GOP lawmaker censured by Cascade County party

A county division of the Montana Republican Party has censured one of its most senior representatives for proposing legislation that would protect the state’s open primaries.

George Paul, chairman of the Cascade County Republican Central Committee, filed on Monday the complaint against Rep. Steve Fitzpatrick, a Great Falls Republican in his third term.

The party decided in January to join a lawsuit against the state’s open primary system.

Last Thursday, the Cascade committee decided to scold Fitzpatrick for sponsoring House Bill 454, which would allow party officers to be appointed or elected in closed primaries.

“I don’t represent the Cascade County Republican Central Committee. I represent the people that elected me and I do what’s in their best interest,” Fitzpatrick said. “I believe 454 is in everybody’s best interest.”

Fitzpatrick favors the current primary system, he said, and disagrees with the provision of his party’s platform that prefers closed to open primaries.

His proposal, which passed out of the House 53-46, would restrict party officer designations to members of a political party.

“This will, in theory, destroy the closed primary lawsuit because this is their best claim: that precinct people shouldn’t be elected in an open primary because they’re actual officers of the party,” Fitzpatrick said Monday afternoon.

The formal censure notice states that, in addition to undermining the party platform, Fitzpatrick has acted unprofessional on the House floor and received Democratic votes in his 2014 primary.

Paul said the criticism carries no repercussions.

“It’s over as far as we’re concerned,” Paul said. “We hope he’ll take it seriously and maybe adjust his behavior.”

Associated Press Reporter Lisa Baumann contributed to this report from Helena, Montana.