Heated Montana election contests start today

Few candidates had trickled in to file as of deadline this morning, but a series of hot races in north-central Montana opened up for people to officially declare their candidacy today.

Perhaps the hottest race, gathering national, as well as state attention, is for the U. S. Senate.

Five-term incumbent Rep. Denny Rehberg, a Republican, announced early last year he would not run for re-election, instead taking on first-term Democrat Jon Tester.

The Republican and Democratic parties on a national level have been watching that race and weighing in, with the contest considered one of the races that could switch control of the U. S. Senate.

Tester and Rehberg already have been taking jabs at each other over their sponsored bills and actions in Congress, and the national and state-level parties have been sending flurries of press releases bashing their candidate's opponent.

No one had filed as a candidate for that race as of deadline this morning, though Rehberg had announced a press conference scheduled for this afternoon in Billings where he was expected to announce his filing.

The race to fill Rehberg's seat also could turn into a major campaign, with Bozeman businessman Steve Daines switching from his original declaration that he would challenge Tester to being the first Republican to declare he would run to fill the House seat Rehberg is vacating.

Several Democrats, including standing state and local politicians, have declared their intent to run for that seat.

As of deadline this morning, the only candidate to file on either side for that position was Helena Democrat Robert Stultz, an attorney.

On the state level, most of the incumbent Democrats are running for re-election, with little attention paid to those races as yet.

One that is open is attorney general, with the incumbent Democrat, Steve Bullock, declaring his intent to run for governor.

Several prominent Republicans have declared their intent to oppose Bullock in the general election, including former U. S. Rep. Rick Hill, state Sen. Jeff Essmann, former state Sen. Ken Miller, former state Sen. Corey Stapleton, and a candidate whose run for governor is impacting a local election — Chouteau County Commissioner Jim O'Hara.

The legislative races also are gaining close attention this year, with three seats in traditionally Democratic Hill and Blaine Counties giving the Democrats a chance to regain seats lost in the last few cycles.

Second-term Rep. Wendy Warburton, R-Havre, and freshman Rep. Kris Hansen, R-Havre, took what generally had been Democratic seats.

As of this morning, Hansen had filed with the Secretary of State as a candidate, with no opponent filed as of deadline.

Warburton also had not filed as of deadline this morning.

The seat of Sen. Jonathan Windy Boy, D-Box Elder, is up for election this year, as is the other Senate seat in Hill and Blaine counties.

Havre businessman Craig Tilleman was appointed to fill the seat left when first-term Sen. Rowlie Hutton, R-Havre, resigned less than one year after elected.

Because the seat was filled by appointment, it is up for election again this year.

No one had filed for that race as of deadline this morning, although Tilleman has said he will run for the office, as has Harlem businessman Don Richman, who came in second in the county commissions' vote to replace Hutton with Tilleman.

Former state senator and former Public Service Commission Chair Greg Jergeson has said he intends to run for that seat.

On the county level, O'Hara's seat in the Chouteau County Commission is up for election, with that race wide open with his declaration he would run for governor.

In Hill County, the seat held by Democratic Commissioner Kathy Bessette is on this year's ballot, as is the commission seat held by Democrat Vic Miller in Blaine County and the commission seat held by Republican Larry Hendrickson in Liberty County.

Hendrickson had filed for re-election in Chouteau County, and Democrat Mark Peterson, who farms north of Havre, had filed as a candidate for the Hill County commission seat.

Other county races are for clerk of court, which in Chouteau County includes the duties of county superintendent and surveyor.

As of deadline this morning, the only other candidates to file in county elections were incumbent Blaine County Clerk of Court Kay O'Brien Johnson, who filed for re-election as a Democrat, and Rick Cook, who had filed for re-election to Chouteau County clerk of court/superintendent/surveyor as a Republican.

State District Judge John McKeon, whose district includes Blaine County, had filed for re-election in that nonpartisan race.

Seats from president to precinct chairs up for 2012 election

Seats ranging from the top of the U. S. government to local political precinct chairs are up for election this year, with today the first day candidates are able to file for office.

Along with the race for U. S. president, one U. S. Senate seat is up for election. The sole Montana seat for U. S. representative also is open.

On the state level, all top seats are up for election: governor, attorney general, secretary of state, state superintendent of public instruction and state auditor of insurance and securities.

The legislative seats also are wide open in north-central Montana, with both senate seats in the Havre area up for grabs, as are all state representative seats.

On the county level, commissioner seats and the clerk of court position are up for election in Blaine, Hill, Chouteau and Liberty Counties, as well as two conservation district at-large seats in Hill County.