Deans disappear from Senate race

A pair of controversial political candidates have generally disappeared, both from the local view and from the race for Montana’s U.S. Senate seat.

William James Dean and his wife, Sarah, both registered last fall with the Federal Election Commission as candidates for the Senate seat now held by Democrat Jon Tester of Big Sandy after the couple moved to Havre from California.

Neither had filed with the Montana Secretary of State by the deadline Monday, essentially putting them out of the race

The couple filed with the FEC, which administers federal campaign finance law, on opposite sides of the ticket, James Dean as a Republican and Sarah Dean as a Democrat. That put them in line for a head-to-head battle in the general election if each won their primary.

The couple gave a joint interview to the Havre Daily News in October, with vague discussion of what they said was the best, most detailed platforms of any candidates, but without providing any details.

Then more information came out about the couple. James Dean had filed as a candidate in the 2016 presidential election in California under his given name, Daniel Lane Dean, listing his party as both Democrat and Republican.

Sarah Dean had a list of online businesses on which she used a variety of other names, generally based on Priscilla Dawn Baer, apparently her given name.

The couple attended at least one fundraising event and also spoke as candidates at local events, and sent letters to the editor as candidates, although they remained vague on what they would do if elected.

Some local Republicans said they were skeptical of James Dean’s candidacy when he spoke at a Pachyderm meeting.

The couple raised another stir at the start of February, when James Dean said he and Sarah Dean were moving from Havre to find a safe place for relatives of his, whom he said were being abused by a guardian. He said he was trying to gain custody of those relatives.

He caused a lockdown at a local school later that day when he tried to pull his relatives, of whom he did not have custody, from class and was escorted from the school by law enforcement officials.

Dean had filed for a temporary order of protection against his relative’s guardian, which was denied by a justice of the peace and state district judge when he appealed that ruling. Both judges said the testimony of an investigating law enforcement officer and Child and Protective Services representatives showed no support for allegations against the guardian and that Dean’s relatives were living in a safe environment.

Tester, who is seeking his third term, does have a high level of competition for his seat, although no Democratic opponents have filed.

Four Republicans are competing for their party’s nomination to challenge Tester in November, Commissioner of Securities and Insurance Matt Rosendale of Glendive, former District Judge Russ Fagg of Billings, state Sen. Albert Olszewski of Kalispell and Bozeman businessman Troy Downing.

A Libertarian candidate, Rick Breckenridge of Dayton, and two Green Party candidates, Timothy Adams of Three Forks and Steve Kelly of Bozeman, also entered the race by Monday’s deadline.