...and the rest of Dennison's top ten legislative races...

by: Jay Stevens

Mon Nov 01, 2010 at 13:17:10 PM MST

SD 25 (north-central Billings): Easily the most-watched, most-expensive legislative race in the state, with Democratic Rep. Kendall Van Dyk mounting an aggressive, well-financed challenge to Republican Sen. Roy Brown, who's trying to win a second term. Van Dyk has unleashed a torrent of attack mail against Brown, labeling the former oil developer a tool of "big oil" and other business interests. Brown is striking back by casting Van Dyk, a staffer for Trout Unlimited, as an environmental ideologue bent on killing resource jobs.

If you haven't heard about this race, you're probably living under a rock, politically speaking. The most contested race of the 2010 election. And ugly, to boot.

Kendall Van Dyk proved he's a legisator that gets stuff done: he was the force behind the passage of 2009's HB 190, the stream access bill that ensured Montana anglers have access to Montana rivers, and the first stream access bill passed in 25 years - despite years of controversy and previous bills. Van Dyk's a "lifelong conservationist, a farm kid, a dedicated sportsman, and one of the hardest workers in Montana politics."

In contrast, his opponent, the former oil executive Roy Brown was named by the League of Conservation Voters as one of the nation's "dirty dozen" state-level legislators, a dubious honor to say the least. And in a disturbing turn of events, the state senator recently abandoned his usual moderate stance on issues, and tacked hard right this election cycle, courting Nutcase Koopman and backing
the faulty lawsuit against the recent healthcare bill. And a quick swing through our archives will remind you of Brown's ill-fated and polarizing bid for governor in 2008, which he lost by 35 points and barely edged out a candidate who refused to run and endorsed his opponent, and a perennial parliamentarian candidate of dubious faculties.

It's easy to forget in all the Sturm und Drang surrounding this race that Kendall Van Dyk is the candidate that has an actual history of bipartisanship and compromise in passing legislation that benefits all Montanans, while Brown has steadily and noisily shifted to the right to consolidate his base and woo the Tea Party.

Van Dyk for SD 25.

HD24 (northeast Great Falls, Malmstrom Air Force Base): Republican state Rep. Brian Hoven, who won a close, surprise victory in 2008 in this district that leans Democratic, faces a challenge from well-known teacher and coach Gary Lucero, a Democrat.

This is what I wrote about Brian Hoven in 2008: "Brian Hoven is a businessman and the Chair of the Cascade Republican Party; he ran once for SD12, advocating for Great Fall's coal-burning plant. He wants to eliminate property taxes (d*mn the schools!), slash taxes for business, put a cap on medical lawsuits, favors prayer in school, school vouchers, and is pro-choice. The usual big business Republican." To be fair to Hoven, he was one of the few House Republicans to buck his party's leadership and supported the implementation of CHIP expansion in the last legislature.

Gary Luchero is a popular local middle-school teacher, running on a campaign as a pragmatic moderate. Check both candidates' positions in this Great Falls Tribune profile and KRTV interviews of the race.

HD47 (Billings Heights): Democrat Pam Ellis, a retired schoolteacher and principal, is trying to pick up this open seat held by a retiring Republican. Her opponent is Republican James Knox, a tea party favorite and operator of a computer business.

Ah...James Knox. You really have to sift through Cowgirl's archives to get the full effect of the man's...er..."abilities," from donning costumes, to spamming his candidacy in comment forums using anonymous accounts, from his irrational obsession with the Billings fire department, to his planting of hidden cameras in his yard signs, the man is a "shaky" candidate at best. And that's not even addressing his views, which are pure Tea Party.

Pam Ellis is a Billings native and a retired elementary school teacher with, naturally, a strong platform and promise to be an advocate of education. She's also a proponent of home energy efficiency, renewable energy, and a balanced budget.

Frankly, the choice is friggin' clear, even if you're a Republican. Ellis.

HD77 (Jefferson County): This largely rural district between Helena and Butte has long been held by Republicans, but Democrats hope Sheila Hogan of Clancy can put the now-open seat in their column. Hogan, who runs a job skills program in Helena, narrowly lost a race here four years ago to Rep. Scott Mendenhall, R-Clancy. Her opponent this time is bar owner Alan Hale of Basin.

Here's what I wrote about this race: "HD 77 stretches over much of Jefferson county, and includes a slice of Helena. Here, born-and-bred Butte-ian and miner's daughter, Sheila Hogan, is battling a "constitutional Republican" looking to hand over the keys of the state to multi-national extraction and energy corporations. Hogan is the executive director of the Career Training Institute, and a long-time advocate for jobs in the state, which makes her the ideal candidate in this economic slump marred by joblessness." Hogan!

Check out the the HD 77 profile in the Helena IR, and the interviews with the candidates by KXLH.

