Trevor Loudon speaks to Last Chance Patriots

On Tuesday evening, New Zealand-based author and filmmaker Trevor Loudon addressed a packed room at Kalispell’s Fairbridge Inn and Suites on the threats he claims face America from the left.

The event was organized by Last Chance Patriots, a group formed last summer by local members of Act for America as a separate organization.

One of its leaders, Caroline Solomon, explained at the outset that the group was focused “on protecting and preserving our Constitution, on making sure that American and Montana laws are applied in American and Montana courts, on national and state security, illegal immigration, unvetted seeding of refugees, protecting our borders [and] educating our young people, not indoctrinating them.” She added that “we speak one language, and that’s English, ladies and gentlemen.”

Those stances have drawn opposition. Referring to Loudon’s previous Last Chance Patriots-sponsored appearance, in Missoula on Monday, Solomon said that “we outnumbered the protesters,” drawing hearty applause.

Loudon, who writes and makes films about the left’s activities, found a receptive audience in Kalispell as he warned of Democrats’ intentions.

“These people are Marxists,” he claimed. “They want a one-party state. They’re not Democrats anymore, they are basically a Marxist party who wants a permanent majority.”

Loudon devoted the first part of his talk to alleged ties between several Democratic members of Congress and communist states and organizations.

“There’s at least a hundred members of your House [of Representatives], and 20 members of your Senate ... who would be very hard-pressed to pass a basic FBI background check” for security clearance, he claimed.

Loudon then turned to what he called “the greatest national security threat you face right now” — illegal immigration. He said this trend was linked to Democrats’ alleged plans for a “one-party state.”

“There are between 12 and 30 million illegals in this country,” Loudon said.

According to the independent Pew Research Center, the total number in 2016 was estimated to be 11.3 million, although the number varies widely because there is no way to verify the status of people who by definition live outside the reach of the government.

“They will vote 80 percent-plus Democrat. That is between 10 and 24 million new votes for the Democratic Party. How do you hope to compete against that, folks?”

Toward the end of his talk, Loudon called on Montanans to oppose Democrats in next year’s elections.

“[Sen.] Jon Tester is very vulnerable. I want to make sure he isn’t just beaten by a Republican, but by the most conservative, constitutionalist, patriotic Republican you can find in your state.”

“If we can flip the Senate with real conservatives ... you can change the direction of this country.”

Several office-holders and candidates heard that message. Republican state Sen. Al Olszewski from Senate District 6 and 2018 candidate for U.S. Senate; Mark Noland and Derek Skees, Republican representatives for House Districts 10 and 11, respectively; and Flathead County sheriff candidate Calvin Beringer were all present at the event.

Another guest, retired Kalispell electrician Fred Hammel, said he appreciated Loudon’s visit.

“Usually this group talks about the Muslim problem, [but] this one is different,” he told the Daily Inter Lake.

Wearing a blue Trump baseball cap, he said that “I’ve been fighting the communism in the Democratic party for 50 years.”

“I think people should hear the message ... We’re being taken over, and we have to fight back.”