A strong field of candidates

This year promises to be a political rodeo, with competitive election races across the state and particularly in the Flathead Valley.

The Republican Party is reporting that it has a record 188 candidates running for the Legislature statewide, and Democrats have fielded 133 candidates.

That strong turnout is exemplified in the Flathead by the House District 3 race, which has three Republicans, a Democrat, a Constitution Party candidate and an independent (and that’s after two candidates withdrew!). In House District 4, meanwhile, there are three Republicans and two Democrats left after incumbent Mike Jopek withdrew.

Those races, along with three others, will offer up competitive primary election runoffs in June. All of the valley’s legislative districts will have competition by the November election, with Democrat and Republican candidates in each one, plus several third-party candidates.

It’s encouraging to have engaged candidates in the legislative races in particular, because they are signing on to essentially voluntary service in a citizen legislature that requires them to spend considerable time away from home.

At the county level, voters will have choices in five of eight races. Incumbent Commissioner Joe Brenneman finds himself facing one fellow Democrat in the primary for the right to square off against the winner among three Republican candidates.

The county sheriff’s race will most likely be decided in June, as all three of the candidates who filed for the office are Republicans, including incumbent Mike Meehan.

There are also three judiciary races in the county, two for justice of the peace positions and another race for a new district judge position that has four candidates.

With Flathead County and the state of Montana facing economic challenges, all of the state’s races are particularly important as we choose the leaders who will be making decisions that address those challenges in the coming years.