Western Politics

Montana GOP Director: McCain and Local Candidates Still Look Good

By Robert Struckman, 8-22-08

Despite the Barack Obama hoople and his frequent visits to the state, Montana’s GOP director remains bullish for John McCain’s chances in Montana, and his party is diligently and quietly advancing its in-state candidates.

“If you look at where this race has been and where it is now, you can see that Sen. Obama doesn’t relate to the people in Montana,” said state GOP director Jake Eaton. He pointed to Sen. McCain’s six-point gain during July among a sampling of Montana voters, despite a more than quarter-million television buy by Obama’s campaign that month.

“And he lost ground. That’s not what anyone wants to see,” Eaton said.

Eaton acknowledged the trouble the National Republican Party has made for itself and the dire state of the national economy, how it has Americans fundamentally uncertain about the future. The Republican Party left its base behind and neglected its “wheelhouse,” he said.

“We’ve traditionally been the party of fiscal responsibility, stronger families and national security. We lost focus of the core issues that are important to Republicans and independents who might lean their way,” Eaton said.

With that in mind, Eaton said, it sometimes looks like the West may experience a big Democratic wave. But Montana voters have a way of confounding predictions.

“It’s a unique environment, nationally, but I don’t buy the theory that all this excitement about Obama will make for a broad sweeping shift across Montana,” Eaton said. “If you look at this historically, that’s just not the case.”

Eaton cited election results from 2004, when Montana voters overwhelmingly reelected President George W. Bush and gave a big win to Gov. Brian Schweitzer while legalizing medical marijuana and banning gay marriage.

That explains why Eaton and state Republican chairman Erik Iverson have focused on the state legislative campaigns. For the first time, the state has a paid staffer to help candidates get the resources and information they need. The future of the party involves staying tied to the local level, Eaton said.

“Montanans are notoriously independent-minded ticket-splitters,” Eaton said.

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