List of public office candidates grows
Tim Linehan, Eileen Carney, Glenn Garrison and Tessa Anderson have all thrown their names into the hat by filing candidate statement forms with Lincoln County.
Linehan is for the second time vying for a seat in the Montana House as the representative from District 2.
“This is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time,” said Linehan, Democrat, who filed Tuesday. “I just have a real desire to be in public service.”
If only those two are on the ballot, the Nov. 2 general election would match Linehan, who is an outfitter in the Yaak, against Eureka businessman and Republican Mike Cuffe for the seat.
Chas Vincent is the current representative from HD 2 who defeated Linehan in the 2008 election. Vincent is running for the State Senate District 1 seat currently held by Aubyn Curtiss, who has reached her term limit.
In the HD 1 race, Carney has added her name to the list by filing on Tuesday. A familiar name, this will be the sixth time she’s run for office dating back to 2000. She served in the state legislature from 2001-04.
“I wasn’t really going to run but a lot of people asked me if I would,” Carney said. “I think people just want a choice.”
Along with Carney, Democrat, also seeking the seat is incumbent Republican Gerald Bennett.
Garrison is the third candidate for the Lincoln County Board of Commissioners seat currently held by the retiring John Konzen. Garrison, a nonpartisan candidate from Troy who filed early last week, joins two other Troy residents – Darren Coldwell and Ron Downey – on the ballot for the job of representing District 2, an area that includes Troy and western Libby.
Garrison said he decided to run after experiences involving private property rights. He also wants to see more transparency and accessibility among county commissioners. A longtime mill employee, Garrison has been with David Thompson Search and Rescue for nine years.
Anderson, a nonpartisan candidate from Trego, filed this past Friday to run against Roby Bowe for Lincoln County Sheriff. Anderson couldn’t be reached on Wednesday for comment. Sheriff Daryl Anderson is not seeking re-election.
Another new name on the ballot is found with the Lincoln County Justice of the Peace position for District 2. Steve Romano of Trego filed his candidacy in an attempt to unseat incumbent Stormy Langston of Eureka.
As of Wednesday morning, running unchallenged were Vincent (State Senate District 1), Jim Wheelis (19th Judicial District Court judge), Bernard Cassidy (county attorney), Ron Higgins (county superintendent of schools), Jay Sheffield (Lincoln County Justice of the Peace, District 1), Tammy Lauer (county clerk and recorder), Nancy Trotter Higgins (county treasurer) and Steve Schnackenberg (county coroner).
Statewide, the most recent candidate list for Montana’s seat on the U.S. House of Representatives includes incumbent Denny Rehberg (R-Helena), Mark French (R-Paradise), Tyler Gernant (D-Missoula), Dennis McDonald (D-Melville) and A.J. Otjen (R-Laurel).
The opportunity to file for office continues through March 15. The primary election will be held June 8 to determine candidates for the Nov. 2 general election.