flint, who believes in and perpetuates conspiracy theories and has a self-absorbed priority of demonstrating and maintaining his blind loyalty to President Donald Trump. Flint knows that to receive a Trump endorsement comes with the unspoken but understood obligation and priority for him to serve as one of Trump’s compliant, silent, and cowardly lapdogs in Congress if he’s elected.
Flint’s failure to answer a specific “yes” or “no” question in a recent debate with Sam Forstag unmistakably demonstrates both where his loyalty lies and his lack of political courage. He couldn’t bring himself to say whether he does or does not support Trump’s blanket pardon of all the rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 and injured many police officers.
That Flint openly touts Trump’s “complete and total endorsement” of him provides Trump with the unspoken guarantee that Flint will never hold him accountable, or criticize his moral failings, or challenge any of his policies or personal actions, including his self-dealing, grifting, and egregious lies of a stolen election and voter fraud. And Flint is hoping voters either don’t know or don’t care that his loyalty is not to Montana or the Constitution, but instead to a corrupt, self-dealing, dishonest, and narcissistic president. It’s more important to him to have Trump’s endorsement than to exhibit any degree of political courage and principle by promising to be an objective and independent check on his executive power.
In our democracy, Congress has the duty and the responsibilities to function as both a legislative body and a constitutional guardian, an independent check on executive power, and an anchor for the rule of law. Fidelity to the U.S. Constitution is a core principle of congressional governance, which means that loyalty of all members of Congress must be to the Constitution, not the president. It’s what voters should expect and demand of their elected congressional representatives.
But up and down the ranks of the Republican Party, blind loyalty and obedience to Trump have become a litmus test for gaining his endorsement and avoiding his wrath. It’s now that party’s defining characteristic. But it’s a negative test of moral standards for politicians, including Flint, who are seeking public office. They are placing lies over the truth, immorality over ethics, ambition over principle, narcissism over duty, and cowardice over conscience. Anyone who passes this test should be disqualified from consideration for a seat in Congress, including Aaron Flint.
Voters need to ask themselves whether they want another politically cowardly sycophant of Trump, Aaron Flint, to represent them in the House, or Sam Forstag, an individual with courage and principle who will follow the Constitution, vote his conscience, be a check on the executive branch, an anchor for the rule of law, and represent the interests of Montana and its people. It’s an easy choice for anyone who possesses common sense, and sound judgment, and believes in the rule of law and the Constitution.
Jerry Elwood
Kalispell