Today is filing deadline in Montana. In past years, the rule was that you didn't have to be filed by 5PM, just in the door of the Secretary of State's office. That door would then be closed, people would finish turning in the paperwork, the press would mingle and in some years many people would be hanging out in the office not to file, but to see who did file and for what. Today is one of those days, Conrad Burns' coodies are scaring the little boys in the GOP there is a chance the race could evolve further.
And more is coming out on how GOP state senate leader Bob Keenan ended up challenging Senator Conrad Burns in the primary. Jim Manno in the Daily Interlake writes:
Bigfork businessman and state Senate Minority Leader Bob Keenan says it may seem "blasphemous" to some GOP voters, but he is challenging Sen. Conrad Burns, R-Mont., out of concern that the state's junior senator may not be electable in November.
Calling from Costa Rica, where he is vacationing with his older son and daughter, Keenan said Wednesday that Burns has been damaged by his office's association with Jack Abramoff, the Washington lobbyist recently convicted on influence peddling charges. While Burns has maintained that he personally never met or had dealings with Abramoff, he has acknowledged that his staff accepted about $150,000 in political contributions from Abramoff or the lobbyist's clients. He has been barraged by negative publicity for the past few months.
"People are concerned about Conrad Burns' electability, given the perception that has come about because of the Jack Abramoff situation, and that is still coming about," Keenan said. "I like Conrad Burns and I have confidence that he has done no wrong, but I have concerns that his staff may have overstepped their bounds, and that could be a black mark for him and it could cause problems in November."
Keenan's filing papers were mailed Tuesday to the Montana secretary of state. The Montana deadline for filing in all state elections is today.
The Montana GOP had to go all the way to Costa Rica to find somebody willing to say the truth about Burns, that Abramoff is a liability, that staff overstepped their bounds. Kennan is going to run an interesting campaign and should have a nearly limitless supply of earned media:
"If people are happy with the situation in Washington, D.C., then I urge them to vote for Conrad Burns, because he is eminently qualified to give you more of the same," Keenan said. "I know that a lot of people are enthusiastic about Conrad Burns delivering money to Montana for roads and bridges and sewer systems. If they have an appetite for pork, they need to vote for Conrad Burns. [...]
With the June primary election less than three months away, Keenan acknowledged that he faces a considerable disadvantage in campaign financing.
"I'm used to that. I was outspent four to one in my last competitive race." This time around, "I will run an `uncola' of campaigns. I don't intend to spend a lot of money for litter on a stick," he said of yard signs.
But Keenan also said he will need to be aggressive about fundraising to gain name recognition across the state.
With all of the money he saves by not using litter on a stick, he should be able to buy a top notch fax machine for blasting press releases.