GOP should debate early and often

When I campaigned for chair of the Montana Republican Party I often said that good days are ahead and it is time to put a Republican in the U.S. Senate in 2014. That is true. Since then, Max Baucus announced his retirement and most of the state political news has been about drafting former Gov. Brian Schweitzer for the Senate, with Republicans being left out.

Can a Republican win in 2014? Let me set everyone straight. In 2012 Mitt Romney carried Montana by over 60,000 votes over incumbent President Barack Obama. These 60,000 votes can be Republican votes for the Senate in 2014. Yes, a Republican can win and that is why early GOP debates are so important.

Currently, there are two Republicans, Champ Edmunds and Corey Stapleton, who have announced their candidacy for the Senate race in 2014 and one more, Ryan Zinke, who is considering to do so. In my opinion, the Republican strategy should be to have a “barn-burner” of a contest for the primary with even more Republicans entering the race, and the sooner the better.

This would give the Republicans six more months of showcasing candidates in 2013 all across our Big Sky State. We could schedule special Senate candidate political forums in Missoula, Butte, Bozeman, Billings, Helena, Great Falls, Miles City, and Kalispell which would bring excitement to the process. From these forums I am confident that at least one candidate would surface who can trump any Democrat at the polls.

By replacing Max Baucus in 2014 it is quite possible that the Republicans would be able to take over the majority in the U.S. Senate. If that happens, the Obama agenda would be stopped in two years instead of four. We should do everything we can to make that happen including picking the best candidate to run against a Democrat in 2014.

This is my “call to action” as Montana is Maxed out and Republicans can win if we start early.

Carlson, of Victor, ran for chairman of the Montana Republican Party.