Page 10 - Flathead Beacon // 5.21.14

10 | MAY 21, 2014 NEWS FLATHEADBEACON.COM

GOP Eyes Senate Seat as Incumbent

Facts

FIGURES
Walsh Mounts Campaign

Numbers in the news
Daines, Walsh emerge

36.1
as top fundraisers lead-

million
ing up to June 3 primary

Number of Americans By TRISTAN SCOTT of the Beacon

expected to travel 50
miles or more during U.S. Rep. Steve Daines, Montana’s lone
congressman, is making an aggressive play
Memorial Day weekend, for the U.S. Senate seat and has emerged as
the most since 2005, a heavy favorite despite facing two oppo-
nents in the June 3 Republican primary.
according to AAA.
Meanwhile, this year’s appointment of
incumbent U.S. Sen. John Walsh, a strong
Democratic primary favorite, may or may
55%
not serve to his advantage this fall, but he
is expected to prevail next month despite
Amount tuition and challenges by a pair of Democrats.
This year’s Montana Senate race is
fees at Montana’s two considered one of the most important in
lagship universities has the nation as Republicans dispatch a vig- LEFT: Rep. Steve Daines. RIGHT: Sen. Jon Walsh
increased in the last 10 orous, well-funded campaign to procure a BEACON FILE PHOTOS

years.
Senate seat that has eluded the party since presidential candidate Mitt Romney – by a campaign data – and public polls putting
1913 – one of just two seats nationwdie nearly 14-point margin – while simultane- Walsh behind Daines by double digits,
that the GOP hasn’t claimed in more than ously electing Daines to his irst term as a Daines has emerged as an early favorite.
6.6%
a century.
congressman.
Even though the two candidates face
Gov. Steve Bullock named Walsh in Daines, a former software irm execu- primary challengers, both are expected to
February as a successor to the seat vacated tive, has branded himself as a counter- advance to the general election.
Flathead County’s by former six-term senator Max Baucus, balance to Democratic policies on health “I think Daines has a cakewalk and
who became the American ambassador to care, spending and development. He has Walsh, I don’t know if it’s quite as much
jobless rate in April,
the lowest since last China.
raised $3.6 million in campaign funds and of a cakewalk, but it would be a shock if
Walsh already had declared himself a had about $2.2 million left in his campaign Walsh lost (in the primary),” University of
October, according to candidate for the Senate seat after Baucus account as of March 31.
Montana associate professor of political
the state Department announced last spring that he would not Walsh had raised $1.5 million and had science Robert Saldin said.
run for re-election in 2014.
$697,000 cash on hand as of March 31.
Running against Walsh in the three-
of Labor.
Democratic supporters hoped the Daines’ opponents in the GOP primary way competition for the Democratic nom-
move would elevate the proile of Walsh, a are state Rep. Champ Edmunds of Mis- ination – for a seat held since 1978 by Bau-
career National Guardsman and irst-term soula, who’s been campaigning for the seat
4.8%
cus – are Wilsall rancher Dirk Adams and
lieutenant governor at the time he was ap- for more than a year, and Susan Cundif of former Lt. Gov. John Bohlinger.
pointed, but political scientists say the sit- Missoula, a surprise candidate who iled Adams, a political newcomer, and Boh-
Montana’s unemploy- ting senator is just as likely to be hindered on the last day that candidates could get linger, Montana’s lieutenant governor un-
ment rate in April, the by the appointment as he is helped.
on the primary ballot.
der Democratic Gov. Brian Schweitzer, are
Even so, despite the state’s image as a Edmunds has raised about $36,000, trailing Walsh in funds, but Adams recent-
irst time in ive years conservative-leaning stronghold of low including a $9,500 personal loan to his ly donated more than $200,000 of his own
it has dipped below 5 taxes, little government and libertarian campaign, and had about $1,600 in his money to his campaign.

percent.
values, Montana voters have a long history campaign fund March 31. Cundif said she “One of the notable things about the
of electing Democrats to the Senate.
has raised between $4,000 and $5,000.
Walsh campaign is that he is basically ig-
In 2012, Sen. Jon Tester won a second With more than $2 million to spend noring his primary opponents,” Saldin
term, despite Montana voters turning on the race – nearly four times as much said. “It is basically all about Steve Daines.”
out in droves to support then-Republican
as Walsh’s campaign, according to federal
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