“I went up to (a community event) and met probably 25 people,” says Commissioner Doug Mood, a Republican running for re-election in the PSC's western district. “I don't think I met a single one who was aware of the commission or who knew what we do.
“You'd like people to pay attention to the PSC race and what we're doing, but I guess they have other priorities.”
The five-person commission, which regulates electric, natural gas and telephone utilities, also affects one of the topics foremost in voters' minds: energy costs.
“Whether (voters) understand what the PSC does, they're talking about energy,” says Gail Gutsche, Mood's Democratic opponent. “People are concerned about their utility bills and energy bills, and how they're going to make ends meet.”
Gutsche, a former state legislator from Missoula, is expected to mount a stiff challenge to Mood in PSC District 4, which covers seven western Montana counties. The district includes Missoula, Hamilton, Deer Lodge, Thompson Falls and Libby.
The contest in the other two PSC races is no less competitive.
In southeastern Montana, Billings Mayor Ron Tussing is challenging Republican Commissioner Brad Molnar of Laurel, who is fighting an ethics charge brought by Tussing's campaign manager. The district includes Billings, Laurel, Red Lodge and eight other mostly rural counties.
And in south-central Montana, state Rep. Alan Olson, R-Roundup, is squaring off against former state legislator and former Gallatin County Commissioner John Vincent, a Democrat, for an open seat that represents Butte, Anaconda, Bozeman and Dillon, among other areas.
While PSC candidates are partisan, running as Democrats or Republicans, the commission decides on rate cases in a nonpartisan fashion, ruling on testimony and facts submitted as evidence by the regulated utilities, consumer lawyers and other parties.
Still, voters can see a distinct philosophical difference between the candidates based on party.
Democrats often talk first about using the PSC to promote energy conservation and efficiency, as well as more “renewable” or alternative energy, such as wind and solar power.
“You can't just say, ‘We're only going to approve renewable energy,' ” says Tussing. “But the PSC can subtly encourage a more diverse energy portfolio for the state, and I think that's good for the consumer and our energy independence.”
Republicans, on the other hand, are much more enthusiastic about coal development, saying it must continue to be a major source of the electric power generated for Montana consumers.
“We need to get all of our resources in there; we need 40 percent more base-load power nationwide,” says Molnar. “That's going to have to be coal.”
Molnar says coal-generated power is still among the least expensive power, and that over-emphasizing or requiring renewable energy will be more costly for consumers.
Molnar and Mood also will stress their experience as incumbent commissioners, saying they've gained knowledge during the past four years that helps them understand complex rate issues before the PSC.
“There are (several cases) before the PSC now that have to do with the future of energy supply in the state,” Mood says. “It would be very hard for someone to walk in here and catch up on the volume of reading it takes to get up on the issues.”
Gutsche says she can study the issues as well as Mood or any incumbent, and that voters should look at the candidate's philosophies on energy: “Mood believes we can dig and drill our way out of the energy crisis. I believe that energy efficiency and investing in renewables is where the future lies.”
The Tussing-Molnar race could be one of the more colorful electoral contests in Montana this year. Neither candidate is shy about criticizing the other, and the ethics case, which involves accusations that Molnar accepted improper donations from two energy corporations, will be heard during the campaign.
Still, both men say they want to keep things on a positive level and on the issues. They've agreed to a pair of debates in Billings and are trying to arrange debates in outlying counties as well.
Perhaps the tamest race so far is District 3, featuring Vincent and Olson. Vincent calls Olson “a decent fellow and a gentleman,” and Olson says he has no intention of criticizing Vincent: “I campaign on the issues. I don't talk about my opponent.”
Olson, the Republican, earlier this summer won the endorsement of the labor group AFL-CIO, which usually supports Democrats. He's also has been a big supporter in the Legislature of NorthWestern Energy, the utility which has its Montana headquarters in Butte.
“Butte's been just fantastic; I think the support from the AFL-CIO has been a tremendous asset,” he says.
Vincent, a former schoolteacher, says many AFL-CIO members are teachers, and that he has a great relationship with them.
“Working one-on-one with those people and talking to the rank-and-file, I can make some headway there,” he says.
Vincent says he still expects good support from strongly Democratic Butte and Anaconda, and that he'll do well in his home county of Gallatin, which has 40 percent of the district's votes.
While the candidates say they're talking up the PSC's impact on voters' pocketbooks, in an attempt to interest votes, it's still tough to get noticed.
“Unfortunately, I think a lot of it boils down to name recognition in the end,” says Tussing. “The PSC is off the radar, as far as most people are concerned.”
Gutsche, who's probably raised more money than any other candidate, thinks people do care about the PSC. But she agrees that in races like these, letting voters know who you are will be the key.
“I think (all of the PSC) races could be close races,” she says. “It's the candidate who does the most voter outreach who has the opportunity to come out on top. That's what I hope to do with my campaign: Let them know who I am, why I'm running and why it's important.”
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