Montana Republicans: “Fair” to ask Gianforte if he’s the best candidate to run for governor
In case you missed it, yesterday three prominent Montana Republicans wrote an op-ed in The Missoulian begging Greg Gianforte not to run for governor.
Ted Kronebusch is chair of the Pondera County Republican Central Committee, Chris Hindoien is chair of the Teton County Republican Central Committee, and Liane Johnson is former chair/vice chair of the Montana Republican Party and former chair of the Glacier County Republican Central Committee.
Read excerpts from the op-ed below:
The rumor that U.S. Congressman Greg Gianforte might vacate his seat in Congress to pursue a run for governor has us deeply concerned. As Montanans, Republicans and citizens who care about the direction of our country and state, we urge the congressman to consider the consequences of forfeiting the power of incumbency by leaving a seat he was elected to less than two years ago.
Gianforte asked us to vote for him last November so he could fight for Montana in the U.S. House of Representatives. We fought tirelessly and then we voted.
[…]
And it’s not just the congressional seat Republicans could potentially lose in an unnecessary shuffle.
The possibility of an open congressional seat is already enticing a mass of current Republican statewide officeholders to leave their current offices — offices we just took back from the Democrats. If Gianforte chooses not to run as the incumbent for Congress, the subsequent “Republican shuffle” creates a strong likelihood that Democrats will regain power in our state.
Given that Republican Attorney General Tim Fox has expressed interest in the governor’s seat, it’s also fair to ask the congressman to consider if he’s currently the best candidate for the job.
[…]
We ask Montana Republicans to join with us in supporting Greg Gianforte for Congress and Tim Fox for governor. As longtime Republicans, we hope the rumor of a dangerous “Republican shuffle” does not destroy the foundation we have all worked so hard to build.
