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Missoula Democrat Melinda Gopher has announced she is exploring the idea of challenging the two declared candidates for Montana's U. S. Senate seat in 2012.
Gopher, of Missoula, posted Monday on a blog that she wants to find out what support there would be for her candidacy.
Incumbent Sen. Jon Tester, a Democrat, now faces Republican Rep. Denny Rehberg, who announced in February he would run for Tester's seat.
In her blog entry, Gopher cited a recent poll showing Rehberg and Tester in a dead heat.
"Only 1 percentage point separates the two, " she blogged, "this is no surprise from those of us in the progressive side of the Democratic party. There is very little difference separating the two. "
Gopher ran for Rehberg's House seat in the 2010 election. She came in third in the Democratic Primary with 13,170, behind Tyler Gernant's 15,177 and Dennis MacDonald's 24,014.
Rehberg defeated MacDonald 217,696-121,954, with Libertarian candidate Mike Fellows receiving 20,691.
Republican Steve Daines of Bozeman and Democratic state Rep. Franke Wilmer, also of Bozeman, have declared themselves as candidates for Rehberg's seat.
Daines had originally declared last fall his intent to run against Tester, switching to the House race after Rehberg declared his Senate candidacy.
Online: Melinda Gopher candidacy blog
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