Gallatin County GOP Votes Romney

By David Nolt, 2-06-08

	Caption: Signing in at the 2008 Gallatin County Republican Caucus. Click on the image to view a photo gallery. Photo by David Nolt.

The Mixers Club in Bozeman – typically a site for college dance parties – took on a much different atmosphere on Super Tuesday as Republicans from around the county came to participate in the first presidential Montana caucus in some 20 years.

In an effort to elevate Montana’s voice in national politics, the Montana GOP recently moved their June primary to a February caucus. Though Ron Paul supporters seemed to be the most numerous and definitely the most vocal, Mitt Romney came out on top with 47 percent of the vote. Ron Paul took 28 percent; John McCain received 14 percent; Mike Huckabee finished fourth with 11 percent.

Though many attendees expressed dissatisfaction with the state of the country, the overall attitude seemed to be hopeful. “Anybody but Hillary” was the theme, and conservative hallmarks such as “Don’t touch my guns” and “If they’re not legal, send ‘em home” bubbled up amid soundbites from CNN and Fox News. Republican Larry Wix seemed to sum up the uneasy feeling many Republicans have about the 2008 candidates: “You can’t vote for who you want. You’re voting for who can win. It makes me sick.”

Click on the image or here to see a photo gallery and quotes from the big night.