I recommend that the Republicans currently running, or considering to run, for the US Senate Seat to replace Max Baucus initiate early campaign debates/forums to reach out to all Republican and Independent voters.
When I campaigned for Chair of the Montana Republican Party I often said that good days are ahead and it is time to put a Republican in the US Senate in 2014. That is true. Since then, Max announced his retirement. Now most of the state news is about drafting former governor Brian Schweitzer for the Senate and Republicans are being left out.
Can a Republican win an election over Brian Schweitzer in 2014? Let me set everyone straight. In 2012 Mitt Romney carried Montana by over 60,000 votes over incumbent President Barack Obama. These 60,000 votes can be Republican votes for the Senate in 2014. Yes, a Republican can win and that is why early GOP debates are so important.
Currently, there are two Republicans, Champ Edmunds and Corey Stapleton, who have announced their candidacy for the Senate race in 2014 and one more, Ryan Zinke, is considering to do so. In my opinion, the Republican strategy should be to have a “barn-burner” of a contest for the primary with even more Republicans entering the race, and the sooner the better. This would give the Republicans six more months of showcasing candidates in 2013 all across our Big Sky State. We could schedule special Senate candidate political forums in Missoula, Butte, Bozeman, Billings, Helena, Great Falls, Miles City, and Kalispell which would bring excitement to the process. From these forums I am confident that, at least, one candidate would surface who can trump Schweitzer at the polls.
By replacing Max Baucus in 2014 it is quite possible that the Republicans would take over the majority in the US Senate. If that happens the Obama Agenda would be stopped in two years instead of four. We should do everything we can to make that happen, including picking the best candidate to run against a Democrat in 2014.
This is my “Call to Action” as Montana is Maxed out and Republicans can win if we start early.
Gary K. Carlson
Victor