Post by Visitor on Jan 15, 2017 14:40:39 GMT -7
From KBZK News:
Does Gianforte have GOP nomination for congressional seat locked up?
Posted: Jan 12, 2017 5:17 PM MST
Updated: Jan 15, 2017 7:58 AM MST
By Mike Dennison - MTN NewsCONNECT
HELENA -
Nearly 120 potential delegates that would choose the Republican Party’s nominee to succeed U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke are behind Greg Gianforte, according to a letter distributed by his supporters – appearing to give him a near-lock on the nomination.
The letter, signed by 117 local and state Montana Republican Party officials and officeholders, calls Gianforte “a conservative leader … (we) can trust,” and says he has “the support and infrastructure necessary to defeat whoever the liberal Democrats nominate for the upcoming special election.”
Gianforte, who lost a close race to Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock last year, has not declared publicly that he’s running for the Zinke seat, which would become vacant if Zinke is confirmed as U.S. Interior secretary under incoming President Donald Trump.
Yet the Bozeman software entrepreneur told MTN News this week that he’s been “encouraged” by what he’s heard from many delegates who will choose the nominee.
“We’ll have plenty of time to talk about campaigns after the special election is actually called,” he said in an email.
Some party sources have told MTN News that Gianforte likely has the nomination locked up, since the convention probably won’t have many more than 200 total delegates. Most of the delegates are officers from Republican Party county central committees.
However, other GOP officials and officeholders say they’re not convinced the race is over, because delegates could change their mind after they hear more from all of the candidates.
“I’m hoping that the vast majority of the delegates haven’t made up their mind, that they’re going to be objective,” said state Senate President Scott Sales, R-Bozeman, who’s running for the seat. “We’ll know when all the votes are counted. There is a reason why it’s a secret ballot.”
A move to change the party nominating rules – or not – also could influence the final outcome.
This week, the Republican Party rules committee recommended a change that would require the nominee to win a majority of delegates at the nominating convention next month.
Under current party rules, a nominee can win by simply getting the most votes among delegates – so, in a crowded field, someone could win without securing a majority of delegates.
Two-thirds of the delegates must vote to approve any rule change, before the nominating votes occurs.
Zinke, Montana’s only U.S. House member, faces a U.S. Senate confirmation hearing next Tuesday. He can’t be confirmed as Interior secretary until after Trump is inaugurated as president on Jan. 20, but sources have told MTN News that they expect a quick confirmation by the GOP-controlled Senate.
Once the confirmation occurs, Zinke would resign his House seat.
Montana Gov. Steve Bullock then would call a special election within 85-to-100 days, and state Republican, Democratic and Libertarian parties would hold nominating conventions to choose their candidate for the contest. The conventions would likely be in early February.
Numerous Republicans have said they may vie for the nomination, including Sales, Sen. Ed Buttrey of Great Falls, state Rep. Daniel Zolnikov of Billings, state Auditor Matt Rosendale and retired Marine Lt. Col. Gary Carlson of Corvallis.
Carlson, like some of the other candidates, has been telling delegates that Gianforte would be a better candidate for governor in 2020.
In fact, Buttrey suggested this week that Gianforte wants to use the congressional seat as a stepping stone for the next gubernatorial race.
“I don’t have aspirations beyond this (seat),” Buttrey told MTN News. “If we’re simply turning this seat over, year after year, because people are running for other offices or because people do not intend to stay in the office, I think we’re making a big mistake.”
Buttrey and Sales also criticized the move to change the nominating rules to require a majority of delegates to win.
“I think that changing the rules mid-stream is going to be perceived to benefit certain candidates and harm others, and I think that that doesn’t bode well for whoever the nominee is,” Buttrey said.
Party chairman and state Rep. Jeff Essmann of Billings told MTN News that he supports the change, because the party needs to get fully behind whoever the nominee is.
“In order to unify the party, I think it’s important that the nominee of the party be selected and supported by a majority of the state central committee,” he said.
