At the Capitol today, Democratic Leadership failed to convince Republicans to give them some so-called “silver bullets,” like they had last legislative session. In a Rules Committee meeting, Representative Jenny Eck asked Republicans for a tool that would allow them to move bills from a committee onto the House floor with a simple majority vote. Read More…

Cut Bank musician Rob Quist said Wednesday he will seek the Democratic Party’s nomination for the anticipated special election to replace U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke.   Zinke is expected to join the Trump administration as the next Secretary of the Interior this spring, triggering a special election to fill Montana’s lone U.S. House seat. From Read More…

At least four Democrats and six Republicans are hoping to replace Montana’s Rep. Ryan Zinke when he leaves Congress to join the Trump administration. But so far, only Mark Wicks of Inverness is seeking the Libertarian Party’s nomination. Wicks, 46, was educated in aviation mechanics in Bozeman, but instead of fixing airplanes he became the Read More…

Just before the Montana Legislature gaveled in its 2017 session Monday, Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock looked to ease the tension building over a looming budget battle by calling on the two parties to work together for the state’s best interests.   Bullock used his second inaugural address in the packed state Capitol’s rotunda to appeal Read More…

State lawmakers filled the halls of Montana’s Capitol Monday for the first day of the 2017 legislative session. As they entered the legislative chambers for the first time, party leaders promised civil, bi-partisan work, despite upcoming fights over the direction of the state budget and policy. Republican leadership, which holds a majority in both the Read More…

Great Falls state representative Casey Schreiner Monday announced his intent to seek the Democratic party’s nomination for Montana’s at-large Congressional seat. Schreiner wants to replace Republican U.S. Congressman Ryan Zinke, who’s been nominated to become President-elect Donald Trump’s Interior Secretary. Schreiner is 34-years-old and heads the Montana State Workforce Innovation Board. The husband and father Read More…

With two of Montana’s biggest coal-fired power plants slated for closure, the future of Colstrip and energy policy will be another dominant issue at the 2017 Legislature, which opens next week. Lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle and Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock say they hope to take steps to assist coal-plant workers whose Read More…

While a tight state budget overshadows almost everything at the 2017 Montana Legislature, there’s one area where lawmakers want to spend more money: Infrastructure. The debate, however, will be over what combination of infrastructure projects can gain the needed support to pass a multimillion-dollar bill. From KTVH

Once Donald Trump secured the Presidency, Montana Senator Steve Daines began compiling a ‘wish-list’ of issues he wants the new President to tackle once he settles in to the Oval Office. From KGVO

A committee of state lawmakers voted on party lines Tuesday to keep the super-majority rule for removing a tabled bill from committee in the Montana House of Representatives.   Six Republicans on the Legislative Council, including Speaker of the House Austin Knudsen, beat the five Democrats and squashed the recommendation that “blasting” a bill from Read More…

Native Americans in Montana expressed anger, hurt and betrayal toward Governor Steve Bullock shortly after his reelection became official, for sending Montana law enforcement to protests in North Dakota. The Governor’s decision is based on a national interstate agreement called Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC), which allows states to help other state governors for assistance. Read More…

Montana’s political enforcer said he plans to reach out to Gov. Steve Bullock late next week to discuss his replacement. Commissioner of Political Practices Jon Motl said he hasn’t spoken to the governor since his appointment in 2013. His term as commissioner expires Dec. 31, according to his letter of appointment. Motl told the Chronicle Read More…

Montana Republicans, who had a very good day at the polls Tuesday, have expanded their majority in the state Senate and held a 59-41 spread in the Montana House. “It was an electoral rout,” Montana GOP Chairman Jeff Essmann said of Tuesday’s results, noting that Republicans won all statewide offices except governor and didn’t lose Read More…

Senate Republicans on Monday elected a self-described “staunch fiscal conservative” in Sen. Scott Sales of Bozeman to be Senate president for the 2017 Legislature.   Sales, 56, won what was described as a close race for the top job over Sen. Eric Moore of Miles City.   The vote was by secret ballot, with the Read More…

For the fourth year in a row, Montana Attorney General Tim Fox and Montana’s U.S. Senator Steve Daines continue their ‘Brawl of the Wild’ wager for the University of Montana – Montana State University football game. The Cats and Grizzlies clash this Saturday in Missoula. The terms of this year’s bet: the winner will buy Read More…

With just a few days left before Election Day, the battle for a pivotal seat on the Montana Supreme Court is heating up. But much of the spending in the last week isn’t coming from the candidates themselves – it’s coming from outside groups. One of those groups is Montanans for Liberty and Justice. It’s backing Read More…

It’s been more than 30 years since a Republican won election as Montana’s Superintendent of Public Instruction.   The party’s current nominee, Elsie Arntzen of Billings, is hoping her 23 years’ experience as a teacher and 12 years as a state legislator — and support for local control of schools — will change that.   Read More…

In the battle for control of Montana’s next Legislature, the most important race may be the one for governor.   Republicans have controlled the Legislature since 2007. In 2015, they had 59 representatives and 29 senators — making up slightly over half of each chamber. The outcome of the governor’s race will surely influence the Read More…

It appeared there would be no Democratic challenger to run against Montana Attorney General Tim Fox until the last day of candidate registration, when an eleventh-hour call from former Gov. Brian Schweitzer convinced a former state senator and Bozeman attorney to throw his hat in the ring.   But now that he’s in, Larry Jent Read More…

Democratic incumbent Steve Bullock and Republican challenger Greg Gianforte aimed familiar barbs at each other during a televised debate October 8, 2015 from Great Falls.   The just over 1 hour debate, sponsored by the MTN Television Network, featured criticisms Montanans have heard in television ads over the last several months.   The verbal wrangling Read More…

When Steve Daines visited the Northern Cheyenne Reservation in Lame Deer in 2014 to meet with tribal leaders as a freshman member of Congress, he was greeted with a traditional honor dance and an energetic performance highlighting their other customs. But it was what came next that caught his attention.   “‘You’re the first Republican Read More…

Montana’s freshman congressman hasn’t shied away from the national spotlight during his brief tenure in Washington, D.C.   In the past year, Republican Ryan Zinke has weighed the possibilities of being both Speaker of the House and a running mate for GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump.   Zinke said both positions are about leadership and Read More…

Attacks from the liberal, anonymous blog Montana Cowgirl are exempt from campaign laws requiring “attribution,” and therefore the blog doesn’t have to identify its author, the state’s top campaign-law enforcer said Friday. Commissioner of Political Practices Jonathan Motl said postings on the anonymous blog’s website are not “electioneering communication” and don’t have to be attributed. Read More…

At a small community hall in Seeley Lake Monday night, Libertarian candidate for the U.S. House Mike Fellows shared his views at a sparsely-attended candidates forum. Fellows wore a dark suit jacket over a light blue collared shirt, an American flag tie wrapped loosely around his neck. He moved about slowly and with help from a metal Read More…