Hi-Line Republicans look to next election

Hi-Line Republicans look to next election

Chair: GOP will ramp up program to get the vote out

Tim Leeds

While talking about the troubles they are having getting the word about their work out in Helena, three Republican legislators told party faithful in Havre that the voters need to get out in the next election.

Rep. Wendy Warburton, R-Havre, said during the Hill and Blaine county Lincoln-Reagan Day dinner that Gov. Brian Schweitzer has said he will veto many bills the Republican-controlled legislature may pass. To offset that, she called on voters to elect one of the Republican gubernatorial candidates in the 2012

"We're trying to move the football down the field, get some significant things done, and I hope that he doesn't veto too much of it, but we definitely need one of these great guys with us next session, " she said.

Former U. S. Rep. Rick Hill, Chouteau County Commissioner Jim O'Hara and former state Sens. Corey Stapleton and Ken Miller were at the dinner campaigning in their bid for governor.

Rep. Kris Hansen, R-Havre, said that, along with coverage from the media she said downplays important work the Legislature is doing, having a governor who may or may not support that work makes it difficult for the Republicans to do the work they said they would.

"So, as you're considering our value, whether you're considering keeping us around next time, also consider one of these fine folks that we have here that are going to be on the Republican governors ticket, " Hansen said. "Because we can take bigger steps, we can do bigger things, we can do it better, if we can also get an executive who is a pro-business executive and who will move these things around. "

Will Deschamps of Missoula, the chair of the state Republican Party, said he plans to run for a second term as chair and that he intends to ramp up a program the party used successfully in 2010.

"We believe we've found a program that will work statewide, and we're going to go all out in this next cycle, " he said.

He said the key is to get the vote out.

"It's identifying who your voters are. It's identifying those that, more importantly, are going to vote for you, and getting a hold of them and making sure they get to the polls and vote correctly, or properly"

Deschamps said the state Republican Party, with the help of the Republican National Committee, obtained lists of voters from the Montana Secretary of State's office. The party then hired a consultant to analyze the names, looking at items such as what television programs they watched and what magazines they bought, to see who was likely to vote conservative.

The next step was to identify voters who usually don't vote in non-presidential elections, and get them out to vote.

He said the results from three particular districts the party focused on show results.

In House District 38 at Glendive, the party identified 378 voters within the criteria. A week before the election Deschamps said, 232 had voted. Republican Matthew M. Rosendale Sr. won that that election by 197 votes.

In House District 63 in Bozeman, the GOP identified 763 voters that met its criteria. Deschamps said a week before the election, 556 had voted. Republican Tom Burnett won by 71 votes.

In House District 74 in Butte, which has the highest turnout percentage in the state — "It's only a quirk of fate that the cemetery is in the same district, " Deschamps said — the Republicans identified 455 people, and by a week before the election 237 had voted.

Republican Max Yates won that election by 21 votes, Deschamps said.

He added that the party hopes to find more people to help fund and operate expanding that program.

"It will be good for us, " Deschamps said, " maybe getting some more sanity back in Washington, D.C. "

To contact local legislators: • Sen. Rowlie Hutton, R-Havre, 945-0256, [email protected]. • Rep. Wendy Warburton, R-Havre, 262-3185, [email protected]. • Rep. Kris Hansen, R-Havre, 461-2456, [email protected].

While talking about the troubles they are having getting the word about their work out in Helena, three Republican legislators told party faithful in Havre that the voters need to get out in the next election.

Rep. Wendy Warburton, R-Havre, said during the Hill and Blaine county Lincoln-Reagan Day dinner that Gov. Brian Schweitzer has said he will veto many bills the Republican-controlled legislature may pass. To offset that, she called on voters to elect one of the Republican gubernatorial candidates in the 2012

"We're trying to move the football down the field, get some significant things done, and I hope that he doesn't veto too much of it, but we definitely need one of these great guys with us next session, " she said.

Former U. S. Rep. Rick Hill, Chouteau County Commissioner Jim O'Hara and former state Sens. Corey Stapleton and Ken Miller were at the dinner campaigning in their bid for governor.

Rep. Kris Hansen, R-Havre, said that, along with coverage from the media she said downplays important work the Legislature is doing, having a governor who may or may not support that work makes it difficult for the Republicans to do the work they said they would.

"So, as you're considering our value, whether you're considering keeping us around next time, also consider one of these fine folks that we have here that are going to be on the Republican governors ticket, " Hansen said. "Because we can take bigger steps, we can do bigger things, we can do it better, if we can also get an executive who is a pro-business executive and who will move these things around. "

Will Deschamps of Missoula, the chair of the state Republican Party, said he plans to run for a second term as chair and that he intends to ramp up a program the party used successfully in 2010.

"We believe we've found a program that will work statewide, and we're going to go all out in this next cycle, " he said.

He said the key is to get the vote out.

"It's identifying who your voters are. It's identifying those that, more importantly, are going to vote for you, and getting a hold of them and making sure they get to the polls and vote correctly, or properly"

Deschamps said the state Republican Party, with the help of the Republican National Committee, obtained lists of voters from the Montana Secretary of State's office. The party then hired a consultant to analyze the names, looking at items such as what television programs they watched and what magazines they bought, to see who was likely to vote conservative.

The next step was to identify voters who usually don't vote in non-presidential elections, and get them out to vote.

He said the results from three particular districts the party focused on show results.

In House District 38 at Glendive, the party identified 378 voters within the criteria. A week before the election Deschamps said, 232 had voted. Republican Matthew M. Rosendale Sr. won that that election by 197 votes.

In House District 63 in Bozeman, the GOP identified 763 voters that met its criteria. Deschamps said a week before the election, 556 had voted. Republican Tom Burnett won by 71 votes.

In House District 74 in Butte, which has the highest turnout percentage in the state — "It's only a quirk of fate that the cemetery is in the same district, " Deschamps said — the Republicans identified 455 people, and by a week before the election 237 had voted.

Republican Max Yates won that election by 21 votes, Deschamps said.

He added that the party hopes to find more people to help fund and operate expanding that program.

"It will be good for us, " Deschamps said, " maybe getting some more sanity back in Washington, D.C. "

To contact local legislators:

• Sen. Rowlie Hutton, R-Havre, 945-0256, [email protected].

• Rep. Wendy Warburton, R-Havre, 262-3185, [email protected].

• Rep. Kris Hansen, R-Havre, 461-2456, [email protected].