For Montana Dems, legislative races are hardly heating up

BOBBY CAINA CALVAN

Associated Press

HELENA - Montana Democrats may be boasting about party unity as they delight in watching rival Republicans fracture over ideology and bipartisanship. There are no declarations of party civil wars. Even so, Democrats have more than a dozen primary contests of their own.

Most of the battles are hardly politically riveting. Yet, a House District 83 matchup in Helena is garnering some attention, as liberal Kim Abbott vies with centrist Quinlan O'Connor for the seat being vacated by House Minority Leader Chuck Hunter. They've festooned neighborhoods with signs and are knocking on every door they can find.

In Havre, retired English professor Will Rawn is taking on high school senior Jacob Bachmeier, the vice chair of the Hill County Democratic Party who filed to run at age 18.

Amanda Frickle, the director for the Montana Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, said that Rawn and Bachmeier are real prospects to unseat the Republican incumbent, Rep. Stephanie Hess, in a Hi-Line district that traditionally was a Democratic stronghold but has gone Republican for several elections.

The only Democratic incumbent facing a challenge is Rep. Willis Curdy of Missoula, who is being opposed by 23-year-old English major Michael Bowles.

Bowles hasn't raised a cent for his campaign, which he said is focused on "shutting down the coal industry in Montana and promoting renewable energy."

Curdy said he's taking his opponent seriously.

"My first run for the legislature was in 2008, and I lost by a few votes in the primary. I thought I had everything wrapped up, and I didn't," he said.

In 2005, the House was evenly split and Democrats held a four-seat advantage in the Senate.

Republicans have since dominated both chambers. They now hold 59 seats in the 100-member House and 29 of the 50 seats in the Senate.

Despite being cordial, Abbott and O'Connor hope to differentiate themselves.

"I would rather go to the legislature to get things done and negotiate a solid deal rather than attempting to drive policy as far left as possible," said O'Connor, a lawyer for Montana Department of Labor and Industry.

Abbott is a longtime community activist, including an effort to expand Medicaid and for progressive issues, such as gay, lesbian and transgender rights.

"I'm a liberal person, with liberal ideology. I'm honest about that," said Abbott, a co-director of the Montana Human Rights Network. "But I'm willing to compromise to get things done."

Some Helena Democrats are finding it hard to decide - like Bonnie Bowler, who planted yard signs for both.

"You pride yourself with being an informed voter, then you have signs for two people running for the same district in your yard," Bowler said, chuckling.

Now, she said, she doesn't have the heart to uproot one over the other.