Randolph challenges Alley in county attorney primary

Local attorney Randy Randolph has filed to run as a Democrat for Hill County Attorney, setting the stage for a primary race between himself and Deputy Hill County Attorney Karen Alley.

The two will face off in the June 5 primary for the position held by County Attorney Jessica Cole-Hodgkinson.

No other candidates, including Cole-Hodgkinson, who was appointed by the Hill County Commissioners in 2016 to replace Gina Dahl, have filed to run as of print deadline today.

Randolph is owner of Randolph Law Firm and has practiced law locally on criminal and civil cases since 1999.

In 2010, he came in third in a three-way Democratic primary against Dahl and then Deputy County Attorney Lindsey Lorang.

Randolph said Tuesday that he decided to run for the position again because he thinks he can do a better job running the county attorney’s office.

“As of late, I have been kind of unhappy with the office and some of the things that have come up, I guess,” he said.

The office under Cole-Hodgkinson’s management has come under criticism after several cases were dismissed due to mismanagement by the County Attorney’s Office.

Randolph, a fifth-generation Haverite, has a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Montana State University and a law degree from the University of Montana.

He was court administrator for the Chippewa Cree Tribal Court.

Randolph was interviewed by the state’s Judicial Nomination Commission in 2016 as one of four candidates to replace Montana 17th District Court Judge John C. McKeon. The court has jurisdiction over cases in Blaine, Philips and Valley counties.

The Commission later appointed Yvonne Laird of Chinook to fill the vacancy.