4 February 2020 — 0346 mst

Latest Flathead legislative filings ensure
contested GOP primaries in SD-2 and HDs 10 and 11

Republicans have now filed for all legislative districts in the Flathead.

• Catherine Owens filed for HD-5 (Whitefish), now represented by Democrat Dave Fern who is running for a third term.


• Termed-out MT House Speaker Greg Hertz of Polson filed for SD-6 (SW Kalispell to Polson), now represented by Republican Al Olszewski who is running for governor.


• HD-11 incumbent Republican Derek Skees filed for a fourth term, setting up what may be a hotly contested primary with Dee Kirk-Boon, who has received donations from many of Skees’ fellow Republican legislators.


• In open SD-7, a small portion of which lies in western Flathead County, chronic candidate and mischief maker Gerald J. Cuvillier challenged GOP Rep. Bob Brown (HD-13), who hopes to replace termed-out far right firebrand Jennifer Fielder.

Thus far, the other contested GOP primaries are in SD-2 (Columbia Falls), where Norm Nunnelly, Jerry O’Neil, and Carl Glimm, are running for an open seat, and HD-10, where incumbent Mark Noland is being challenged by Doug Mahlum.

Democrats have filed in only HDs 3 and 5. HD-7 (old downtown Kalispell), now represented by Republican Frank Garner, who is seeking his fourth term, and won by Democrats Steve Bullock in 2017 and Rob Quist in 2017, is a district that an aggressive Democrat running a well funded and close to flawless campaign could win. But for reasons I simply cannot comprehend, certain Flathead Democratic leaders do not want to challenge Garner. The last Democrat to win the seat was Cheryl Steenson in 2008.

No Libertarian or independent candidate has filed for a Flathead district, although one or two probably will. Filing closes at 1700 MDT on 9 March.