15 January 2020 — 1925 mst

Will Skees file for re-election?

Only one Flathead legislative district
is without an official candidate

That is SD-6, where the incumbent, Republican Al Olszewski, is running for governor. Termed-out HD-12 Republican Greg Hertz filed a C-1 for SD-6, but has not officially filed for the office.

Incumbent Republicans Matt Regier and Mark Noland filed in HD-4 and HD-10, and Republican Dee Kirk-Boon filed in HD-11, currently represented by Republican Derek Skees.

Republicans have filed in every district except HD-5 and SD-6. Democrats have filed only in HD-3 and HD-5. The Libertarian Party is qualified for the ballot, but no Libertarian has yet filed for a Flathead legislative seat.

Olszewski is running a distant third in his contest with MT AG Tim Fox and U.S. Rep. Greg Gianforte. At the Montana Post today Don Pogreba argues convincingly that Gianforte has a lock on the GOP gubernatorial nomination. As Olszewski’s anemic fundraising continues to weaken his position vis a vis Fox and Gianforte, the probability that he will fold his tent and cut his losses increases. If he does so before the close of filing on 9 March, he could file for re-election in SD-6. Whether Hertz would defer to Olszewski in that situation is unknown.

If Skees files for re-election — on 19 July 2019 he said he would — there could be a spirited Republican primary in HD-11. Kirk-Boon has raised $2,410 thus far from a variety of GOP legislators and heavyweights, and has yet to spend any of it. Perhaps more important than the amount she has raised is her raising much of it from Skees’ legislative colleagues. Either they want him out of the legislature, or they’re convinced he isn’t running again.

Here’s the Flathead lineup as of dinnertime today: