Filings mostly quiet in local, state, federal races

The filing action has mostly stayed very calm as far as north-central Montana, with only two additional candidates filing in the 2012 election Tuesday.

Incumbent Hill County Clerk and Recorder Dena Tippets filed for re-election as a Democrat Tuesday, and Missoula City Council member Dave Strohmaier filed, also as a Democrat, as a candidate to take the place of U. S. Rep. Denny Rehberg, R-Mont.

Strohmaier joins Democrats Robert Stultz of Helena and Jason Ward of Hardin in that race.

Rehberg is taking on incumbent freshman U. S. Sen. Jon Tester in that Democrat's bid for re-election.

Rehberg filed as a candidate Thursday, the first day to file.

Tester has not, as yet, filed as a candidate.

Along with a lack of many candidates — and incumbents — who have said they will run for state-level offices but have not yet filed as candidates, some local races still have not seen filings.

Rep. Wendy Warburton, R-Havre, had not filed for re-election as of this morning. Neither had Rep. Tony Belcourt, D-Box Elder.

Sen. Jonathan Windy Boy, D-Box Elder, also had not filed for re-election as of this morning. His opponent from four years ago did file, on the first day of filing.

Rep. Frank Smith, D-Poplar, whom Windy Boy defeated during Smith's bid for re-election to the Senate seat in 2008, has filed as a candidate.