A reality based independent journal of observation & analysis, serving the Flathead Valley & Montana since 2006. © James Conner.
That’s not as far fetched as it sounds. The constitutional absurdity, reported here yesterday, and at Logicosity on 17 December, that excludes currently serving public officials from being appointed lieutenant governor (even if they resign their current office) severely limits the pool of candidates with experience running for office. At Logicosity, Edward R. Burrow wrote:
Don’t be surprised if the appointee is a former statewide office-holder or a former statewide office candidate. A political type. Think name recognition, contacts and contributor lists. (Under the state constitution, current officeholders, including legislators, are not eligible.)
Four names that meet Burrow’s criteria immediately come to mind: Mike Cooney, 61, a former three-term secretary of state and a former state senator; Mark O’Keefe, a former state auditor and candidate for governor; John Lewis, 38, who ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2014; and 68-year-old former legislator and gubernatorial candidate Dorothy Bradley. I believe each is still alive and healthy enough to campaign and serve five years, but, Lewis excepted, old enough to, perhaps, not stand in Jesse Lasovich’s way for a run for governor in 2020.
I believe each would accept the office and join the ticket to ensure that Montana’s next governor is not named Greg Gianforte.
There are other Democrats who have run for statewide office, but those names occurred to me first.