Montana State Auditor John Morrison became the first democrat to openly announce his challenge to incumbent Senator Conrad Burns today. Two term auditor Morrison serves as the state's insurance commissioner, and has just launcehd his campaign website at www.johnmorrison.us.
Morrison claims that Burns is on the wrong track for Montana, with such issues as Social Security, Amtrak funding, funding and health care. But Morrison will have his work cut out for him trying to unseat "the King of Pork" Conrad Burns. Burns has brought more federal funds into Montana than any federal legislator in history according to some sources. But Burn's folksy (some would say hick) humor act has been wearing thin, and the three term Senator is embroiled in charges of legislative payoffs to wealthy Indian tribes in other states, brokered by the same lobbyist incolved in the Tom Delay scandels.
Age will certainly be an issue. Burns at 70 has been noticably less sharp in his campaigning, as was seen in his barely successful re-election against Brian Schweitzer in 2000. Morrison, 43, will bring a lot of new energy to this critical race.
Morrison, a Helena attorney, was first elected as state auditor in 2000, replacing Mark O'Keefe who ran unsuccessfully for governor that year. Although overshadowed in the press in recent years by Brian Schweitzer, Morrison guarantees a lively senate race in 2006. How much money will he need to raise? "Whatever it takes", says Morrison. Burns has around $1.5 million in his campaign war chest so far.
The other potential democratic senate candidate, State Senate Majority Leader Jon Tester, says he will announce his intentions in mid-May.
Read more detail about Morrison in today's Billings Gazette.