by Helena Lovick | Aug 28, 2025 | Democrats, Politics, Republicans
Let’s talk about “moderate” Republicans. I’ve been hearing about this perspective for years. Some political “experts” think we should support moderate Republicans when they run for districts that are an uphill battle for Democrats. This is different from the calls for voting in a Republican primary to help ensure a more reasonable politician is elected as the blog previously discussed here. Instead, the moderate Republican strategy I’m talking about includes: not investing in Democrats, not supporting Democrats in general elections, not endorsing Democratic candidates, even all the way up to voting for a Republican in a general election.
Rather than recruiting a strong Democrat and trying to put it all on the field, some people believe it is a winning strategy to not even put up a fight, roll over and give the win to a moderate. “At least we can elect someone that is easy to work with!” So….does that strategy payoff? Do these Republicans vote more moderately? Is it preferable to throw support behind a moderate Republican rather than trying to help a Democrat in a lop-sided race?
I’m going to have to say HELL NO. There’s a reason why Wayne Gretzky said, “you miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take.” If you want to make in-roads in a district, you actually have to work on building relationships with the voters in that district.
But another aspect of “at least we elected a moderate” is that THEY AREN’T MODERATE. Over and over again we have seen that the people who are willing to run for office as a Republican in these times are extremists. Sure, they might throw you a bone and help Medicaid expansion get across the finish line (as they did in 2025), but they throw working people and marginalized groups under the bus every day. We’ve written about GOP bigotry of the moderates and MAGA in 2023, but here we are again!
I mean just take a look at how our Great Falls area Republicans voted during the 2025 Legislative Session.
Great Falls Area Republican Legislators
First, here is your list of Great Falls area Republican Legislators with their moderate or MAGA label. The Moderate descriptor is based on participation in the Solutions Caucus, support by the Conservatives4MT PAC, and/or community perspective.
How did they vote? (Shocker – Against us and our future)
In the following table, some key votes of moderate Great Falls area Republicans are listed. Bill descriptions are listed on the left. State Senators Trebas and Emrich are consistently MAGA bigots, and they voted the wrong way on every one of the following bills. Their votes are not shown in the table. Votes are coded with a green color when they are bipartisan and pro-working people.
As you can see in the table, in the vast majority of cases, so-called moderate Republicans vote with the Republican caucus and against the people. If you’re looking for more data on how these clowns voted, you can check out the deeper dive by the Daily Montanan here.
Any Good News? What about the Democrats?
It’s worth noting that our lone Democratic legislator in the Great Falls area, Jane Weber, voted the kind, forward-thinking way on all of these bills. I also give some credit to Republican Senator Wendy McKamey for voting against her caucus significantly more frequently than any other Great Falls area Republican.
It was good to see that Medicaid Expansion in Montana lived another day with the 2025 legislature. But the Big Ugly Bill passed by our federal government (also run by Republicans) just made giant cuts to Medicaid. So what is the benefit to electing moderates when we expect nearly 40,000 Montanans to lose insurance? Sure doesn’t seem like the payoff for ditching Democrats to support Republican Lite is worth it.
What should I do to help turn things around?
Inform yourself when politicians ask for your vote. Is the way they vote kind to you or your neighbors? Is it kind to attack our environment and attack our freedoms to be who we are and to have bodily autonomy? Is that the future you want? I sure don’t.
It is a lot easier to sleep at night when you know that your elected representatives have your back. (Rather than have a knife in your back.) Let’s put up a left leaning candidate in every district and try to build some real momentum away from the rightward slide of Montana and our country. And whoever gets elected, let’s continue to pressure them to do the right thing.
by Ken Toole | Aug 12, 2025 | Cascade County, Politics, Travel
Pishkun Reservoir sits eighteen miles west of Choteau nestled along the Rocky Mountain Front. The 1500 acre reservoir is part of the Bureau of Reclamation’s Sun River Project which provides water to farms and municipalities all along the Front and out onto the prairie. The area is subject to high winds and extreme temperatures. Because it is an irrigation project water levels change dramatically throughout the year There is a small developed camping area which is run by the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
Like almost all camp sites, the Pishkun campground has a reader board at each entry with information about the rules, maps and contact information. Most of the information on the reader board is put up and maintained by the Montana Department Fish Wildlife and Parks. But at Pishkun there is a new posting from the Federal Bureau of Reclamation soliciting information from those using the camp ground.
