WHITEFISH—Republican congressional nominee Aaron Flint and Flathead County Sheriff Brian Heino joined local residents in Whitefish on Friday for a rally supporting Border Patrol and local law enforcement, while Flint used the event to criticize Democratic opponent Sam Forstag’s lobbying record on immigration and criminal-justice issues. The gathering drew roughly 40 people near the Whitefish Read More…
WASHINGTON—Montana Sen. Tim Sheehy is calling for greater congressional scrutiny of former special counsel Jack Smith as lawmakers consider changes to the rules governing secret government demands for private records. Sheehy’s comments follow disclosures from the Senate Judiciary Committee’s investigation of Arctic Frost, the federal inquiry that ultimately became part of Smith’s investigation of President Read More…
MISSOULA—Republican congressional nominee Aaron Flint unveiled a tax-relief proposal in Missoula this week while seeking to make Democratic opponent Sam Forstag’s past lobbying work a central issue in Montana’s 1st Congressional District race. Flint’s proposal calls for making permanent federal tax breaks on tips and overtime, eliminating federal taxes on military pensions, ending the estate Read More…
HELENA, Mont. — Montana’s U.S. Senate race is entering its final stretch with millions of dollars in outside spending, a dispute over a television advertisement targeting Republican Kurt Alme and growing scrutiny of independent candidate Seth Bodnar’s record leading the University of Montana. The four-way contest to replace retiring Republican Sen. Steve Daines includes Alme, Read More…
County election officials have asked Gov. Steve Bullock to decide by Aug. 10 whether they can conduct an all-mail ballot for the November general election, saying they must make that call soon, for planning purposes. The top election official in Lewis and Clark County also told MTN News Tuesday she’d be recommending an all-mail Nov. Read More…
On the campaign trail, current State Auditor and Insurance Commissioner Matt Rosendale spoke with KGVO News on Thursday about his plan to ‘Reignite our Economy’ should he be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in November. Rosendale said there are eight parts to his plan. READ FULL STORY
Rep. Greg Gianforte R-Mont., was campaigning for governor in Havre Thursday, discuss his Montana Comeback Plan at Tilleman Motor Co. Kristen Juras, Gianforte’s running mate, introduced him to the small crowd at the event. “I am excited,” Juras said. “I am excited about the prospect about Greg Gianforte becoming our next governor.” Gianforte was elected Read More…
It’s pretty cool that a candidate for governor is not only attending the Montana Governor’s Cup Walleye Tournament, but over the weekend, Congressman Greg Gianforte (R-MT) actually fished in the tournament. Why is that such a big deal? Frankly, if you talk to folks in Eastern Montana- they’ll tell you that Eastern Montana often gets ignored Read More…
As we reported back in May, Lieutenant Governor and Democrat gubernatorial candidate, Mike Cooney (D-MT) was busted for making campaign fundraising calls from his official office in the state capitol. Now, Cooney has been slapped with the “maximum penalty” by the state Commissioner of Political Practices. As the Associated Press reports: READ FULL STORY
The Bureau of Reclamation says after receiving public feedback it has decided not to change the names of Chinamen’s and Confederate campgrounds. A statement from Bureau of Reclamation Regional Director Brent Esplin said: “The Bureau of Reclamation will be retaining the historical names of Chinamen’s and Confederate campgrounds in the Canyon Ferry Recreation Area based Read More…
The University of Montana Big Sky Poll recently asked 517 registered Montana voters, if the election were held today, how would they vote? In a series of head-to-head matchups, participants were asked to pick their preferred candidate. U.S. President 52% favor President Trump. (These results indicate a 4% decrease in support for President Trump from Read More…
(CN) — A Montana judge Tuesday blocked a state law that restricts who can collect ballots, finding it likely violates Native Americans’ right to vote. In a state where over 73% of voters cast ballots by mail, the Ballot Interference Prevention Act, enacted by Montana’s 2017 Legislature, restricts who can collect ballots and dictates that Read More…
In Montana’s 2020 race for governor, voters won’t have much trouble finding stark contrasts, between Republican congressman and former businessman Greg Gianforte and Democratic Lt. Gov. Mike Cooney. Gianforte, 59, one of the wealthiest men in Montana, will pitch himself as the “business guy” who will scrutinize government and make it more business-friendly. “I’m running Read More…
A sharply divided Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that Montana can create a tax credit program for private tuition assistance even though it would mean most money goes to religiously affiliated schools, allowing states to set up such programs even if their state constitution bans aid for churches and religious schools. The 5-4 decision reversed a Read More…
