Happy Wednesday Beacon readers! Mariah Thomas here amid a busy few weeks as school elections and this year’s primary election cycle serve up a wealth of newsworthy items.
I spent this morning watching the livestream from the only scheduled debate between the Republican candidates for the state’s western congressional district. Hosted by the Montana Republican Party at Bozeman’s Calvary Chapel Tuesday, the debate was moderated by state Senate president Matt Regier, R-Kalispell.
The competitive primary on the Republican side of the aisle comes on the heels of a last-minute announcement from incumbent U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke, who had been expected to run for reelection, that he would not seek the seat again. The announcement, which came two days before the filing deadline, left a short on-ramp for competitors to jump in — but jump in they did, as a four-way primary for the seat has opened up on the GOP side of the aisle.
Two of the four candidates in that primary participated in the debate Tuesday night — Aaron Flint, the radio talk show host who has clinched endorsements from the president, as well as from Zinke and both of Montana’s U.S. senators; and Al Olszewski, the chair of the Flathead County Republican Central Committee. Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen, who is also running for the seat, could not attend, according to party chair Art Wittich. The debate made no mention of Ray Curtis, a fourth candidate in the race for the Republican nomination.
Throughout the night, both Flint and Olszewski presented arguments for their candidacies.
“I know many of you,” Flint (pictured above) said in his opening remarks. “You know me from your mornings on the radio and I’m the guy who’s had your backs every single morning fighting for Montanans and the issues that matter to you.”
Flint heralded his connection with President Donald Trump (he mentioned Trump’s endorsement of his campaign at least eight times, by this reporter’s count), took shots at the “far-left” candidates running on the Democratic side of the aisle and emphasized his intention to “make the Montana dream affordable again.” For Flint, doing so included championing trades education, and unleashing jobs in natural resources, like mining, manufacturing and timber.
Olszewski (pictured above), on the other hand, leaned into his experience as a critical factor in the race. The local Republican highlighted his work in the state legislature, where he served terms as both a state representative and state senator, along with his work traversing the counties that make up the western district when he previously ran in the primary against Zinke in 2022.
“My why is that I fundamentally believe that our federal government and our state government is one of the reasons that we are having the troubles that we are having,” Olszewski said. “There is a fundamental overreach of the federal government and of the state government. Whether it’s through taxes or regulation, they are keeping us from being more free, they are keeping us from being able to really promote our families, and they are keeping us from making things more affordable.”
They fielded questions throughout the night about the ongoing war in Iran, reforms to Congress, addressing the national debt, alleviating the housing crisis and cutting back federal overreach. To watch the debate in full, you can visit: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/18ANnCUYkj/.
While the event organized by the state GOP is the lone debate on the calendar, the Glacier Country Pachyderm Club also has an upcoming U.S. Candidate forum slated for May 4 at 6 p.m., at Flathead Valley Community College. The event, a partnership with the Flathead Republicans and the Flathead County Republican Women, promises a chance to hear where Republicans running for the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate stand on the issues.
On the Democratic side of the aisle, the four candidates running for the western seat have met several times, including in Whitefish last month at a roundtable hosted by the Beers, Buds and the Big Sky Podcast, and a primary debate hosted by the Democratic Party in Helena April 12. That debate can also be livestreamed on Facebook.
Logging Project to Boost Wildfire Safety Set to Begin on Big Mountain
The fuels reduction project targets about 200 acres of forested front-country terrain on Whitefish Mountain Resort's south-facing aspect. Some of the work will cause “brief disruptions” affecting trail access this summer.
Montana Moves Ahead With Doula Pay but Warns Medicaid Cuts Still May Come
Montana health officials say they’re seeking to add doula services to the state’s Medicaid program, reversing a previous statement that they would “not be moving forward” amid a budget shortfall
Having narrowly defeated his Republican challenger while gathering tepid support on his home turf, Ryan Zinke looks to alloy his base; meanwhile, a combative primary in the Flathead revealed a splintered GOP caucus with fences to mend
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