Havreite elected delegate to Republican convention

Brad Lotton of Havre has in his words been to "scores" of Montana Republican conventions, but this July he will attend the party's national convention for the first time.

Lotton is the owner of Lotton Construction Inc. and is an outspoken member of the Hill County Republican Party Central Committee.

He, along with 23 others, were chosen to represent Montana at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland July 18-21.

Lotton, a supporter of Donald Trump, said he submitted his name about four weeks ago.

"I have wanted to go in the past but didn't want to take a week off of work to attend," Lotton said Sunday. "This just seemed like the year to go for it."

Delegates to the convention will formally vote to nominate the party's candidate for president. Montana's delegates were elected at the state convention Saturday. State convention delegates were selected by county parties.

Delegates are bound to vote for the winner of the Montana June 7 primary on the first ballot at the convention. Trump is the only candidate still actively campaigning for Republican nomination.

Among the other members of the Montana delegation are state Sen. Jennifer Fielder, R-Thompson Falls, state Rep. Art Wittich, R-Bozeman, and Montana's lone member in the U.S. House of Representatives, Rep. Ryan Zinke.

In addition to the 24 delegates, chosen from what Lotton estimated was a slate of about 156, Montana Republican Party Chairman Jeff Essman, National Committeeman Errol Galt and National Committeewoman Betti Hill will make up the state's 27-member delegation.

Lotton said he has held multiple positions in the Hill County party throughout the years. In the past he served as chair of the party and is now its finance chair.

He said he has voted Republican in every presidential election since 1980, but doesn't remember how he voted before that.

"I have been a Republican since Jimmy Carter was president," Lotton said. "Worst damn president we ever had in the history of the USA until we got Obama."

Lotton said he and other delegates will be staying at the Hampton Inn Cleveland in Westlake.

Arrangements were made by an events coordinator.

He said he likely will be be leaving for Cleveland July 15 or 16.