“How many times have you held your nose and voted for a Democratic candidate you knew wasn't going to represent you?” Chairman Paul Edwards of Helena asked in a solicitation letter.
In an interview, Edwards said the group aims to attract people “who should be good Democrats who, for whatever reason, have fallen away.”
The fact is that most active Democrats are “truly progressive,” believing in fair taxes, public education, human rights, economic justice and a clean environment, he wrote.
Forming a broadly progressive base will help build and not splinter the Democratic Party and should produce more victories, Edwards said.
“As individuals, we can bark and squeal and make noise,” he said. “Maybe if we put together a diversity of voices, maybe we can strengthen our own voices as well as the party's.”
The new group isn't about attacking anyone, but Edwards said, “there is a sense that the Democratic Party isn't going to work if it's Republican Lite.”
He said it will work to field candidates in both party elections and statewide races.
Asked if the group was formed to go after U.S. Sen. Max Baucus, a moderate Democrat seeking his sixth term in 2008, Edwards said, “Max is a longtime Democrat here. He is the big Kahuna. We have had concern over where Max has been on the issues.”
Edwards said the group hopes “to be able to influence where Max is legislatively,” as well as freshman Sen. Jon Tester.
Asked if the group was recruiting a primary challenger to Baucus, Edwards said, “At this point, no. Senator Baucus is in there and is in a very powerful position. He will do what he does, and we will watch.”
Memberships are $30 apiece, but people are accepted for membership only with the blessing of two-thirds of its board of directors.
Jim Farrell, executive director of the Montana Democratic Party, welcomed the group and said they share the same agenda.
“Progressives around the country are looking to Montana today to see how they can replicate the ‘Montana miracle,' ” Farrell said.
He said the party is working hard to elect progressives, citing Tester's victory over three-term Republican Sen. Conrad Burns. The state party has run and elected more women and American Indians to the Legislature than ever before, he said.
The progressive group will join a number of other Democratic Party groups such those representing hunters and sportsmen, rural people, Indians, young people and others, Farrell said.
As for Baucus, Farrell said, “Montana Democrats love Max Baucus, and we're going to re-elect him in 2008.”
Among those participating in the new group are Public Service Commissioners Ken Toole, D-Helena, and Bob Raney, D-Livingston; labor leader Gene Fenderson of Helena; actress Margot Kidder of Livingston; and six Democratic legislators, Sens. Greg Lind of Missoula, Christine Kaufmann of Helena, and Dan Harrington of Butte, and Reps. Diane Sands of Missoula and Dave Gallik and Mary Caferro of Helena.
The list of the Progressive Democrats of Montana's supporters includes the three losing candidates for the state party chairman's race in 2005 - Pete Talbot of Missoula, Tracy Velazquez of Bozeman and Fenderson. State Democratic Chairman Dennis McDonald was not listed as being part of the progressive group.
The group has the same post office box as the largely moribund Progressive Labor Caucus, a group formed in 2001 after some labor leaders and others were unhappy over the direction of the Montana AFL-CIO.
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