Tester headlines Pasma-Peck Dinner

Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., will be the headline speaker at the Hill County Democratic Central Committee's annual Pasma-Peck Dinner Saturday at the Havre Eagle's Club.

The event, which includes a prime rib dinner, two auctions and speeches by Democratic candidates, is the county central committee's largest fundraiser of the year. The dinner is named after former political organizer Jim Pasma of Havre and former state Rep. Ray Peck, D-Havre.

Tester, a Big Sandy farmer and the only Democrat in Montana's three-member congressional delegation, is running for a third term in next year's Senate election. The race comes after Republicans have made serious gains in state and federal elections in Montana in recent election cycles.

Republican state Auditor Matthew Rosendale of Glendive, state Sen. Al Olszewski, R-Kalispell, businessman Troy Downing of Big Sky, Ron Murray of Belgrade and former legislator and retired District Judge Russ Fagg have entered the race to challenge Tester along with two Havreites.

James Dean, a U.S. Air Force veteran and financial service advisor from Havre, has filed to run in the Senate race as a Republican, while his wife, Sarah, has filed to challenge Tester in the Democratic primary.

Hill County Democratic Central Committee Chair and state Rep. Jacob Bachmeier, D-Havre, said the Democratic congressional primary candidates, Bozeman attorney John Heenan, state Rep. Tom Woods, D-Bozeman, and former Five Valleys Land Trust and Ravalli County's Bitter Root Land Trust Director Grant Kier will also speak at the dinner. Both candidates are hoping to win their party's nomination to take on Rep. Greg Gianforte, R-Mont., next fall.

In addition to the dinner, to which people can bring side dishes, the event has two auctions. The dinner's live auction will feature donated items. People who donate items, Bachmeier said, will need to provide their contact information for recordkeeping purposes. People who donate items ahead of the dinner will have their names listed in the dinner's program.

Bachmeier said people can donate an item ahead of time by contacting him at 406-879-6427 or by email at [email protected].

The event also will feature what organizers call "the Republican auction" that will feature items of less value. The email says an example of such an item would be a "Trumpkin" or jack-o-lantern made to resemble President Donald Trump. At the auction, people can purchase raffle tickets to place in front of items. Tickets will then be drawn for winners to determine the winner of an item.

Organizers call it the Republican auction, a tradition started by Pasma, because they say it represents the Republican economic plan where many people put something in, but few people walk away with everything.

The event will start at 6:30 p.m and tickets can be purchased at https://secure.actblue.com/donate/pasma-peck. Tickets are $25 for students and $50 for the general public, the website says. People can also purchase sponsorships on that website.