Does Gianforte have GOP nomination for congressional seat locked up?
Posted: Jan 12, 2017 5:17 PM MST
Updated: Jan 15, 2017 7:58 AM MST
By Mike Dennison - MTN NewsCONNECT
HELENA -
Nearly 120 potential delegates that would choose the Republican Party’s nominee to succeed U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke are behind Greg Gianforte, according to a letter distributed by his supporters – appearing to give him a near-lock on the nomination.
The letter, signed by 117 local and state Montana Republican Party officials and officeholders, calls Gianforte “a conservative leader … (we) can trust,” and says he has “the support and infrastructure necessary to defeat whoever the liberal Democrats nominate for the upcoming special election.”
Gianforte, who lost a close race to Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock last year, has not declared publicly that he’s running for the Zinke seat, which would become vacant if Zinke is confirmed as U.S. Interior secretary under incoming President Donald Trump.
Yet the Bozeman software entrepreneur told MTN News this week that he’s been “encouraged” by what he’s heard from many delegates who will choose the nominee.
“We’ll have plenty of time to talk about campaigns after the special election is actually called,” he said in an email.
Some party sources have told MTN News that Gianforte likely has the nomination locked up, since the convention probably won’t have many more than 200 total delegates. Most of the delegates are officers from Republican Party county central committees.
However, other GOP officials and officeholders say they’re not convinced the race is over, because delegates could change their mind after they hear more from all of the candidates.
“I’m hoping that the vast majority of the delegates haven’t made up their mind, that they’re going to be objective,” said state Senate President Scott Sales, R-Bozeman, who’s running for the seat. “We’ll know when all the votes are counted. There is a reason why it’s a secret ballot.”
A move to change the party nominating rules – or not – also could influence the final outcome.
This week, the Republican Party rules committee recommended a change that would require the nominee to win a majority of delegates at the nominating convention next month.
Under current party rules, a nominee can win by simply getting the most votes among delegates – so, in a crowded field, someone could win without securing a majority of delegates.
Two-thirds of the delegates must vote to approve any rule change, before the nominating votes occurs.
Zinke, Montana’s only U.S. House member, faces a U.S. Senate confirmation hearing next Tuesday. He can’t be confirmed as Interior secretary until after Trump is inaugurated as president on Jan. 20, but sources have told MTN News that they expect a quick confirmation by the GOP-controlled Senate.
Once the confirmation occurs, Zinke would resign his House seat.
Montana Gov. Steve Bullock then would call a special election within 85-to-100 days, and state Republican, Democratic and Libertarian parties would hold nominating conventions to choose their candidate for the contest. The conventions would likely be in early February.
Numerous Republicans have said they may vie for the nomination, including Sales, Sen. Ed Buttrey of Great Falls, state Rep. Daniel Zolnikov of Billings, state Auditor Matt Rosendale and retired Marine Lt. Col. Gary Carlson of Corvallis.
Carlson, like some of the other candidates, has been telling delegates that Gianforte would be a better candidate for governor in 2020.
In fact, Buttrey suggested this week that Gianforte wants to use the congressional seat as a stepping stone for the next gubernatorial race.
“I don’t have aspirations beyond this (seat),” Buttrey told MTN News. “If we’re simply turning this seat over, year after year, because people are running for other offices or because people do not intend to stay in the office, I think we’re making a big mistake.”
Buttrey and Sales also criticized the move to change the nominating rules to require a majority of delegates to win.
“I think that changing the rules mid-stream is going to be perceived to benefit certain candidates and harm others, and I think that that doesn’t bode well for whoever the nominee is,” Buttrey said.
Party chairman and state Rep. Jeff Essmann of Billings told MTN News that he supports the change, because the party needs to get fully behind whoever the nominee is.
“In order to unify the party, I think it’s important that the nominee of the party be selected and supported by a majority of the state central committee,” he said.