By Matt B. Walen
Montana Democratic gubernatorial candidate Joe Mazurek marched through Havre Saturday with his newly announced running mate, Dorothy Bradley.
Mazurek, the states attorney general, announced a week ago that Bradley, who barely lost to Gov. Marc Racicot in the 1992 governors race, would join his race efforts as candidate for lieutenant governor.
She has vast experience in the issues affecting Montana and brings a lot of enthusiasm, Mazurek said.
Mazurek, 50, said he chose Bradley because of her experience in several issues that have a great impact on Montana, including agriculture, education, economic development, health care, and water issues.
Bradley, 52, served 16 years in the Montana House of Representatives, representing Gallatin County. During her last legislative session in 1991, Bradley chaired the Joint Appropriations Subcommittee on Human Services. The committee created the budgets for all social services, including Medicaid, Medicare and the developmental disabilities and other social and family service programs.
For the last four years Bradley has served as director of the Montana University System Water Center, which develops partnerships to help resolve water-related problems.
Mazurek said Bradley has consistently channeled her extraordinary talent, commitment and compassion into improving and enriching the lives of the people of Montana through her public service.
That is what made her the perfect choice to be my running mate, he said.
Mazurek will face two other Democratic challengers in the 2000 primary election in Secretary of State Mike Cooney and State Auditor Mark OKeefe.
Mazurek said he is focusing on leading the state into the next millennium by improving Montanas electronic age to offer its residents the opportunity to take advantage of technological improvements like the Internet and multi-community communications.
Mazurek said he would also put agriculture, education, economic development, health care for seniors, and water rights issues as high priorities if elected to Montanas top office.
Mazurek said his record he has built during the two terms as the states attorney general and the 12 years as a state senator, including two years as the Senate President, shows that he has the leadership, persistence and patience necessary to get people to the table from opposite sides to discuss possible solutions to the issues.
Some of Mazureks accomplishments as the states attorney general include participating in a nationwide settlement with the tobacco industry, reaching a compromise with the Montana video gambling industry in creating an electronic monitoring system, and reaching a number of compacts with the states Indian tribes, including a recent agreement resolving the water rights and taxation issues between Montana and the Crow Indian Tribe.
