Senate hopefuls, meet, greet in Malta

Republican candidates from far and near were at the Great Northern Lodge Room last Friday afternoon, those from out of town were here to stump while those from Phillips County were here to listen.

Four of the six Republican U.S. Senate candidates looking to unseat U.S. Senator Jon Tester were in Malta on Friday for a meet and greet with Phillips County residents and about 30 people showed up for the event. U.S. Senate Candidates Matt Rosendale, Dr. Albert Olszewski, and Russell Fagg were joined by Mark Wicks who is running for Public Service Commissioner, Bowen Greenwood who is running for the Montana Supreme Court Clerks position, and Randy Pinocci who is seeking to be elected to the Public Service Commission. Each candidate was given a chance to briefly tell the crowd about themselves and why they are running for office and then for the next 90-minutes fielded questions from the audience.

Many members of the audience on Friday at the GN are also seeking to be elected, though none did any type of campaigning at the event. Current Phillips County Commissioner Bruce Christofferson was in attendance. Burt Peigneux, who is running for Phillips County Sheriff/Coroner was also at the event, as were both Lynnel LaBrie who is running for County Clerk & Recorder/Surveyor/Auditor and Rep. Montana State Representative Casey Knudsen who is seeking re-election in House District 33 and was the informal host of the meet-and-greet (Montana Senator Mike Lang was also in attendance.)

"Thank you to Casey and thanks to all you folks for making the effort to come out and find out what is going on in Montana politics," Fagg said.

Fagg said that he retired from being a State court judge after 22 years and said he is running for the Senate because he is dissatisfied with Sen. Tester's representation of Montanans.

Dr. Olszewski said if there are big-money candidates in the senate race, then he is the "dark-horse with a dark-hat."

"I am your grassroots guy," he said.

Dr. Olszewski is currently an orthopedic surgeon living in Kalispell, Mont., by way of Great Falls, Mont. and served in the U.S. Air Force and was a member of the Montana House of Representatives.

"Tester loses to the Republican Party if we have a good messenger who can carry Jon Tester kicking and screaming to the issues and make him account for how he has voted," Dr. Olszewski said. "If we don't do that, we don't win."

Rosendale, who lives on a ranch situation between Glendive and Sydney, said his qualifications in his U.S. Senate bid include previously serving on the Montana State Legislature where he made contacts with politicians in Montana and Washington D.C.

"Right now, we have a president who is ready to help us grow our country and put us back in the place that we should be around the world," Rosendale said. "I am the best situated to help him do that. It all begins with vision."

The Primary Election leading up to the November General Election will be held on Tuesday, June 5, 2018. The PCN looks forward to a sit-down interview with the U.S. Senate candidates following the primary election.