by Terry Nelson, Stevensville
I read an ad in the Bitterroot Star Voter Guide by the Ravalli County Republican Central Committee about the “dirty thirty.” I am saddened at what has happened to this once great organization.
This group was shocked by the “underhanded moves” of a group of people actually filing for office to run against them in the primary. I can see that this could come as a shock to them as most of them were not elected, but appointed by each other to their positions.
They also appear to not understand that a precinct captain should represent their district. In the 2022 election, these people refused to help fund our local Republican candidates, and only funded one candidate from Missoula County who lost his race. They are AGAINST US Senator Steve Daines, US Representative Ryan Zinke, Governor Greg Gianforte, Secretary of State Christy Jacobsen, Ravalli County Senator and president of the Montana Senate Jason Ellsworth, Representatives Michelle Binkley, Dave Bedey and Wayne Rusk, as well as our three County Commissioners.
As individuals, they have every right to do so, but it becomes suspect of the committee to call almost all of our Republican elected officials RINOs (Republicans In Name Only) when it is they who do not agree with nearly all of our elected Republicans. Perhaps they should look in the mirror to see a RINO.
The “dirty thirty” as they have named them, are a bunch of individuals, many who are, or previously were, Central Committee Members, that want to restore the Ravalli County Republican Central Committee to its true purpose, getting our Republican candidates elected in the General Election.
I have placed a sample ballot in the paper you can use to see who to vote for in your precinct. You also could just use the list they provided and vote the opposite.