From one corner of the state to another, there's no shortage of crowded legislative primaries, including many in key swing districts.
You could start in Libby in far northwestern Montana, where four Republicans are duking it out for a chance to take on Democrat Eileen Carney and Constitution Party candidate Freeman Johnson in House District 1.
“I like primaries, especially for open seats,” says Rep. Bob Bergren, D-Havre, the Montana Democratic Party's leading recruiter and coordinator for legislative contests this year. “It gets (the candidates') names out there, and whoever prevails is pretty seasoned for the fall. They understand what it's like to go door-to-door and raise money.”
Thursday was the last day for legislative candidates to file for office. The primary elections are June 3.
When the dust settled at 5 p.m. Thursday, 302 candidates had filed, including Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians and Constitution Party candidates.
Democrats currently hold a 26-24 majority in the Senate, while Republicans have a 50-49 edge in the House. The conservative Constitution Party holds the other House seat, but its sole representative, Rick Jore of Ronan in House District 12, is not running for re-election.
The House features 44 contested primary elections. Eleven Republican incumbents and five Democratic incumbents face challenges from within their own party.
Over in the Senate, 12 primaries are contested, yet only two Democratic incumbents face a primary challenge.
Among them is Sen. Christine Kaufmann, D-Helena, who was appointed to her seat in Senate District 42 in 2006. She's being challenged by Democratic Rep. Hal Jacobson of Helena, who can't run for re-election to the House because of term limits.
The winner of the June 3 Democratic primary is the likely senator-to-be in this heavily Democratic district - although the winner will face Republican Bob Leach in the fall.
Open seats - where there is no incumbent - also tend to attract multiple candidates, setting up primary contests. Forty-one of the 125 seats up for election statewide this year are open, many caused by term limits, and 26 of those seats have contested primaries.
In nine legislative districts, the primary election is like the final election, where candidates from one party are the only contestants.
In Butte, for example, Democrats Pat Noonan and former Rep. Larry Cyr are the only candidates in House District 73, so the winner is the next representative - barring a write-in challenge.
Several incumbents face a challenge in these primary-only races, such as Republican Gary MacLaren of Victor in House District 89, who is battling fellow Republicans Russell Vogel of Stevensville and Jeff Burrows of Hamilton, and Rep. Carol Lambert of Broadus, who is squaring off in June against fellow Republican Lee Randall, also of Broadus, in House District 39.
In these or any primary race, the party apparatus doesn't take sides, letting Republican voters speak for themselves.
“The party really can't take a preference,” says Chris Carter, spokesman for the Montana Republican Party. “It's kind of like Ronald Reagan's 11th Commandment: ‘Never speak ill of another Republican.' ”
Carter says there's plenty of room for disagreement within the party, and that 30 contested legislative primary races are evidence of that diversity.
“It shows that we are a big-tent party, and open and accepting to different points of view, and in the end, it's up to the voters to decide,” he says.
Bergren says the Democratic Party takes the same position, and that he'll be out on the road soon, talking to Democratic candidates about what they need to know about campaigning, regardless of whether they're in a primary contest or not.
“We'll be devoting our efforts to earning votes to defeat Republicans (in the fall),” he says.
Candidates face June 3 competition in key districts
HELENA - Montana's legislative districts feature 56 contested primary races, which will be decided June 3. Here's a quick look at contested primaries in several key districts:
House District 1 (Libby): Four Republicans - Ginny Emerson of Fortine and Albert Purviance, Gerald Bennett and Susan Ague, all of Libby - are in a primary race, and the winner will take on Democrat Eileen Carney and Constitution Party candidate Freeman Johnson, also of Libby. Incumbent Republican Ralph Heinert is not running in this district, which is always a close contest between the parties.
HD12 (Mission Valley): Three Republicans are vying to succeed Constitution Party Rep. Rick Jore, who can't run because of term limits. The winner among Ronald Marquardt, Josh King and Carol Cummings, all of Polson, will take on Democrat John Fleming of St. Ignatius in the fall.
HD36 (northeast Montana): Republicans Pete Rising of Culbertson and Harold Krogstad of Revere square off in the primary. The winner takes on Democratic Rep. Julie French of Scobey in this swing district.
HD59 (Red Lodge, Carbon County): Rep. Scott Boggio of Red Lodge faces a primary challenge from Dustin Timmons of Roberts. The winner goes against Democrat Paul Beck of Red Lodge, who lost a close race to Boggio two years ago.
HD100 (west Missoula County): Two Democrats, Gary Brown and E. Willis Curdy of Missoula, square off in the primary for the right to run against Republican Rep. Bill Nooney of Missoula in another swing district.
Senate District 2 (Whitefish, Columbia Falls, north fork of Flathead): Five people are running in this swing district being vacated by Rep. Dan Weinberg, D-Whitefish. The Democratic primary features Jack Pannell of Columbia Falls, Brittany Kasselder of Whitefish and Gil Jordan of Coram. In the Republican primary, it's Ryan Zinke vs. Suzanne Brooks, both of Whitefish.
SD7 (Sanders, Mineral counties, Frenchtown): Democrats and Republicans each have contested primaries in this district, which is being vacated by Democratic Sen. Jim Elliott of Trout Creek. It's considered a swing district. In the GOP primary, former state Rep. Sylvia Bookout-Reinecke is taking on Greg Hinkle of Thompson Falls. The Democratic primary features Mineral County Commissioner Judith Stang of St. Regis and former state Rep. Paul Clark of Trout Creek.
SD10 (south Great Falls and south Cascade County): This is another open seat currently held by a Democrat, considered in play for either party. Great Falls attorney Channing Hartelius and Brad Hamlett of Cascade are competing in the Democratic primary, and the winner goes against Republican former state Rep. Jim Whitaker of Great Falls.
SD47 (Missoula): State Rep. Ron Erickson and former state Rep. Rosie Buzzas, both of Missoula and both Democrats, are the only candidates in this district, which is being vacated by longtime Democratic legislator Vicki Cocchiarella. The winner of the Democratic primary will be the district's next senator.
SD50 (west Missoula): Sen. Greg Lind, D-Missoula, faces a primary challenge from Cliff Larsen of Missoula. There is no Republican in the race, but there is a Constitution Party candidate, Kandi Matthew-Jenkins.
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