More races in Hi-Line elections

With the chance to file as a candidate in the 2014 election set to end at 5 this afternoon, a few more races are heating up in the last minute.

That includes some declared candidates filing for Congress and a primary race set in Liberty County government as well as the four of five area legislative races now having two candidates.

In the race for Montana House District 32 which includes much of the Fort Belknap and Rocky Boy’s Indian reservations, Gilbert Bruce Meyers of Box Elder has filed as a Republican.

Incumbent Democrat Clarena Brockie of Harlem, who defeated then-Rep. Tony Belcourt, D-Box Elder, in 2012, is running for re-election in that district.

Democrat Floyd Russell Hopstad of Glasgow also has filed to challenge an incumbent, Rep. Mike Lang, R-Malta in House District 33 that includes northeastern Hill County, northern Blaine and Phillips counties, and northwestern Valley County.

In Liberty County, where incumbent Democrat Rhonda Pimley is not running for re-election as county clerk and recorder, a Republican primary has arisen.

Angel Colbry and Rachelle Fenger Gage, both of Chester, have filed as candidates for that office and will face off in the June 3 Republican primary.

And the races for Congress also filled up over the weekend, with two former Montana lieutenant governors joining a Park County rancher in the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate and a Democrat and a Republican joining the crowded race for the U.S. House seat.

Former Republican John Bohlinger, who served as lieutenant governor under Democratic Gov. Brian Schweitzer and who said the Republican Party has drifted too far to the right for him, filed as a Democratic Senate candidate Friday.

Incumbent Sen. John Walsh, D-Mont., who served as lieutenant governor under Democrat Steve Bullock until Bullock appointed him to the Senate seat last month, filed as a Democrat Saturday, effective this morning.

Former attorney and banker Dirk Adams of Wilsall in Park County filed as a Democrat in that race Feb. 19

Missoula state Rep. Champ Edmunds filed in that race as a Republican, also effective this morning, facing in the June 3 primary the other Republican candidate in that race, U.S. Rep. Steve Daines, R-Mont.

In heavy filing for that open House seat, Helena Democrat John Driscoll, a former state legislator, filed as a candidate Thursday and Republican Drew Turiano of Helena, who lost the 2012 Republican primary election for Montana Secretary of State to Brad Johnson, filed Friday.

The Democratic frontrunner in that race, John Lewis, filed as a candidate Wednesday.

That race also has current and former state legislators running in the Republican primary, with state Sens. Elsie Arntzen of Billings and Matt Rosendale of Glendive and former Sens. Corey Stapleton of Billings and Ryan Zinke of Whitefish filling out that slate so far.