05/31/2026
🚨Front page of the Bozeman Daily Chronicle
Per the article: "the [Montana Democratic] party is better positioned backing select moderate Republicans or independent candidates who can advance at least some of the agenda."
"Thatʼs what Fireweed Campaigns, a self-described politically independent Helena-based firm with only Republican clients, pitched to a room of about a dozen ʻDemocrat-adjacentʼ strategists mixed with at least one state representative during a quiet strategy meeting in Anaconda in the summer of 2025."
"Fireweed Campaigns was founded by Lauren Caldwell, a political consultant and former director for the Montana Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee in 2024."
The article even admits that this validates claims made in the Resolutions passed by the Montana Republican Party. Below are the names of the candidates who are working with Democrats:
David Bedey, SD 43 (Hamilton)
Llew Jones, SD 09 (Conrad)
Kenneth Walsh, HD 69 (Twin Bridges)
Brad Barker, HD 55 (Roberts)
Michele Binkley, HD 85 (Hamilton)
Linda Reksten, HD 13 (Polson)
Shelley Vance, SD 34 (Belgrade)
Curtis Cochran, HD 90, Mineral CC Chair (St. Regis)
Susan Geise, HD 17 and Republicans for Tester Co-Chair (Helena)
Russell Nelson, HD 67 (Belgrade)
John Fitzpatrick, HD 76 (Anaconda)
George Nikolakakos, SD 12, Cascade CC Finance Chair (Great Falls)
Melissa Nikolakakos, HD 20 (Great Falls)
Valerie Moore, HD 29 (Plentywood)
Eric Albus, SD 14 (S**o)
Ed Buttrey, SD 11 (Great Falls)
Doug Martens, SD 18 (Forsyth)
Next Tuesday, Montana Republicans must unite to reject Democratic influence in Montana Republican primaries.