The case of Buckley v. Valeo was decided by the U.S. Supreme Court over 40 years ago. It allowed individuals to spend an unlimited amount of their own money on pursuing a public political office. Texas billionaire H. Ross Perot took advantage of this decision when he ran for president in the 1990’s. This decision also allows people who have made their millions in one state to carpet bag into another state in attempt to buy political offices in another probably less populous state.
We have two of these carpet baggers in the Republican primary trying to buy the U.S. Senate seat which is up for election in 2018. They are Troy Downing and Matt Rosendale.
Actually, Rosendale has had some success at his carpet bagging. After he moved into Montana with his out-of-state millions he was able to buy some seats in the Montana legislature shortly after he arrived here. He spent a million dollars of his own money trying to buy Montana’s lone House seat a few years ago, but was unsuccessful. I have met him in person and listened to what he has to say a number of times. To me he sounds like the typical East Coast sophisticate who fancies himself an expert in about everything he is talking about.
I urge all Montanans to vote in the Republican primary and try to stop what is going on. We have several homegrown candidates who I believe are much more qualified to serve as our next junior senator from Montana.
Dr. W. David Herbert Esq.
Billings