Serving the Flathead Valley & Montana since 2006. A reality based independent journal of observation & analysis. © James Conner.
Derek Skees, the tea party approved former Republican state legislator who represented Whitefish in the 2011 Legislature, announced yesterday that he’s running for the Montana Public Service Commission in district 5 (map), where incumbent Bill Gallagher is losing his fight with cancer and will not run for re-election. Ryan Murray of the Daily InterLake has the details.
Helena Democrat Galen Hollenbaugh also announced he’s running for the PSC-5 seat.
Skees should be considered the favorite. Democrat Ken Toole won the seat in 2006 by 190 votes over a weak opponent, Republican Mike Taylor. Toole’s victory in 2006 was an anomaly. He rode the Democratic wave that carried Tester to victory, facing a Republican opponent who was far from top tier (far from second tier, too), yet barely won.
| Mike Taylor-R | Ken Toole-D | |
|---|---|---|
| Flathead | 18,886 | 13,685 |
| Glacier | 1,423 | 2,849 |
| Lake | 5,708 | 5,277 |
| Lewis and Clark | 10,853 | 15,945 |
| Pondera | 1,389 | 1,129 |
| Teton | 1,689 | 1,253 |
| Total | 39,948 | 40,138 |
Toole lost to Gallagher by 11,812 votes in the Democratic debacle of 2010. Gallagher improved on Taylor’s 2006 tally, but Toole received 9,490 votes less than in 2006.
| Bill Gallagher-R | Ken Toole-D | |
|---|---|---|
| Flathead | 20,222 | 10,346 |
| Glacier | 1,015 | 1,597 |
| Lake | 5,775 | 4,324 |
| Lewis and Clark | 12,500 | 12,625 |
| Pondera | 1,277 | 773 |
| Teton | 1,671 | 983 |
| Total | 42,460 | 30,648 |
In 2012, as a candidate for state auditor, Skees received 88 more votes in PSC-5 than did incumbent auditor Monica Lindeen, who won the election with a solid majority.
| Derek Skees-R | Monica Lindeen-D | |
|---|---|---|
| Flathead | 25,432 | 16,227 |
| Glacier | 1,120 | 3,216 |
| Lake | 5,872 | 6,842 |
| Lewis and Clark | 13,236 | 19,169 |
| Pondera | 1,220 | 1,424 |
| Teton | 1,635 | 1,549 |
| Total | 48,515 | 48,427 |
This is why Skees is running for the PSC. He beat Lindeen in PSC-5 during a Presidential year, the best circumstance for Democrats. He has good reason to think he would benefit from the older, whiter, and lower turnout in a midterm election. Skees is too tainted with tea to win statewide, but in right leaning PSC-5, that taint wins votes.