The Bureau of Reclamation wants to know if you have identified;
-any areas that need repair or;
-any services that need improvement or;
-any signs or other information that are negative about either past or living Americans or that fail to emphasize the beauty, grandeur and abundance of landscapes and other natural features.
The post script at the bottom of the page reads; This effort is in accordance with implementing DOI Secretarial Order 3431; Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History.
Clearly, Donald Trump’s war on factual history has arrived in a far corner of Montana. Are we really expected to notify the Bureau of Reclamation of “signs or other information that are negative about either past or living Americans”? Does that include songs around a camp fire or even bumper stickers on vehicles?
Read Trump’s executive order here: https://www.doi.gov/document-library/secretary-order/so-3431-restoring-truth-and-sanity-american-history
by Guest Writer | Jul 10, 2025 | Politics, Republicans
Ross Fitzgerald is a former Republican legislator from Teton County and the current chair of the Teton County Republican Central Committee. This is an editorial he wrote about the recent Republican convention in Helena and the elevation of Art Wittich to the state party chair.
“More alarming, the Freedom Caucus elevated Art Wittich to state party chair. I now call him the “Cleanser-in-Chief” for leading this pogrom in the state party. Wittich’s past includes a $68,000 fine—one of Montana’s largest—for campaign finance irregularities during his 2010 Senate campaign.”
I attended the recent Montana GOP Convention in Helena, representing the Teton County Republican Central Committee, never expecting to witness a blatant power grab. I was appalled to watch the Freedom Caucus, an extremist faction within the GOP, orchestrate the purge of nine sitting Republican state senators by stripping them of all voting privileges. Celebrated as a “cleansing” by Representative Nelly Nicol, the Freedom Caucus took a page right out of the authoritarian playbook, disenfranchising the 190,000 Montanans represented by those senators in the process. It’s an egregious attempt by the Freedom Caucus to crown themselves arbiters of the Republican Party, undermining the foundation of our democracy.
The purge began when Freedom Caucus Leader Senator Barry Usher moved to strip the senators’ credentials. Their offense? They voted for the best interests of their districts on issues like infrastructure and education over the demands of Senate President Matt Regier. Usher ignored the Republican Party’s bylaws, which grant legislators voting rights at the convention. Rep. Jane Gillette, another Freedom Caucus member, outmaneuvered former party chair Don Kaldschmidt, who correctly ruled the motion out of order. Gillette argued the GOP, as a “private association,” can decide who qualifies as a Republican. This extremist group, just 130 votes in a small room, overrode the will of Montana’s 350,000 Republicans. Rep. Nicol, also a Freedom Caucus member, even posted a Facebook video celebrating this purge, boasting, “As other states watch us to find clear pathways to cleanse their state’s party…” This chilling use of “cleanse” signals an attack on independent thought, not a strengthening of the GOP. The Montana Freedom Caucus PAC is now using this purge as an online fundraising tool.
More alarming, the Freedom Caucus elevated Art Wittich to state party chair. I now call him the “Cleanser-in-Chief” for leading this pogrom in the state party. Wittich’s past includes a $68,000 fine—one of Montana’s largest—for campaign finance irregularities during his 2010 Senate campaign. Court records show he accepted unreported campaign donations. Leaked 2013 emails from his time as Senate Majority Leader reveal plans to purge Republicans who didn’t conform, aligning with this “party first” mindset. It’s no surprise the Freedom Caucus chose Wittich to lead their effort to reshape the GOP in his own image.
In a representative republic, elected officials must prioritize their conscience and the needs of their constituents over party demands. A true Republican Party values individual liberty, not rigid loyalty. The Freedom Caucus, however, believes they alone get to decide who is and isn’t a Republican, dismissing the voice of the voters.
This purge is a wake-up call. Montanans now see how a few insiders at a closed event can override voter intent. These senators, chosen by their districts, face expulsion for representing their constituents. If representatives can be “cleansed” or bullied into compliance, your vote becomes meaningless. As conservative Republicans, we must act. Attend precinct meetings, contact your local GOP committee, and demand transparency. Elect representatives who prioritize Montanans, not out-of-state influencers. The Freedom Caucus’s exclusionary tactics, rule-bending history, and potential plans—like closed primaries or loyalty oaths—risk creating a single-thought party. Wittich’s past and this purge raise serious concerns. We must push back to preserve a Republican Party that serves all Montanans, not a radical few.
