Representative Carl Glimm, R-Kila, is a candidate in the Senate District 2 race | State legislature website
Representative Carl Glimm, R-Kila, is a candidate in the Senate District 2 race | State legislature website
The Flathead Valley has a number of contested legislative races taking place this election year.
In Senate District 2, which includes the North Fork Flathead River and the canyon between Columbia Falls and West Glacier, there will be a four-way race. The seat is held by Dee Brown, R-Hungry Horse, who cannot run again due to term limits, according to a report in the Flathead Beacon.
Montana state representatives and senators may not serve more than four two-year terms.
Another lawmaker, state Rep. Carl Glimm, R-Kila, who has reached term limits, is vying for the seat, along with former Republican state Rep. Jerry O’Neil, who represented House District 3 from 2011 through 2015. O’Neil narrowly lost to Democrat Zac Perry in the 2018 election for District 3 representative.
Rounding out the Senate District 2 race are Norm Nunally, a retired insurance businessman and president of Montanans for Multiple Use, a public policy organization; and Paul J. Longfield of Columbia Falls, the most recent candidate to file.
Kyle Waterman, the only Democrat to file in the race, works in nonprofit management.
In the race for House District 11, incumbent Republican Rep. Derek Skees is being challenged by Dee Kirk-Boon, who is a former chair of the Flathead County Republican Committee. Skees was elected in 2016, and if he wins it would be his final term due to term limits. The legislative district covers the lower Flathead Valley and the northeast portion of Flathead Lake.
There also is a contested Republican primary in Kalispell’s House District, where incumbent David Dunn is facing challenger Brian Putnam, head of engineering at Nomad Global Communication Solutions.
In House District 10, incumbent Rep. Mark Noland, R-Bigfork, will face challenger Doug Mahlum, owner of the Montana Athletic Club in Bigfork, for the Republican nomination. Jennifer Allen is the only Democrat to file in that race.
The primary election will take place June 2; the general election is on Nov. 3. Candidates had to have filed for the primaries by today.
Alerts Sign-up