MDG Endorsements for Public Service Commission
In the early (and not long ago) days of Montana Daily Gazette, our endorsements for primary races mirrored very closely that of Montanans for Limited Government – a still excellent organization we heartily recommend. Their primary goal of a limited but efficient government mirror closely to the conservative values of the Montana Daily Gazette, which has broader, but similar goals in our journalism.
This year, unfortunately, we believe that Montanans for Limited Government, which again – we still love and respect – has made some odd, potentially catastrophic, and bewildering choices in their endorsements for Public Service Commission.
We will correct those perceived errors here.
Their endorsements:
District 1: Webb Galbreath
District 5: Annie Bukaceck
The endorsements chosen carefully by the Montana Daily Gazette follow a close criterion of several factors:
* Experience in public service, with an honorable track record
* Subject knowledge or experience in the office they are running for
*Past voting records
We fully recognize that in a primary battle, more than one good candidate – or good person – may present themselves. However, a primary is a zero-sum game, and in the end, there can be only one selected by the people.
On a personal note, I find little in disagreement with Montanans for Limited Government (MLG) in their legislative endorsements, but in no uncertain terms find their endorsements for PSC to a far, far cry from the criterion that our ownership board has chosen to endorse such candidates.
DISTRICT 1: Webb Galbreath
While I understand that Galbreath returned the MLG questionnaire and Pinoccii did not, it is not convincing to the Montana Daily Gazette to unseat arguably the hardest working man in Montana government who has been busy on the road campaigning rather than answering questionnaires.
In his recent track record, Pinnocci:
* fought the hidden tax on Northwest Energy Users for the zebra mussel
* fought for the PSC to use regulatory oversight to stop Big Tech Censorship
* tried to broker a deal to save Montana Markets for foreign aid
* worked hard to keep MDU Sidney open
* fought tirelessly to keep the Colstrip plant at full capacity
* worked to get trains off rural tracks, impeding traffic and emergency services
* acquired hundreds of thousands of dollars so Savage school kids could drink clean water again
*opposed rate hikes that do not benefit the ratepayer
Giving an endorsement to an untested man because he answered your questionnaire (with no guarantee it will be followed) seems small in comparison. Pinocci has the best track record of any PSC official, is #1 in work attendance (by far), and kept his head down against insane, inaccurate, and libelous attacks by Tom Lutey in the press and former PSC judge Roger Koopman. He is, without a doubt, the man for this job.
Montana Daily Gazette Strongly Endorses Randy Pinocci.
DISTRICT 2: Annie Buckaceck
I personally reached out via telephone to explain to Dr. Bukacek that despite my years of appreciation for her work against Planned Butcherhood, the life of the unborn, and other topics, we would not be endorsing her for this position. I would – for the record – love to vote for Dr. Bukacek for a position I feel she is more qualified for.
I live many hundreds of miles from the Flathead Valley. I understand – vaguely – the nastiness, vitriol, anger, and (I hate to write it) hatred between fractions of the conservative alliance for which the Flathead Valley (like last year) was well known. I am well aware because not all our staff writers agree with our owners, most of whom are not Flathead Valley residents.
I’m well aware – more than I should be – of skirmishes (to put it lightly) between Ronalee Skees (and by extension, Derek) and a minority of patriot-minded opponents to their various campaigns. By the way, we love those patriots! These are plainly on the darker sider of ugly within the region.
I’ve done everything possible to encourage both sides to work out differences in light of Christian charity, to no avail (this does not impugn one side or the other). I’ve also reached out to Joe Dooling, which started as a troll (his wife’s RINO voting record disqualifies him from office, in my opinion), who I have found to be – to my surprise – an affable, friendly, funny, good-natured, and intelligent man. And yet, I do not believe he is the best man for the job.
However, back to the business of giving endorsements from inarguably the largest and most influential written news publication in the state, there is one more candidate to consider – Derek Skees.
MONTANA DAILY GAZETTE Strongly ENDORSES DEREK SKEES
I have watched Skees both up close and afar. For those – on any side – to refer to him as a RINO – is the very heart of dumbassery. Yes, I understand skirmishes between Mrs. Skees and others have bled over to this race as well. That is bad politics, foolish, futile, and vain. Mrs. Skees will be handled in other endorsement posts, but she is not running for PSC. Derek is.
Skees’ voting record is untarnished and immaculate. He understands the intricacies of state politics. He grasps the issues. His legislative record alone entitles him to our hardy endorsement. And while we risk ostracizing readers with the plague of dumbassery, Skees is not only not a RINO, he is one of the most conservative leaders to hold public office in decades.
From our perch – granted, from afar – it appears that unrelated drama has drawn people into a hatred for the Skees that is unwarranted and stirred up without consideration for what is best for the State of Montana. As much as I love Dr. Bukacek, her running for PSC is like me running for coroner – I could probably figure it out after a while, but at the moment, I’m simply not the best person for the job.
For the MDG Publication, we urge your support for the only viable and experienced candidate, Derek Skees.
Those who disagree are free to write an op-ed of disagreement, and Rep. Skees is free to counter it. We have adopted – for this primary season only – a “1 for 1” policy of op-eds; one for, one against – no matter the race. Furthermore, as a matter of policy, we do not “fact-check” op-eds; in fact, we despise the notion. Let the reader beware and research for themselves.
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