O'Hara wins GOP primary in HD 28

James O’Hara, a former Chouteau County commissioner, won the Republican nomination for the Montana House from District 27, a sprawling district that extends from Wild Horse south into Cascade County.

O’Hara beat back an attempt by Darrold Hutchinson from the Hingham area, 1,340-977.

O’Hara performed well in the southern part of the district, carrying his home county and Cascade County by a large margin. Hutchinson did well in Hill County and trailed in the others. O’Hara won by a small margin in Liberty County.

The race was also seen as a battle between a group that calls itself “responsible Republicans,” a group that is more willing to work across the aisle and takes more moderate positions on some issues, versus more conservative factions of the GOP.

Similar races between moderates and conservatives took place in several parts of the state Tuesday.

O’Hara will now run against Democrat Ryan Rominger in the fall election. Rominger was unopposed in the primary.

The winner will succeed Roy Hollandsworth, a moderate Republican, who is ineligible for a fifth two-year term because of term limits.

The district is heavily Republican.