Montana Politics: Latest News

In June, all 56 Montana counties chose an all-mail ballot primary election – resulting in a record-high turnout for a primary.

Montana officials are raising the alarm over a new, earlier deadline for completing the 2020 U.S. Census, saying it will leave thousands of Montanans uncounted.

Montana’s two U.S. senators agree that another round of federal Covid-19 relief funds should target health-care costs, businesses, the unemployed and schools. But when it comes to the details, they part ways on how to do it – and aren’t sure when it’s going to be resolved.

The state Republican Party has asked the Montana Supreme Court to declare Democratic attorney general candidate Raph Graybill ineligible for the office and remove him from the Nov. 3 ballot, alleging he hasn’t practiced law long enough in the state.

Some of the ads’ statements are generally true, as far as what Gianforte may have said, supported or voted for – but they often lack context and leave out contrary information.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mike Cooney on Thursday released his state economic plan, which includes requiring more Montana workers at companies that get public contracts, expanded rural broadband and training for renewable-energy jobs.

County election officials have asked Gov. Steve Bullock to decide by Aug. 10 whether they can conduct an all-mail ballot for the November general election, saying they must make that call soon, for planning purposes.

A Montana engineering firm and the U.S. Senate campaign of Gov. Steve Bullock have asked TV stations to pull a GOP campaign ad accusing him of “steering” state contracts to “his brother’s firm,” calling it false and defamatory.

Gov. Steve Bullock this week said his administration has “allocated” two-thirds of the Montana’s $1.25 billion in federal money for Covid-19 impacts – but, so far only $160 million has actually been distributed.

A state district judge will soon decide whether to remove the Green Party from Montana’s general-election ballot, as he considers a lawsuit from the Montana Democratic Party and four registered voters.

GOP Congressman Greg Gianforte voted Wednesday with a substantial U.S. House majority in favor of a landmark bill that finances outdoor and public lands-access projects nationwide and maintenance for national parks.

Outside groups are busy running TV ads attacking GOP U.S. Sen. Steve Daines – including a spot by Democrat-aligned group Majority Forward that says Daines is a shill for the drug and insurance industries and has voted to let insurers deny coverage for those with pre-existing health conditions.

In some of the first TV attack ads against Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Steve Bullock, GOP opponents are accusing him of supporting “government-controlled health care” – which they say will harm rural hospitals and increase taxes.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Greg Gianforte this week unveiled his economic blueprint for Montana – a mix of often-familiar GOP policies, such as easing regulation on business, boosting natural-resource development and lowering taxes.

Democrat Kathleen Williams, who’s now raised $2.4 million for her U.S. House campaign, has a slight financial advantage over Republican Matt Rosendale as they enter the final months of a tight race for the open seat.

Republican U.S. Sen. Steve Daines reported Wednesday that he raised $5 million for his re-election campaign during the past three months, giving himself and Democratic challenger Steve Bullock almost identical totals of cash as they enter the final months of the campaign.

As new Covid-19 cases hit another daily high in Montana Wednesday, Gov. Steve Bullock made face masks required attire in 23 counties, at indoor spaces frequented by the public and at some group outdoor activities as well.

Montana’s U.S. Senate and House races are essentially dead heats, while Republican Greg Gianforte has the early edge over Democrat Mike Cooney in the governor’s race, according to the first polling of Montanans by national firms for the 2020 general election.

Retail Industry Leaders Association sent a letter to the National Governors Association asking governors to require face masks while shopping or in public places nationwide.

Montana’s Commissioner of Political Practices has ruled Democratic Lt. Gov. Mike Cooney violated state law by taking part in a campaign-related call from his office in the State Capitol.

Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock’s campaign for U.S. Senate said Monday its raised $7.7 million for the three-month period ending June 30 – a record single-quarter haul for a Senate candidate in Montana.

The Montana Libertarian Party is preparing to nominate a candidate to run for the U.S. Senate this year, to replace Susan Good Geise, who withdrew in May.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Greg Gianforte, who made millions on the 2012 sale of a software company he co-founded in Bozeman, released tax returns Wednesday

In a 5-4 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court Tuesday said Montana cannot bar children at private, religious schools from benefiting from scholarship programs funded by a state income-tax credit.

In Montana’s 2020 race for governor, voters won’t have much trouble finding stark contrasts, between Republican congressman and former businessman Greg Gianforte and Democratic Lt. Gov. Mike Cooney.

The Montana Republican Party and two other groups working to place the Green Party on Montana’s 2020 ballot broke campaign laws by failing to properly or timely report their transactions on the effort, the state political practices commissioner says.

The 130,000-acre wildland is sacred to the Blackfeet Nation and Tribal members still practice traditional ceremonies there. The area is currently under management by the U.S. Forest Service.

More personal contact among people, as the state economy reopens, and more available testing has contributed to new Covid-19 cases hitting their second highest weekly total in Montana, state health officials said this week.

A political-action committee backing the Green Party candidate in Montana’s high-profile U.S. Senate race is being funded by a Texas-based conservative group, records show.

Republican U.S. Sen. Steve Daines and his Democratic challenger, Gov. Steve Bullock, are arming up for Montana’s most expensive, high-profile battle of 2020. But both men also are aiming for the political middle, where close elections are often won or lost in Montana.