Heading into Memorial Day weekend, the field for the 2012 Montana gubernatorial race is brightening on the Democratic side, while the GOP side is clouding over.
The Washington Post's political blog, The Fix, reports that Montana Attorney General Steve Bullock brings the possibility of a bright future for Dems in the Governor's office. Meanwhile, the outlook for Republicans is becoming less and less clear:
3. Montana (D-2012): State Attorney General Steve Bullock (D) is the 800-pound gorilla in the race and most smart Democrats now expect him to run. If he does, he gives Democrats a real chance of holding onto the Montana governorship for 12 straight years. Republicans already have a crowded field with former Rep. Rick Hill as well as former state Sens. Corey Stapleton and Ken Miller among others. Whoever winds up as the GOP nominee will likely benefit from the likelihood that the Republican presidential nominee will easily carry the state. (Previous ranking: 3)
Previous stories on the race singled out Hill as the frontrunner, but after
Politico upgraded the race citing the Bullock entry and Hill's affair with a cocktail waitress, the other two leading candidates Stapleton and Miller appear in the spotlight.
This diary is cross-posted at The Montana Cowgirl Blog.