I call on every Republican to spotlight this betrayal. Show up. Speak out. Demand our party return to its roots. The “Cleanser-in-Chief’s” reign must not destroy what it means to be Republican.
Ross Fitzgerald is a former Republican legislator and current chair of the Teton County Republican Central Committee.
by Ken Toole | Jun 25, 2025 | False Flag, Politics, Propaganda, Republicans
Webster’s Dictionary: FALSE FLAG- noun: a hostile or harmful action (such as an attack) that is designed to look like it was perpetrated by someone other than the person or group responsible for it.
It is beyond disappointing to see local Republican Representative Steve Gist blaming the “left” for the recent assassination of Democratic Representative and former Speaker of the House in Minnesota, Melissa Hortman, and her husband in their suburban home. Democratic Senator John Hoffman and his wife were wounded at their home the same evening.
Background On The Assassinated Legislators And Alleged Perpetrator
In the 2023 legislative session, Rep. Hortman helped to pass legislation which expanded abortion rights, legalized recreational marijuana, and made employers in Minnesota offer paid medical and family leave. Sen. Hoffman was a fourth term senator and served as the chair of the Human Services Committee.
Fifty-seven-year-old Vance Boelter was arrested two days after the shootings. When Boelter arrived at the victims’ homes, he was driving a black SUV with flashing police lights. Authorities said he disguised himself as a police officer wearing a tactical vest with a badge, black gloves, and a mask. He allegedly also went to two additional public officials’ homes but did not succeed in shooting them. In his vehicle police found a list of 70 potential targets.
A close friend said that Boelter voted for Trump in the last election and was a strong opponent of abortion rights. In the late 1980s, he enrolled at Christ for the Nations Institute, an unaccredited institution rooted in the Pentecostal tradition. He posted some of his sermons online. In one he said, “There’s people, especially in America, they don’t know what sex they are, they don’t know their sexual orientation, they’re confused. The enemy has gotten so far into their mind and their soul.” Authorities also said he and his wife are “doomsday preppers.”
Politicians and Propagandists Blame The “Left” For the Killings
Shortly after the attack, U.S. Senator Mike Lee of Utah released a post on X saying, “This is what happens when Marxists don’t get their way” along with a picture of Boelter wearing a latex face mask. He issued a second post with a photo of Boetler under the caption, “Nightmare on Waltz Street,” an apparent reference to Minnesota’s Democratic Governor and former candidate for Vice President. Elon Musk also weighed in, posting on X, “The far left is murderously violent.”
Lee subsequently removed the posts. He was roundly condemned around the country and in editorial comments from the Deseret News, Utah’s leading news paper. Elon Musk , of course, could give a shit.
Local Legislator, Gist Joins In, Promoting The False Flag Conspiracy
Montana Republican Representative Steve Gist engaged in his own little false flag operation. Regarding the assassinations in Minnesota, Gist uploaded a post saying, “The Extreme Left is sure pushing their luck, time to go after the head of the snake.” Below that heading, he copied a post from David J Harris Jr., a far-right national propagandist.
The Montana Democratic Party issued the following statement about Gist’s post, “The Montana Democratic Party is aware of Representative Steve Gist’s social media post and unequivocally condemns his violent, incendiary rhetoric.
Violence has no place in our democracy, and the language used in Gist’s post stokes division and contributes to the extremist toxicity that exists online and perpetuates political violence.
We are appalled by the silence from Montana Republican leaders and call on Senator Daines, Senator Tim Sheehy, Governor Gianforte, Senate President Matt Regier, House Speaker Brandon Ler, and MTGOP Chair Don Kaltschmidt to denounce Gist’s actions.”
The Missoulian interviewed Gist about his post. Gist said he was referring to “dark money,” but then went on to say, “It’s political warfare, you know, unfortunately. You don’t ever stop it, and it’s gotta stop.” Hard to imagine how it is going to stop if our politicians engage in the kind of propaganda Gist is circulating.
WTF406.com has written about Gist previously, questioning his eligibility to run for his legislative seat representing the town of Cascade and surrounding area, since his business and campaign were run out of a house he owned in Whitefish where his wife lived. https://wtf406.com/2022/10/where-in-the-world-does-steve-gist-really-live/
by Ken Toole | Jun 11, 2025 | City, Elections
City elections are usually pretty boring affairs. But this year we have two very different candidates for mayor, and three commission candidates running for two vacant seats. Add the poison pen of Commissioner Rick Tryon, who has something to say . . .about everything . . . and you get the makings of a fairly negative campaign season. Let’s start with the mayor’s race.
