Lange officially isn't saying whether he will run against five-term Democratic Sen. Max Baucus or one-term Democratic Gov. Brian Schweitzer.
“We will definitely run statewide,” Lange said. “It's an absolute.”
The Democratic piece, referring to a number of Montana news stories, highlighted Lange's ouster as majority leader in May, his profanity-laced tirade against Schweitzer at a Republican caucus in late April and his defaulting on a $77,000 bank loan.
Shown the attack piece, Lange told reporters: “I'm certainly flattered the Democrats have decided to attack me to this degree. That's either a sign of respect or fear.”
Lange, responding to a question, said he doesn't believe Montana voters “are going to buy in to the negative attack.” He said he has been on the receiving end of vicious Democratic attacks as a state legislative candidate, yet still won.
Lange emphasized when he runs, he won't resort to negative attacks but will confine his campaign to the issues, just as he did when running for the Legislature.
“This shows me that they're afraid of me,” Lange said.
He cited his blue-collar background as a pipefitter, his ability to campaign hard on issues and his fearlessness.
Lange was asked whether he has the support of people in his party after his profanity-filled outburst, which was broadcast on television news locally and nationally and carried on YouTube.com on the Internet, and his being stripped of his leadership post by fellow House Republicans.
He said some Republicans aren't used to confrontational “things,” but when they look at the issues, they will examine a person's record and whether that person can articulate those positions well.
Lange said his outburst against Schweitzer shows “one, that I'm human, and two, that I shouldn't do it again.” He apologized to Schweitzer, and the governor accepted it.
As for his ouster as majority leader by House Republicans, Lange said caucus members had differing ideas of what they wanted to do at the special session and were frustrated at the end. They “didn't have all the information before them” when they voted him off the leadership team.
Lange asked some Republicans if they would reverse their decision to strip him of his leadership post. That effort failed.
The top House leader, Speaker Scott Sales, R-Bozeman, said: “When I spoke to him right after the special session, he wanted to know if I would reconsider. I told him no.”
Despite these incidents, Lange said Republicans have been “very, very positive and encouraging” about his race. He was confident that Republicans will “all be here when the time comes.”
So far, Republicans have no announced candidates against either Baucus or Schweitzer.
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