HD100 (west Missoula County): Democrat Willis Curdy, a retired teacher and former smokejumper who lost narrowly in this district two years ago, is running again, this time for an open seat. Banker Champ Edmunds is trying to keep the seat Republican.

Willis Curdy was the last-minute replacement candidate (for the stricken Democratic primary winner) to tackle Bill Nooney in Missoula's sole GOP-controlled House district, HD100. This time around he's not only had time to prepare for the election, he's battling for an open seat after Nooney's withdrawal from public service.

Curdy's a fave of the b'birders - a "4th generation Montanan, small business owner, retired high school teacher and retired smokejumper." (I wonder what was harder, the parachuting into wildfires or managing teenagers...) He's running to protect public lands and on a platform of job creation. Edmunds, a banker and Navy vet, just isn't up to snuff.

Left in the West's 2010 Montana battleground House races

by: Jay Stevens

Thu Jul 22, 2010 at 08:31:38 AM MST

Last year, we had an ambitious number of candidates and races. We raised a lot of money -- over $6,000 -- but it was spread out over more than a dozen House and Senate candidates.

This year, I thought I'd try something different. Instead of identifying all swing races, I narrowed down the list to races from differing geographical areas that feature candidates that the LiTW readership can get excited about. If we can contribute the same amount of money we did last year, but to fewer candidates, we have a better chance of impacting those races.

Still, I'll be writing about as many races as I can this summer and pointing you to candidates' Act Blue pages. And, of course, any- and everyone is encouraged to create your own Act Blue pages and post diaries about races you'd like the readership to support.

Anyway, here are the five House candidates we're supporting this cycle:

HD 4: Will Hammerquist

Mike Jopek's leaving this Whitefish-area seat, and Will Hammerquist, of the National Parks Conservation Association and working to preserve the water quality of the North Fork of the Flathead River, is running on a platform of jobs creation. His opponent is Derek Skees. 'Nuf ced.

Web page - Facebook - volunteer

HD 20: Donna Zook

In Great Falls, Donna Zook is running for the House seat that Deb Kottel has vacated. Zook runs her own psychology and clinical psychology practice, and was an outspoken opponent to the Highwood coal-fired power plant. She's running on three main principles: public health, anti-discrimination, and conservation.

Web page - contact

HD 36: Julie French

Scobey resident Julie French is our only incumbent in the battleground House races. Elected to the House first in 2006, she became the Democratic Majority whip in only her second term in office. She sits on the Human Services and Rules committees, and was vice chair of the Agriculture committee. In 2008, she was the primary sponsor of several bills, including an attempt to revise Montana's medical marijuana laws, which was killed by gross partisanship. Her opponent, Austin Knudsen, is a lawyer and big-business Republican running against health care reform.

Contact

HD 77: Sheila Hogan

HD 77 stretches over much of Jefferson county, and includes a slice of Helena. Here, born-and-bred Butte-ian and miner's daughter, Sheila Hogan, is battling a "constitutional Republican" looking to hand over the keys of the state to multi-national extraction and energy corporations. Hogan is the executive director of the Career Training Institute, and a long-time advocate for jobs in the state, which makes her the ideal candidate in this economic slump marred by joblessness.

Website - Facebook -

HD 100: Willis Curdy

Had to get a Missoula candidate in the mix! This is Curdy's second shot at HD 100; in 2008, he jumped into the race at the last minute to replace an ailing Gary Brown. Rancher, smokejumper, teacher; running on job creation, public education, and access to health care: what's not to like? If that's not enough, consider that Curdy is a fave of curmudgeonly scribe-ster, Bill Vaughn. At the very least, you can expect some wry commentary on the race. That incumbent Republican Bill Nooney dropped out of the race because of financial troubles gives Curdy an edge in a race that would have been competitive anyway, but don't count out Champ Edmunds despite his sneer: Tea Party toxicity and GOP enthusiasm makes this race touch-and-go.

Website - Facebook - Contact

Just like last year, I created a page on Act Blue for all of the battleground House candidates. Take a look at the candidates, mull 'em over, donate if you want, but I'll be starting fundraising pushes pretty soon, as well as presenting a list of Senate battleground races.

If you're chomping at the bit, here's quick link to the donations page:

Will the House Flip Again?

by: Matt Singer

Wed Nov 29, 2006 at 13:08:34 PM MST

Now, a recount is moving forward in HD 77. When the dust settled there, a mere 24 votes separated Scott Mendenhall (R) and Sheila Hogan (D), with Mendenhall in the lead. Now, after Lewis and Clark County finished its recount today, Hogan gained a vote, narrowing the margin to 23 votes. L&C County is only a minor portion of the district -- over 80% of the votes came from Jefferson County. Now, it is rare for vote counts to change as much as they'd have to for this race to really change hands, but a net change of 23 votes out of more than 4,000 cast could shift control of the House again.

I keep thinking I need to move to some state where election results are predictable. The never-ending nailbiters in this state are going to cause me mental problems. Or, rather, more mental problems.