Can Montana Democrats Get Back In The Hunt? You Bet They Can!

On Thursday we updated our Montana post about the likelihood that centrist Democrat John Walsh-- who the DSCC brain surgeons had forced on Montana Dems-- would withdraw by announcing he had just dropped out. He had no real chance to win anyway and should have never been selected over more populist choices. Now the Montana Democratic Party will pick his replacement as their candidate at a nominating convention next Saturday (August 16, 9AM) at the Lewis and Clark County Fairgrounds in Helena. There are something like 175 local and state Democratic elected officials and party officials who are being tasked with selecting the party's Senate nominee. Better them than Guy Cecil, Michael Bennet and Harry Reid, who have made such a mess of it so far.

Jim Larson, chairman of the state party: "We look forward to bringing together Montanans from across the state to select our Democratic Senate nominee. As we move through this process, we must remember this election is not about any one candidate; It’s about ensuring our public lands aren’t sold off to the highest bidder, women are free to make their own health care decisions, every Montanan has the opportunity to succeed, and our kids and grandkids are not denied quality education."

The Democrats' dream candidate, former Governor Brian Schweitzer, has taken himself off the list of potential replacements. So have current Governor Steve Bullock, state Superintendent of Public Instruction Denise Juneau and state Auditor Monica Lindeen. The candidate Blue America has been trying to get to run for the nomination is state Rep. Franke Wilmer (D-Bozeman). She's pointed out that "even with all the advantages-- money, incumbency, name recognition, and a wounded opponent-- [Republican Steve] Daines's numbers didn't budge and he's never edged over 47%. So it’s not true that he’s unbeatable. He still has all those things except a wounded opponent-- if he gets a real opponent, we can move those numbers. Montanans are not convinced he's their voice."

Daines would be a disaster in the Senate and, from a Montana perspective, cancel out everything Jon Tester stands for and tries to get done. We tried to persuade Wilmer that if she could get the Democratic Party's support, she'd not only be the first woman running for this seat, but also the most qualified Montana Senate candidate since Mike Mansfield. All that and a blue collar American Dream success life experience-- and that’s what’s slipping away under "more jobs less government trickle down policies." Her main qualification? Well, she's certainly not a billionaire or multimillionaire who thinks creationism should be taught in science classes. This was what we said about her when we first introduced her in 2011:

She's currently serving her third term in the state legislature where she has sponsored legislation on behalf of women’s rights, public employees, firefighters, teachers, tipped employees, unions, gay rights, American Indians, and veterans. Her work on behalf of veterans has been recognized twice by Veterans’ groups, most recently being named "Legislator of the Year" by the Vietnam Veterans of America Montana Council. She has the kind of remarkable record of legislative leadership that always interests Blue America… Franke is no ordinary state legislator. She was elected to serve as Speaker Pro Tempore in her second term and from 2005 to 2007 she was Chair of the Montana Human Rights Commission. She's also a Full Professor at Montana State University teaching courses on International Human Rights, International Law, International Relations Theory and the Politics of War and Peace. She also taught Indigenous Peoples’ Politics at Montana State University and Blackfeet Tribal College in Browning, Montana. She's written three books and has traveled to 56 countries as either an invited guest lecturer or for her field research, including five trips to the former Yugoslavia beginning during the war there in 1995.

But just as important as her academic accomplishments and record of public service are her life experiences before completing her graduate degrees. In her early 20s, Franke was a divorced single mother with no child support and few prospects. All she knew was waitressing, so she relied on that again to support herself and her daughter and was determined to eventually complete her college degree. It took her 16 years, often working two jobs and even 2 years working as a carpenter. She finished her B.S. degree in political science with a minor in economics (imagine a politician who has some knowledge of economics... like Alan Grayson!) and with the help of scholarships completed a Master’s and Doctorate in 1990. "I know what it’s like not to be able to afford health insurance,” Franke said in a conversation with me last week. “I know what it’s like to take a pocket full of tips to the energy company to pay my heating bill.”

As far as I can tell, Franke’s commitment to human rights and progressive values comes both from the quality of her character and the breadth and challenges of her own life experiences.

Last night she told me that "I know first hand what a long shot it is and how much hard work it will take… beating Daines in a few debates, landing a few punches in the campaign, and firing up voters to turnout votes-- all of which I can do-- is also worth it." But she also felt that Montana Democrats have several good candidates and that she couldn't give-up her race for the state Senate seat she's been running for (SD 32), a key to winning a majority in the state legislature. "The work we do in the state legislature," she told me, "is so very important to me-- making sure public money goes to public schools and quality public education, keeping our public lands open and accessible to the public for sport and recreation, protecting women’s privacy and right to make their own reproductive health choices, and making sure all Montanans’ right to vote is not obstructed.

I hear so many of my Democratic friends telling me they need to support tepid Democrats from the Republican wing of the party because the Republicans are so terrible and so much worse than even conservative Democrats with no backbone and questionable character. Daines is no less terrible than Thom Tillis (R-NC), David Perdue (R-GA), or Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) but, unlike in those races, we can support a candidate as visionary and capable as Elizabeth Warren, Sherrod Brown, Rick Weiland or Shenna Bellows who stands strong and proud for working families, rather than for… well, you know. A week from Saturday, Montana Democrats will decide if they're going to offer the voters a real choice against Daines or they're just going to offer up someone who's just "not as bad." Even though they won't be able to turn to Franke, let's hope they come up with a worthwhile choice and not just cede the seat to the GOP.