Bachmeier endorses Heenan

Hill County Democratic Central Committee Chair and state Rep. Jacob Bachmeier, D-Havre, has endorsed John Heenan to be the Democratic nominee to take on Rep. Greg Gianforte, R-Mont., in November’s race for Montana’s only U.S. House seat.

Bachmeier, who is running for re-election to his House District 28 seat representing Havre in the Montana House of Representatives announced his endorsement in a letter posted on his Facebook page Tuesday and later released to the media.

“Throughout his campaign, John has been nothing but transparent. Going into Congress, John will faithfully work to bring good paying jobs to Montana, invest in our public schools, fight for affordable health care, protect our public lands and fight for the right to bear arms,” Bachmeier wrote in the letter.

“He has taken a clear, strong stance on every issue from agriculture to veterans affairs and is prepared to back it up with action,” he added.

Heenan, a consumer protection attorney and restaurant owner from Billings who launched his campaign in August, is one of five Democrats running in the primary, and one of four who have officially filed to appear on the ballot.

Grant Kier, the former executive director of the Five Valleys Land Trust, former Rep. Kathleen Williams, D-Bozeman and former state Sen. Lynda Moss, D-Billings, have also filed.

Jared Pettinato, a former U.S. Justice Department attorney from Whitefish, has also launched a campaign for the nomination, but as of this morning had not filed with the Montana Secretary of State’s office.

The winner of the June 5 primary will take on Gianforte in November for a seat the Democrats have not held since 1996.

Bachmeier wrote in the letter that the other primary candidates are wonderful people and worthy competitors, but the choice for him is clear.

“While other candidates are focused on raising money from large donors over the phone, John is out meeting people across Montana,” Bachmeier wrote. “His determination to run a grassroots campaign and meet people across the state from every background and vocation will not only win John this election, but also enable him to bring Montana’s voice back to Montana’s sole congressional seat.”

In the letter, Bachmeier also slammed Gianforte, who was elected last May to fill the seat left open when Ryan Zinke was appointed Interior Secretary in the Trump administration.

“Representative Gianforte has consistently demonstrated that he does not truly represent the interests of Montana but rather the interests of his own bank account,” Bachmeier said in the letter.

The area’s two other Democratic legislators, state Rep. Jonathan Windy Boy, D-Box Elder, and state Sen. Frank Smith, D-Poplar, said in separate interviews Wednesday they don’t endorse candidates in the primaries.

Republicans also have a crowded field of primary contenders ahead of June’s primary who are vying to be the party’s nominee to take on Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont..

Bozeman businessman Troy Downing and state Sen. Al Olszewski, R-Kalispell, are the only primary candidates to have officially filed. State Auditor Matthew Rosendale of Glendive, former Yellowstone District Court Judge Russ Fagg, and businessmen Ron Murray of Belgrade and James Dean of Havre have all launched campaigns for the nomination, but as of this morning had not filed.

Tester himself faces Sarah Dean of Havre, the wife of James Dean, in the Democratic primary. Neither had filed to appear on the ballot as of this morning.

State Rep. Casey Knudsen, R-Malta, who will be up for re-election in House District 33, said he has not yet decided on which candidate to back, as he looks for a candidate that he says will put Montana above party interests.

“I think they would all do a wonderful job,” he said.

State Sen. Russ Tempel, R-Chester, said that while he has not publicly endorsed a candidate in the primary at this point he would likely endorse Olszewski, whom he served with in the Montana Senate in the 2017 legislative session.

He said that he got along really well with Olszewski.

State Rep. James O’Hara, R-Fort Benton, and state Sen. Mike Lang, R-Malta, did not respond to requests for comment before print deadline today.

Hill County Republican Central Committee Chair Andrew Brekke said Wednesday he might endorse one of the Republicans running in the U.S. Senate primary but has not decided yet, adding that he can’t make up his mind as to whether to back Rosendale, Fagg or Olszewski.