Poor Hill County Democrats

Why did the Democrats get turned out to pasture in mass last Tuesday? Every talking head, every blog, every newspaper has offered up their “ideas.” In Hill County the Democrats were defeated in every single seat where they had a Republican opponent. Why the big change of heart with voters in what is typically viewed as a Democrat stronghold?

Excuses, excuses, excuses are all we find this last week in any article we have read. In the HDN article by Award winning Timmy Leeds in Fridays paper Hill County Democrat Chairman John Musgrove was quoted as saying “I was extremely surprised that we lost all three (legislative elections) Montana usually doesn’t follow the national trend, and this time it seemed to. “I’m still trying to analyze why that happened,” Musgrove added. Timmy Leeds went on to portray National Review Editor and PSC race winner as a “Republican Blogger” that defeated former Democrat Representative Don Ryan. I know Timmy it hurts but does it make you feel better to misrepresent Mr. Kavulla’s employment even after he won handily over Democrat Don Ryan?

The local Democrats said maybe it’s the war, but isn’t that all Republican Bushes fault? They say people don’t understand the wonders of Obama Care and are just not happy with anything going on. Former representative Toni Hagener is even quoted as saying “Maybe it has to do with the weather, too.” WTH? The weather? Considering this is a quote written by Award winning Timmy Leeds I am going to give Toni the benefit of the doubt and disregard this absurdity as yet another quote taken out of context by the dimwitted reporter yet former PSC Chairman Greg Jergeson thought Hill County was just caught up “in the wave” I would love to hear from our readers what you think happened here in Havre.

Personally I think there was a host of problems leading to the Democrats landslide defeat here in Hill County that had nothing to do with national politics, Obama, Pelosi, the weather or any of the other “excuses” offered by our local Democrats. It is true that people are disgusted by our Senators Baucus and Tester who they feel didn’t truly represent the wishes of Montana in the Health care fiasco and that lead to a poor turnout of Democrat voters. Also both Tester and Baucus abandoned Montana and fled out of state to help their liberal friend’s campaign to protect the Obama agenda and that undoubtedly turned off many voters that normally would have marked their X in the Democrat column but was that enough to cause the huge defeat in Hill County?

Let’s consider what has happened in Hill County these last couple of years. The local GOP has finally gotten it together and has worked as a team. In contrast there are wide-spread reports of the local Democrats fighting amongst themselves and not supporting their candidates. Democrat party leaders were instrumental in the controversial ACLU complaint against Northern, a person viewed as a staunch Democrat and party leader tried to again boycott a local business for openly supporting a Republican, and on and on with community busting endeavors in the name of political gamesmanship. People of both parties have grown weary of these tactics and have decided to give them the “pink slip”

While I have yet to determine the motivation behind the driving force of local GOP volunteers the fact remains that a host of new volunteers rallied behind the Republican candidates this year. They worked tirelessly while their opposition sat back and coasted thinking the people of Hill County would again just vote Democrat because that is what we have always done. It is hard to pass the buck and make excuses when you have just been plainly out-worked and out-smarted. In addition the local Republicans offered up the very best qualified candidates I have ever seen in all the years I have watched Hill County politics in contrast to their less than stellar opponents.

Furthermore, boondoggles like the Highland Park School mess, the never ending courthouse renovations, and the constant bickering between the City and County most assuredly have taken a toll on the over-burdened taxpayers that are tiring of the “Tammany Hall” type thinking of the local politicians

I have to take heart when I see that Democrat Chairman John Musgrove said that they “have to take some time and analyze what happened so we’re prepared for next election” Maybe, just maybe some of our local leaders will finally listen to those they are claiming to represent. Let’s hope so.