Election mail bag May 22

Balanced judgment

Lee Huestis is a Republican candidate in Senate District 4. I have known Lee’s family and Lee for close to five decades. I personally know Lee to be deeply honest and earnest. He lives his values. Lee is a work-horse, not a show-horse.

As state senator, Lee will keep his focus on the basic needs of the people he is running to represent. Lee is a lifelong Republican who I particularly admire because he has also always been an independent thinker. If elected he will not be a party zealot. The Lee Huestis I know is motivated by deep thought and hard work. He will be nobody’s man but his own.

Lee followed me by a few years as the advisor to the Teenage Republican Club at Flathead High School. I spotted him then as a perfect role model for idealistic young people interested in becoming involved in our democratic system.

Politics was far less polarized in the years I served in the state senate. Lee Heustis has the deep and balanced judgment that is exactly what we need again in the state senate.

— Bob Brown, Whitefish

Endorses Pierson

I wanted to take this opportunity to thank Flathead County Clerk and Recorder Debbie Pierson for her continued dedication to our county and for working so hard to ensure election integrity while maintaining the ability for our citizens to vote.

I participated in a review of our county election process last year that looked at how our county administers the critical work of managing and executing our elections. I personally observed the process at the polls and in their office and I saw the great care and dedication with which our election department’s staff and volunteers went about their work.

After serving three terms on the State Administration Committee in the House of Representatives, where we constantly heard and reviewed our election procedures and heard about best practices, I am confident that we enjoy one of the best election processes in the state and in our country. I could not have been more impressed with Deb Pierson’s leadership and the work of her team.

I feel very fortunate as a member of this valley to know we have someone who is so passionate about fair and transparent elections and who is dedicated to that proposition. I am glad to see that Deb wants to continue as our Clerk and Recorder and I don’t believe there is anyone that could be more committed. I want her to know that I and many others in our valley support the work that she and her staff are doing and I am excited to see that she is willing to continue to serve in this role.

— Frank Garner, Kalispell

Falk is a numbers guy

Mathematically, our government cannot keep printing money and spending. Inflation used to be called the “silent tax.” It is not so silent anymore. It screams at us all from the gas pump to the register.

At all levels of government, partisan or non partisan, local, state or federal, we need to elect leaders that understand the math. Terry Falk for House District 8, Kalispell, is an entrepreneur and businessman that understands the devastation that bad fiscal policy creates. In my years in Helena I have found there are two different type of legislators, those that protect/enhance revenue streams to state government and those that fight to protect revenue streams to Montana families. Montana needs leaders like Terry Falk that are more concerned with protecting the pocketbook of Montana families.

There is no doubt Terry Falk will fight for Montana families in Helena. Support Terry Falk this June 7.

— Matt Regier, Kalispell

Endorses Bukacek

Dr. Bukacek is a candidate for the Public Service Commission; PSC. Have you heard the Bukacek campaign radio ads? Dr. Bukacek does her own ads.

Conversely, one of her opponents has a radio ad where a professional does the ad for them. Doing the work herself is characteristic of Dr. Bukacek. She does this with her private physician practice as well. Being willing and able to do the research to get the best result instead of passing off to a PSC staffer makes Dr. Bukacek the best candidate for PSC.

Her decisions will be personally well researched with the public’s best interest in mind.

— Keith Regier, Kalispell