Doug Benevento’s nomination as EPA’s deputy administrator, imperiled by Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst’s anger with the agency over ethanol standards, is receiving a quiet boost from Montana’s Senate delegation. Both Republican Sen. Steve Daines and Democratic Sen. Jon Tester say they have lobbied their colleagues who sit on the Environment and Public Works Committee Read More…
Several employees stood among wooden dressers, dining room tables, couches and chairs to greet Sen. Steve Daines as he visited the showroom for Black Timber Furniture in Four Corners on Friday morning. Black Timber Furniture received $65,000 from the federal paycheck protection program, a $349 billion initiative that provides loans to small businesses. The program was Read More…
Lewis and Clark County leaders came together Wednesday to answer some of the public’s questions about policing in the county. The county commission and Sheriff Leo Dutton held a community address, aimed at giving people a better idea of how the Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Office operates. Commissioner Susan Good Geise said they’ve heard Read More…
At a free mass testing site on Montana’s Flathead Reservation, hundreds of people are queued up in idling cars. They’re waiting an hour or more for the irritating nose swab test for the coronavirus, but most, like Francine Van Maanen, are just grateful to finally get one. “We enjoyed the fact that they had this Read More…
Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, who is running as a Democratic Senate candidate in a tight race rated a toss-up by the Cook Political Report, filled his 25-member coronavirus task force with several high-dollar donors who then informed his administration how to distribute more than $1 billion in federal stimulus aid, records reviewed by Fox News show. The task force, known Read More…
Republican U.S. Sen. Steve Daines and his Democratic challenger, Gov. Steve Bullock, are arming up for Montana’s most expensive, high-profile battle of 2020 – a marquee race that could decide control of the U.S. Senate. But in some of their first remarks after the June 2 primary, both men also are aiming for the political Read More…
HELENA — As the 2020 general-election race for Montana governor gets under way, Republican candidate Greg Gianforte’s campaign has accumulated almost four times the money of his Democratic competitor, Mike Cooney – but that total includes $1.5 million of Gianforte’s own money. Gianforte reported Monday that his campaign has raised about $3.83 million through June Read More…
The latest Big Sky Poll from the University of Montana just finished up a year-long investigation with nearly 1,000 respondents in an attempt to understand how and why individuals participate in civic engagement. More than 40% of participants were young people in Montana, including the unique perspective of Native American youth in the state. Sarah Rinfret is Read More…
The United States Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue was at the Forest Service Smokejumper Center on Friday to sign a stewardship memorandum that contained a blueprint to modernize the U.S. Forest Service. Perdue outlines aspects of the agreement officially signed on Friday. “It increases productivity,” said Secretary Perdue. “These are renewable resources. We are Read More…
The Montana Speaker of the House has denied a request from a national watchdog group to investigate potential ethics violations by a Republican state lawmaker from Gallatin County. The Campaign for Accountability asked Rep. Greg Hertz, R-Polson, to look into Rep. Kerry White for breaking state law by serving as a legislator while also working as Read More…
President Donald J. Trump said on social media Friday that he would once again visit Montana, this time to help Sen. Steve Daines in his reelection bid in what is being touted as one of the most hotly contested U.S. Senate races in the country. Daines is running against Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock in a race Read More…
Montana is heading for a high-stakes battle between popular two-term Gov. Steve Bullock (D) and first-term Sen. Steve Daines (R) that could help determine control of the upper chamber. Though Montana has traditionally voted Republican in presidential elections — handing President Trump a 20-point victory over Hillary Clinton in 2016 — it has split its votes for statewide offices, including electing Democratic Sen. Jon Read More…
Anthrax and poisoning have been ruled out as the cause of a rising number of unexplained elephant deaths in Botswana, the country with the world’s biggest population of the animals. Wildlife authorities have now discovered 110 carcasses in north west Botswana, up from the 56 announced earlier in May according to a government statement. “I Read More…
Montana Gov. Steve Bullock (D) outraised Sen. Steve Daines (R) in the state’s high-profile Senate race as Democrats hope to score an upset. Bullock raised about $2.4 million in the first half of the second quarter and has about $4.1 million in the bank, according to his campaign’s latest filing with the Federal Election Commission. Daines raised $1.3 million and has a war Read More…
Montana GOP Rep. Greg Gianforte voted against the $3 trillion COVID-19 package passed Friday by the House, saying it was “careless” and a liberal wish-list. The Associated Press reported that the 208-199 vote, with all but one Republican opposed, advances a campaign-season display of Democratic economic and health-care priorities. The bill, which would cost more than the four previous Read More…
