Trego's Mountain Ear

A friend commented that he didn’t like the choice between Zinke and Tranel – a lot of times the choice we have on the ballot is between a crap sandwich and a crap salad.  When that’s all the menu offers, it’s reasonable to assume that whichever way you vote, you’ll get a crap candidate.

So it’s time to look at the ballot as a non-binary choice, figuring how to vote in your best interests regardless of how the establishment (Christi and company) have made write-in votes absolutely ineffective.  Here are my thoughts on strategic voting.

At the top of the ticket is the choice for President.  Donald Trump is going to get Montana’s electoral votes, with or without my support.  A vote for the Libertarian candidate helps keep that third party on the ballot in the next election.  The last time a third party came out of nowhere, the Republicans replaced the Whigs.  We have a choice – Libertarian or Green.  Trump will win with or without my vote or yours.

Jon Tester is behind Tim Sheehy in the balloting.  Still, Jon is a master, proven and skilled, at negative campaigning.  I’m not so positive as to say that Sheehy will win with or without my vote – but again, I have a Libertarian and a Green alternative if I can’t stomach Tester yet can’t get past the negatives.

My friend couldn’t stomach Zinke or Tranel – but has the option of Dennis Hayes, Libertarian.  His vote can count by making it easier for Libertarian candidates to get on the ballot next time around.

Gianforte is going to beat Busse.  So it’s another spot where it doesn’t cost anything to vote for the third party – this time it’s Kaiser Leib, again a Libertarian.

On Secretary of State, Christi epitomizes the worst the Republican party has had to offer – a pretty face, and a party hack.  Fortunately, she has 2 opponents, a dem and a Libertarian.  Unfortunately she will still win, regardless of which one I choose to vote for.

Attorney General is a binary choice – but I’m adequately pleased with Austin Knudsen’s performance.

State Auditor is another binary choice – James Brown has chaired the Public Service Commission, which tells me he’s a professional politician.  Repke is from Whitefish.  I expect a Republican tide will help Brown keep a government salary rolling in.

Superintendent of Public Instruction – the incumbent was term-limited out, and Susie Hedalen is the Republican heir apparent.  O’Brien is the Dem candidate who might bring the OPI fief back to the Democrat party.  I don’t have a feel for which candidate is best, so I don’t have a strategic vote.

Public Service Commissioner District 4 – I have a choice between Jennifer Fielder, Republican, and Elena Evans, Independent.  A choice between a professional politician and someone without a party.  We need to encourage independent candidates – both in this race and for county commissioner.  As a matter of strategy, voting for the independent candidate makes a weird sort of sense.  The Republicans are often called the stupid party, while the democrats are called the evil party.  Occasionally they do something that is called bipartisan, which generally means it is both stupid and evil.  There is a certain pleasure in voting against both parties.

State Representative – I have a choice between Neil Duram, who voted to screw Trego School and Trego taxpayers and Dakota Adams.  I know nothing of Dakota Adams, and he has no record of voting to screw Trego.  Some decisions are easy, even with only partial information.