Campaign Beat
Online: Friday afternoons. On air: Saturdays at 9:45 a.m.
Campaign Beat is Montana Public Radio's weekly political analysis program. It's hosted by Sally Mauk and features Lee Newspapers State News Bureau Chief Holly Michels and Rob Saldin of the University of Montana’s Mansfield Center and Political Science Department.
Subscribe to Campaign Beat here or wherever you get your podcasts.
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In the western U.S. House primaries, The Zinke-Olszewski race was surprisingly close, and Tranel's margin of victory over Neumann was surprisingly large. What's in store for the general election? Will Montana Dems show up? -
Super PACs may be following the law but are they playing fair? Ryan Zinke's new ad wants to reassure voters he doesn't live in California. Democrats may have to reckon with a deceased candidate winning the eastern congressional district primary. And the contested western congressional district could boost voter turnout in this mid-term election. Listen now on Campaign Beat.
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Another round of thoughts and prayers from political leaders. The Supreme Court race turns explicitly partisan. The commissioner of political practices says state leaders need to join the fight against election disinformation. And the health department issues an emergency rule to keep trans Montanans from changing their birth certificates.
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Former vice president Mike Pence makes an unannounced visit to the Capitol. New restrictive voting laws are back in effect. Democrat Cora Neumann rails against "rich outsiders." Schools superintendent Elsie Arntzen wants to cut the number of required school counselors.
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Sen. Steve Daines wants to protect kids from gay TV characters, and compares women to sea turtles and eagles. Ryan Zinke touts his record as former Interior Secretary in a new ad, despite being fired from that job. And Democrats Cora Neumann and Monica Tranel get testy over a super PAC attack ad.
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A Supreme Court leak adds more drama to the 2022 midterm election in Montana and elsewhere. Overturning Roe will also drive a spate of new anti-abortion bills in the next Legislature. New campaign ads from both parties try to define who's a "real Montanan."
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CI-121 draws bipartisan opposition. Matt Rosendale worries an independent candidate in his race could help Democrats. New campaign ads take both a humorous and hard-hitting approach. And Montana State University is urged not to name a new building after the sitting governor and his family.
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Democrats compete over the working class vote. Ryan Zinke opts out of a Republican debate. Not every Republican congressional candidate believes the presidential election was stolen. Another law passed by the last Legislature hits a legal snag.
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Gov. Gianforte touts his success working with political opponents. Two Democratic congressional candidates debut their first TV ads. The Board of Public Education is sued over lack of public input on a recent decision over the word "equity." And Sen. Daines sees firsthand the horror of the war in Ukraine.
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New voting restrictions aren't likely to go into effect prior to the June primary. A.G. Knudsen threatens another lawsuit, this time over transgender athletes. Rep. Rosendale disses Ukrainian president Zelensky. And Bob Campbell, a co-author of the preamble to Montana's Constitution, leaves a proud legacy.
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Federal family planning funding takes a detour in Montana. Abortion is a campaign issue — again. Educators argue over 'equity.' And how will the Dem. congressional candidates differentiate themselves?
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Two legal decisions go against actions by the last Legislature. Republicans want a more conservative state Supreme Court. Congressional candidate Ryan Zinke calls people who got the COVID vaccine "little Communists." And Texas Senator Ted Cruz gets upset in a Montana airport.
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Montana's latest congressional candidate calls the incumbent an "embarrassment." Democrats concede several legislative seats. A handful of Republicans continue to push for a special session. Rep. Rosendale and Sen. Tester want you to be able to fly without a mask. And Attorney General Austin Knudsen chastises Direct TV for dropping a channel that promotes conspiracy theories.
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Montana's congressional delegation unites in support of the Russian oil ban, but splits over the omnibus spending bill. Federal judges draw up a new map of PSC districts. Montana's former secretary of state wants to be a country music star/President. And a Democratic congressional candidate takes a swipe at Matt Rosendale over his ties to the far right.
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Rep. Rosendale sits out the State of the Union and votes no on a resolution in support of Ukraine. Attorney General Knudsen brags about being 'the most hated man in Helena.' And is the furor over Gov. Gianforte's lion hunt much ado about nothing?
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Montana political leaders issued statements about the invasion of Ukraine, and some of them sound like politics-as-usual. Rep. Rosendale again speaks out against resettlement of Afghan refugees. A proposal for a special session to redraw PSC boundaries is dead. And how much do endorsements matter?
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A former Republican governor of Montana chastises his party for downplaying the January 6th insurrection. A former Republican congressman (and current congressional candidate) from Montana is chastised for ethics violations. And voters may see an initiative on the ballot that could lower their property taxes and hurt funding for local services.
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For the first time in 30 years, Montanans will be voting to send two representatives to the U.S. House, one from the Eastern District and one from the West. MTPR's Sally Mauk, Lee Newspapers State News Bureau Chief Holly Michels and University of Montana Political Science Professor and Mansfield Center fellow Rob Saldin talk about the fundraising race, name recognition and why the conventional wisdom about voter turnout may not apply anymore.
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The Republican messaging in this election clearly won over voters. The conservative Republican agenda includes tax cuts and fewer regulations. Now, can…
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Voter turnout in Montana could break an all-time record. A new poll shows the governor's race tightening. New ads in that race look to make closing…
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Greg Gianforte writes himself another big check in the governor race. Neither candidate for that office wants to answer hard questions about dealing with…
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If a new poll is correct, it's going to be a suspenseful election night in Montana. Fundraising in the Senate race is off the charts. The Senate…
