7 February 2020 — 1327 mst

Another incumbent Republican Flathead
legislator receives a primary challenge

Republican Rep. David Dunn (HD-9, Evergreen) yesterday became the third GOP Flathead legislative incumbent to receive a primary challenge when Brian Putman filed for the HD-9 GOP primary.

HD-10 GOP incumbent Rep. Mark Noland is being challenged by Doug Mahlum. HD-11 Derek Skees is being challenged by Dee Kirk-Boon.

Putman, as best as I can determine, is the head of engineering at Nomad GCS, a company in Columbia Falls that manufactures mobile command and control facilities for para-military entities such as SWAT teams. He does not seem to have a campaign website or Facebook page yet, suggesting his candidacy may be a spur-of-the-moment affair.

Democrats have filed for only two Flathead legislative districts, HD-3 (Columbia Falls) and HD-5 (Whitefish).