29 February 2020 — 2344 mst
Flathead legislative filings update
Updated 1 March 2020. Three more Democrats filed for Flathead legislative seats this past week, one Republican threw his hat in a house district ring, and one Republican is now listed as running as a Democrat.
Garrett Henson filed for House District 3. He’ll face appointed incumbent Debo Powers in the Democratic primary for the seat that way vacated by three-term Democrat Zac Perry.
Jennifer Allen filed for the Democratic primary in House District 10. If her name sounds familiar, it should. Two years ago, she filed for Senate District 5, but had to withdraw her candidacy because of unforeseen family obligations.
Guthrie Quist filed for the Democratic nomination in Senate District 3, where incumbent Republican Keith Regier is running for a second term.
Republican Shawn Guyman filed for House District 5, which is represented by Democrat Dave Fern, who is seeking a third term. Catherine Owens also has filed for the Republican nomination. Guyman has run in HD-3 as a Libertarian several times, but appears to be changing districts this time as a courtesy to Braxton Mitchell, so far the only Republican candidate in a district that leans Republican.
In Senate District 7, Gerald Cuvillier is now listed as a candidate for the Democratic nomination. But he’s not a real Democrat. He’s a serial false flag filer with a history of making mischief by trying to crash the other party’s primary.
From the Missoulian in 2016:
• HD 13: This one has a primary contest on the Democratic side, although it comes with an asterisk. For the second time, former Sanders County Republican Central Committee vice chairman Gerald Cuvillier has filed as a Democrat, and will take on Debra Achatz in the primary.
Both live in Trout Creek. The winner faces incumbent Bob Brown of Thompson Falls.
No Democrat has filed in House Districts 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, and 13. HD-7 is a possible Democratic pickup with the right candidate and campaign, but a lot of local Democrats like incumbent Republican Rep. Frank Garner and want to give him a free pass to preserve small town social relationships. A winning strategy? No. An example of human nature undermining a political party’s duty to win elections? Yes.
Filing closes at 1700 MDT on Monday, 9 March.
