Rove coming here to help boost Burns

By JIM MANN

The Daily Inter Lake

Bush administration political adviser Karl Rove will be in the Flathead Valley this weekend, drumming up support for the re-election of Sen. Conrad Burns, R-Mont.

Rove will speak at a luncheon Saturday at the White Oak Grand Hotel south of Kalispell and at a reception for Bitterroot Valley Republicans in Lolo later in the day.

Both invitation-only events will be closed to reporters and the public.

"He is going to talk to the troops about the importance of that [Senate] seat for Republicans," Burns spokesman Jason Klindt said. "He is one of the pre-eminent political strategists in the country and he's out here talking about what we need to do to win this election in the next 56 days."

Burns, who also will be at the luncheon, faces Democratic challenger Jon Tester in the November election. It is considered one of the tightest races in the country, one with the potential to tip the balance of power in the Republican-controlled Senate.

Rove is just the latest in a string of prominent Republicans to visit Montana in support of Burns.

In just the last month, Vice President Dick Cheney campaigned for Burns in Whitefish, First Lady Laura Bush visited Bozeman for Burns, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist was in Billings, and Sen. John Warner, R-Va., supported him at an event in Great Falls.

"Certainly, this is an important seat for Republicans and a lot of people have expressed an interest in coming out here, not just to support Conrad, but also because it's a beautiful state," Klindt said. "I think in the next 56 days, you will see more Republicans traveling out here."

Those with invitations to Saturday's luncheon will be charged $50 per person or $1,000 if they want to have their photograph taken with Rove.

The Burns Classic Golf Tournament will be held at Eagle Bend on Saturday morning, but Rove will be in the Flathead exclusively for the luncheon, Klindt said.

According to the Associated Press, Rove has been an impressive fundraiser, reportedly bringing in more than $10 million this election cycle, just behind the president, first lady and vice president among Republican officials.

Reporter Jim Mann may be reached at 758-4407 or by e-mail at jmann@dailyinterlake.com