Montana: Stapleton Announces Challenge to Baucus

[brooklynite]

Source: Roll Call

Former Montana state Sen. Corey Stapleton announced Wednesday that he will challenge Democratic Sen. Max Baucus, giving the six-term incumbent his first major Republican opponent.

“I want to make life better for Montanans, for all of us — our kids, our grandkids,” Stapleton said in a video posted to his campaign website. “That’s why I’m running for the United States Senate.”

Stapleton, a financial adviser, finished second last year in the seven-candidate Republican primary for governor. In 2012, Republicans lost both the governor’s race and the party’s challenge to Democratic Sen. Jon Tester, disappointments for the GOP in a state the party carried handily at the presidential level.

Baucus, 71, is one of six Democrats in the Senate seeking re-election in a state the president lost. Still, Tester held off a strong challenge from then-Rep. Denny Rehberg last year, and Baucus was sitting on a $3.6 million war chest as he began the 2014 cycle.

Read more: http://atr.rollcall.com/montana-stapleton-announces-challenge-to-baucus/

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I won't be personally giving Baucus any financial support, since there are plenty of other races that need help. But if anyone's going to demand he be primaried, be sure you find an alternative who can run in a Mountain West state.

[pscot]

1. How about a primary challenger?

The country would be better off without Max Baucus in the Senate.

[iandhr]

3. Agreed. But this is Montana

I don't lie Baucus but he is better then who ever the Republican would be.

[Jbradshaw120]

4. Perhaps better then Baucus

But stapleton is a real winger. Crazy ideas. So unless Schweitzer challenges Baucus I will be content to keep Baucus, and will do what i can to reelect him. A primary challenges is not going o work unless it is shweitzer. Besides on a purley selfish point it is nice having a senior senate official fom Montana.

[Bainbridge Bear]

6. Indeed, this is the

corrupt bastard who did more then anyone to destroy the chance for a public option in health care reform.

[BlueCaliDem]

2. I can't imagine Montanans falling for Republican campaign lies

after the dismal, lock-step performance of the GOP in the U.S. Congress that has a 14% approval rating.

On the other hand, I've also learned not to underestimate Americans' blindness for all the crap the Republicans do, and their hawk-eye, laser-sharp focus on all mistakes, however tiny and insignificant, that the Democrats do. So we'll see if Baucus will win his re-election. That said, I'm NO Baucus fan, but I'd hate to see us lose the Montana seat to a corporate-owned Repub.

[brooklynite]

5. Um, right. It's not like they would have voted for Mitt Romney or anyone like that...

[BlueCaliDem]

8. Well, Mittney is white. They didn't choose to vote for Obama

because he's black. However, they do have a Democratic Governor and TWO Democratic Senators, although they're conservative Democratic Senators.

I don't believe Baucus has anything to worry about. He's got his skin color in his favor AND it appears that the majority of Montanans prefer Democrats.

[2naSalit]

7. The whole mess is

just awful. I would love to have someone other than Baucus in that Senate seat, a D of course, but I don't know of and haven't heard of anyone running against him other than this scary RWer from the already R dominated legislature. Sucks to be a progressive in MT sometimes.

[WoodyD]

9. "Sucks to be a progressive in MT sometimes."

Sure does. The scenery is gorgeous but then again we have people who do this.

[blueclown]

10. Max Baucus is the best we can hope for in this state.

He isn't nearly as bad as Ben Nelson.

[lsewpershad]

11. Find a progressive

regardless.... Max is is dino