4 March 2016

Democrat with Minnesota address files for MT Senate District 18

His name: Logan Thiel. He’s a Democrat. The address he provided to the Montana secretary of state: 258 South Snarr Hall, Moorhead, MN 56563. That’s a dormitory at Minnesota State University, Moorhead (known as Moorhead State College when I lived in Minnesota). He’s a student, class of 2019.

So why did he file for a legislative district in Montana? Probably because he’s from Sidney, MT, where he graduated from high school in 2015. A track man, he pole vaulted (13.75 feet), ran at 200 and 400 meters (55.22 sec), and long jumped 17.25 feet.

He may have contracted political fever when he served as a page in the 2015 Montana Legislature, sponsored by his state senator, Matt Rosendale (R-Sidney).

Rosendale, who blew a million of his own money on his failed 2014 campaign for Congress, is not running for re-election. Instead, he filed for state auditor.

If Minnesota is Thiel’s legal residence, he can’t qualify for the ballot. Our constitution requires that legislators living in a multi-county district must live in the district.

This presents an interesting legal question. Does Thiel plan to move back to Sidney in time to meet all residency requirements for legislative candidates? That’s a possibility. Another possibility: he’ll amend his filing papers to claim as his permanent residence his parents’ address in Sidney.

One thing is certain: he can’t properly represent his district if he lives in Moorhead, 350 great circle miles east-southeast of Sidney; not even if he temporarily returns to Montana for the legislative session. That’s just too long a jump for frequent face-to-face contact with SD-18’s constituents.

Nevertheless, Democrats will be thrilled that there’s a Democrat in Sidney, not a Democratic stronghold, willing to run for SD-18. Plus, there’s an experience, savvy, Democratic campaign manager now living in Sidney, so the young man may have access to competent help.