Wilmer is best to replace Rehberg

Editor:

Since U.S. Rep. Denny Rehberg, R-Mont., vacated his seat to run against Sen. Jon Tester of Big Sandy, that leaves a vacant seat in Rehberg's district. A primary to choose candidates for this office from both parties is June 5.

Voters in the general election, Nov. 6, decide a winner, as with Obama vs. Romney and Sen. Tester vs. Rehberg.

The vote for Rehberg's congressional seat has attracted lots of interest as a hotly contested race across the state. Since Gov. Brian Schweitzer, the odds-on favorite for the Democrats, has declined the nomination, both parties must select a candidate. Presently in the primary, the eight candidates who are filed include state senators, state representatives, real estate sales people, city councilmen, attorneys, farmers, teachers, economists and a single librarian candidate.

Of the eight candidates, by far the most well-qualified is the economist/teacher, state representative from Bozeman — Franke Wilmer. Her economics credentials are as solid as pay-as-you-go conservatives (distressing some of her Democrat sidekicks in the Montana House), since she teaches classical economics at Montana State University in Bozeman, and has master's and doctoral degrees in international relations. She has served three terms in the state House in Helena.

As a student, she worked as a waitress, a carpenter, a middle school substitute teacher and a college research assistant. She became head of political science at Bozeman in 2001. She also founded the Gallatin Human Rights Task Force.

Why not a genuine qualified human rights/economic/political planner in the U.S. Congress?

She has visited north Montana, Hill County and Havre several times and has spoken vividly and convincingly to enthusiastic if small audiences. In the state Legislature, she is a very influential economist dynamo on state budgeting and human rights issues. The only disadvantage of electing her to national office is that her great expertise and humane sensitivity will no longer benefit the Montana Legislature.

Bill Thackeray

Havre