MONTANA'S TOPSY TURVY POLITICS 

 

"The past and present in Montana merge uncomfortably for the liberal and the conservative alike. Politicians very rarely lead; they follow. And there is almost always a lag between what people want and what politicians think you want." - K. Ross Toole, PhD, Montana Historian.

 

Very few Undergraduate Students who graduated from the University of Montana between the years 1956 and 1981 failed to take Dr. K. Ross Toole's "Montana & the West" course. I among them. His three books, MONTANA: AN UNCOMMON LAND, TWENTIETH CENTURY MONTANA: LAND OF EXTREMES, and THE RAPE OF THE GREAT PLAINS, were all published by the University of Oklahoma Press. This is what led me to OU to earn my Ph.D., now D.B.A., and get REVIVAL OF THE AMERICAN DREAM published.

Dr. Toole always did have a great time teaching us about Montana politics and history. He decried any attempt by politicians and the media to make and write history to suit their reputations and dark pursuits. Dr. Toole encouraged me to write my Truman and Watkins Scholarship Papers on Montana's Constitutional Conventions. As one of the last episodes of his Montana PBS Public Affairs Series, former NBC Newsman and SVC's first Montana State Chair, Gene Brodeur, utilized my Papers for a Documentary on Montana's 1972 Constitutional Convention. 

Dr. Toole's Brother John was Vice President of that Convention and eventually became Mayor of Missoula (1983-1986). I interviewed both of them as research for my papers. Both brothers perished before the end of the 1980's. How badly Missoula needed the Tooles to act as firewalls against the corruption that would begin in the 1990's with the advent of George Dennison's Presidency at the University of Montana.

I also interviewed Dorothy Eck of Bozeman who was the Honorary Vice President for the Western Congressional District. When I returned from the Gulf War, I considered running for the State Legislature. The district I was in was held by a Democrat and Dorothy persuaded me not to run against her. Instead, Dorothy created me as a party boss and I eventually rose to State Vice Chair. Judy Rolfe, who was Gallatin County Republican Chair, also tried to recruit me. I received several votes in the June 1992 primary election for Precinct Committeeman from members of both major political parties.

Growing up in our neighborhood in Bozeman with Dorothy was Steve Daines. Steve turned Montana Politics on its head this past week. For the uninitiated to Montana politics, Steve's abrupt withdrawal at the last minute for re-election to his senate seat seemed bizarre and maybe even corrupt. Indeed, his directly-elected predecessor to Montana's Class II senate seat, Max Baucus, remembered in 2013: "I woke up and realized if I ran for another term in the senate, I would be 80 years old. I don't want to die here with my boots on".  

Both Steve and Max simply decided that they couldn't make a go of another six years in the senate. True, both men tried to fix things so their successor would be to their liking. Max resigned early to become U.S. Ambassador to China and Governor Steve Bullock appointed his Lieutenant Governor, John Walsh, to the seat in February 2014. Walsh eventually withdrew due to an academic scandal and the Democrats nominated Amanda Curtis to replace Walsh. Steve defeated her 58%-40% in the general election, becoming the first Republican elected to the seat in 102 years.

Steve himself waited until Kurt Alme, the U.S. attorney for the District of Montana, filed to run for his seat as a Republican on the last day to file on March 4th. Five minutes later - exactly three minutes before the filing deadline - Steve withdrew his name. 

Also, last Wednesday, resigned UM President Seth Bodnar, filed for the seat as an Independent, along with two other Republicans. Five Democrats and two Libertarians had previously filed, for a total of 11 candidates. Keep in mind  that before Wednesday, seven candidates already planned to challenge a heavily favored incumbent in Montana, not unprecedented at all!

Now, I know, there has been a great deal of frustration in Missoula and amongst their good buddies in Colorado regarding SVC being silent on Bodnar's activities. They thought that would strike fear in us. The fact is, Bodnar running for the senate has little or nothing to do with the AQHIS. Lawyers understand the difference between what is relevant and what is not. Most don't. As of now, Bodnar is a free man and is being allowed to do whatever he pleases. That can change very quickly.

Bodnar, like former U.S. President Donald Trump while running for President in 2024, is a fugitive from International and U.S. Federal Justice because of things they should have done but didn't while Presidents of the USA and UM. Their known crimes have been primarily those of omission, not commission. Trump cut his deal with the International Prosecutors that allowed him to run again and if elected, serve again as President. Trump has completely reneged on that Agreement and has been found guilty of treason against the United States. His days in office should be numbered. That is up to The Hague and United Nations to decide.

PHIL SUTTON

SVC FOUNDER/PRESIDENT & CEO

7 MARCH 2026