Reeves Doubles Down, Issues Anti-Pride Statement
On June 10th, Reeves issued a statement revisiting his decision last year not to issue a city proclamation for Pride Month. The statement was apparently not in response to a request from anyone for a proclamation. He just wanted to remind people that he doesn’t support LGBTQ people being visible in the community. His statement reads, “Since some in the community are asking me again, here are my thoughts…. As mayor, I’ve made it clear that I believe government does not belong in personal relationships. Love who you want to love, no one needs government validation for that. That’s why I’ve chosen again not to issue a Pride proclamation. It’s not because I don’t care, but because I don’t believe it’s the government’s role to affirm personal matters. Apparently, in Reeves’ view, LGBTQ people are okay . . .as long as they stay in the closet. Please see our previous posts https://wtf406.com/2024/06/great-falls-mayor-cory-reeves-refuses-to-issue-pride-proclamation/
https://wtf406.com/2025/06/mayors-denial-of-pride-proclamation-one-year-later/
Reeves Refuses to Debate Taylor In Mayor’s Race
In a Facebook post, Jasmine Taylor challenged Reeves to debate the issues the City of Great Falls is facing. For example, what is Reeves doing about public safety besides taking a small amount of money from voter approved funds from the library? What is he doing about the Calumet Refineries’ repeated appeals of their property taxes which results in higher property taxes for residences? What about looming rate increases for public utilities here in Great Falls? Seems like there is a lot to talk about. To see Taylor’s challenge to Reeves on Facebook, follow this link. https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1XeJ7ooARV/
Not surprisingly, Reeves declined. Taking a page out of the right-wing playbook by refusing to participate in public forums or candidate debates, Reeves explained why he would not debate. He said that he prefers to stand on his record of accomplishments. He did not say what those accomplishments were. He concluded his refusal with a prediction that he will win the mayor’s race with 70 percent of the vote. Arrogant much, Mr. Mayor?
Tryon On City Council Candidate’s Attendance at A Veteran’s Rally
Over at MAGA Central, AKA E-City Beat✔, Tryon posted that city commission candidate Matt Pipinich had held a sign at a Veterans’ rally on June 6th which had the word “fuck” on it.In his usual style, Tryon holds forth about the sign being inappropriate, promoting hate, etc. etc.
We would be remiss if we did not point out that E-City Beat✔ ran a post back in June dealing with the use of the word “fuck” in public settings. WTF406.com had posted this photo taken at the Pelican Point boat launch. In our post, we pointed out that this kind of display (both the word and the sentiment) was not appropriate in a campground with lots of families and kids around. We stand by that opinion. Check out the post at this link. https://wtf406.com/2024/06/nice-afternoon-with-my-grandson/
Our post caught the attention of E-City Beat✔. Phil Faccenda, who writes for that blog occasionally, along with Tryon, compiled a list of all the posts on WTF406.com that had the word fuck in them. In typical E-City Beat✔ style, the post dripped both sarcasm and insult. We don’t make a practice of linking to E-City Beat, but if you really want to read their post, you can find it on their site.
What’s The Real Problem Rick?
So now comes Commissioner Tryon, righteously indignant about a sign at a protest and saying that it is promoting hate. He concludes, “‘F**K ICE and assaulting kids’ eyeballs with the ‘F’ word on our streets is not who we are in Great Falls.” Funny he didn’t have the same reaction to the photo from the Pelican Point campground. Probably because the real point of his indignation is not the sign, but the fact that Pipinich is a candidate for City commission. The last thing Tryon wants to see is Pipinich sitting next to him in city commission meetings.
Jackie (Mike) Brown, who runs The Western Word blog put it this way, “Tryon said one of the people holding the signs was a candidate for the City Commission. The Mayor of Great Falls also chimed in about that candidate. I don’t know if the person was a candidate or not, but if he is, then that was probably the main reason for the post. The tax and spend commissioners and mayor want to keep the band together for a few more years so they can hit us with more 27% rate increases.”
https://thewesternword.com/2025/06/11/the-wednesday-read-300/#more-22569
