21 July 2022 — 1933 mdt
Public Service Commission candidate John Repke challenges
his opponent, Ann Bukacek, to debate Montana energy issues
By James Conner
John Repke, the Democratic candidate to represent District 5 (Flathead, Lake, Lewis and Clark, and Teton Counties) on Montana’s Public Service Commission this week released a statement challenging his Republican opponent, Ann Bukacek, M.D., to debate energy issues and their qualifications for the job.
With the final count tallied after a close race, I see that the republican candidate for Montana Public Service Commission for District 5 will be Ann Bukacek. As the winner of the democratic primary in this race, I anticipate there will be many opportunities for us to debate our qualifications and commitment to the important role of PSC Commissioner. I look forward to engaging in those debates as I believe a public forum is the best way to inform voters of their choice for this important seat.
As far as I know, Bukacek has not responded to Repke’s challenge.
District 5 leans Republican. Were I managing Bukacek’s campaign, I would advise her not to debate Repke lest she not do well against Repke, a highly articulate man with a master’s degree in finance and decades of experience in high level corporate finance.
But as a voter, I hope she will decide to take that risk and join him on the debate stage. The PSC is important, powerful, and, bedeviled by petty rivalries and political self seeking, in crisis. Montanans need to hear a high level public discussion of what the agency, which regulates investor owned electric and natural gas utilities (but not rural electric cooperatives), does and what it should do.