Belgrade, Montana, United States
I have now been involved with the local Republicans in
Gallatin County, Montana for nearly four years. It’s probably a matter of it
being a presidential election year with an important Senate race in the state,
but the group has finally been growing and getting seriously organized. This year I missed the main annual
fundraising event, the Lincoln-Regan Dinner, which takes place in May, but
decided to stay around for most of the campaign season from the summer up
through Election Day.
While not a fundraiser for the most part, the Gallatin
Republicans decided to put on a fall event in early October shortly before
ballots are mailed to voters. Advertised
as a meet-and-greet with local candidates but also attended by several statewide
officials and candidates, it was part dinner, part pep rally, and part
electioneering by local candidates. Such
events are naturally rather labor intensive to put together, and I found myself
on the Events Committee helping to advertise and organize it. It seems like
something always comes up creating extra work at the last minute.
The “Fall Candidate Forum and Fundraiser” was held at the
Republican-owned Big Yellow Barn, an event venue popular for weddings located in
the shadow of the Bridger Mountains in the northeast side of the valley just
east of Belgrade. And we had it catered by local Republican-owned Bar 3 Bar-B-Q
with sliced brisket, pulled pork, and several sides. For $23/plate it was a
pretty good deal to get a full tummy.
Luckily the weather cooperated and we were able to set up tables outside
for dinner before the speeches got underway inside the top floor of the barn.
My very conservative Pro-Republican Mexican friend Rodrigo
arrived two days before the Big Yellow Barn event, so I decided to take him as
a guest. I had to go early to help set
up and brought him along. Rodrigo got to talking with Troy Miller, the finance
director who also acts as master of ceremonies at Gallatin Republican
events. Troy was so impressed with what
Rodrigo had to say about politics in our respective countries and the
similarities between the emerging one-party state in Mexico and what Democrats
are trying to do in the U.S. that Troy asked him if he’d be willing to speak
for three or four minutes at the beginning of the candidate remarks. Wow! My
Mexican friend is now a small-scale celebrity with local Republicans.
After Rodrigo made his short speech ending with the risks
Americans face to their freedom and security that he’s experienced already in
Mexico, he went over and shook Governor Gianforte’s hand.
The Governor referenced Rodrigo’s remarks
once in his short speech. Senate
candidate Tim Sheehy followed and mentioned things Rodrigo said twice in his
speech. Stater Supreme Court Chief Justice
candidate Cory Swanson and State Auditor candidate James Brown followed.
Overall, it was a sold-out crowd of nearly 400 people, about
the legal capacity for inside the venue according to fire code. It was a fun night
and an event that people hopefully energized and enthusiastic to get the job
done in the last month until Election Day.
I included a few pictures from two events over the prior two
weeks. One was a reception at a private home for Susie Hedalen, candidate for State
Superintendent of Public Schools, the other the Gallatin Republican Women’s
monthly luncheon. There Tim Sheehy gave a significantly longer and meatier
speech. Montana’s is considered the most important Senate race in the country
this year, one likely to determine the majority party of the Senate for the
next two years. Sheehy seems like a very
solid candidate and has held a significant lead in polls since early August
when President Trump came to Bozeman for a rally with him.
2025-05-22