Libertarian U.S. Senate candidate Susan Good Geise said Friday she’s withdrawing from the race, because the Covid-19 pandemic will demand all her time as a Lewis and Clark County commissioner. Geise, who chairs the commission, said she thought the federal government would take the lead on responding to the crisis, but that the burden is Read More…
Gov. Steve Bullock said during a Wednesday call with the press he believes the state will remain “financially strong” coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, and that the state is in a better financial position than most other states. The governor said his office is predicting the state’s general fund balance will be $113 million Read More…
The coronavirus has altered yet another thing — ballot initiatives. Montana’s secretary of state has determined that MTCARES, the group behind a ballot initiative that would require 80% of the state’s energy come from renewable sources by 2034, can mail in non-notarized signatures to qualify for the November ballot. The decision came shortly after a Montana Read More…
The most competitive race in Montana this election cycle is in the Republican primary to advance a candidate to November to try to take the seat in the U.S. House being vacated by U.S. Rep. Greg Gianforte, with six candidates in the race. Gianforte ran in the special election to take the seat when it Read More…
BOZEMAN- The National Rifle Association announced their endorsement of Senator Steve Daines in Montana’s U.S. Senate race. The NRA awarded the Senator a grade of an “A+” for his support of the Second Amendment. READ FULL STORY
The Bozeman City Commission is advocating for Congress to give money to city governments across the U.S. to help with financial impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. All five members of the commission signed a letter to Montana’s congressional delegation asking for support for legislation that includes $500 billion for local governments as lawmakers consider Read More…
When it comes to sexual assault allegations against a conservative nominee to the Supreme Court of the United States- #BelieveWomen. When it comes to sexual assault allegations against a Democrat- #BelieveMen. That’s how the National Republican Senatorial Committee’s (NRSC) Nathan Brand sums up the news that liberal Gov. Steve Bullock (D-MT) is now defending former Read More…
With so much of our attention rightly focused on all of the coronavirus news, and the economic fallout from the COVID-19 closures- much of the election news has been pushed off to the sideline. But, as absentee ballots are soon to be shipped out to voters all across Montana- the important primary debates will come back Read More…
Montana’s Democratic governor, Steve Bullock, who has called for eliminating super PACs, appears to have a new outside super PAC backing his Senate run. The Big Sky Voters PAC—a Montana-based super PAC—was created April 23 and looks positioned to boost Bullock’s Senate bid against incumbent Republican senator Steve Daines. Its treasurer previously held the same role for Read More…
Republicans Brian Putnam will challenge incumbent David Dunn – currently in his first term – for the Montana House District 9 nomination in the June 2 primary election. The winner of the primary election will be uncontested in the Nov. 3 general election. Early voting begins May 8. David Dunn Age:32 Family: Bachelor, dog, cat, Read More…
Former Montana congressman Ron Marlenee, a Republican who served for eight terms representing the state’s old eastern district, died Sunday in Bozeman. He was 84. Marlenee, a farmer and rancher from Scobey in Montana’s northeastern corner, won the eastern district congressional seat in 1976 and was re-elected seven times. He then lost a close statewide Read More…
U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., outlined the importance of a phased reopening of the Montana economy while discussing COVID-19 relief efforts on Capitol Hill during a virtual chat with the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday morning. Daines said the good news is that Montana has seen a steady decline in confirmed COVID-19 cases – Read More…
If any projects should be moving forward right now- it’s infrastructure, it’s boots on the grounds, it’s shovel ready jobs that put money into the pockets of hard working Americans. And, oh by the way- a Montana firm landed the contract. We’re talking about the effort to build a wall on our nation’s Southern border. Read More…
Montana U.S. Senator Steve Daines announced Saturday that nearly $3.5 million will be directed to the Montana Board of Crime Control. “This funding will play a critical role to ensure our law enforcement on the front lines have the resources they need to protect our communities during the coronavirus outbreak,” Daines said in press release. Read More…
HELENA — Republican gubernatorial candidate Greg Gianforte has loaned another $500,000 of his own money to his campaign, increasing his personal contributions to $1.05 million – about a third of his total funding. Even without the personal loans, Gianforte, Montana’s U.S. representative, has easily out-raised his two Republican rivals in the year-long campaign for Montana’s Read More…