Posted on 03/19/2006 9:42:57 AM PST by MassachusettsGOP
HELENA — Bob Keenan, the top Republican leader in the Montana Senate, said Thursday he is considering challenging Sen. Conrad Burns in the primary election because he is “concerned’’ about Burns’ re-election chances because of a lobbying scandal.
“First, Republican voters need to make a decision about their gut-level support for Conrad,’’ Keenan wrote in an e-mail from Costa Rica, where he is visiting his oldest daughter who is on a college exchange there. “If they are for Conrad, then vote for him in June and fight for him to win the November election. If they want an alternate, viable option they can be proud of, then for a high-quality, clean candidate named Bob Keenan.’’
After the primary, Keenan urged Republicans “to unite for the winner.’’
Keenan wrote later that he’s not yet sure he’s going to jump into the race. He, like others the Bigfork Republican has spoken with, is worried about Burns’ race.
Keenan’s statement came the day after the former Senate president and current Senate minority leader, confirmed he is not running for a seat in the state House of Representatives.
Term limits prohibited the leader from seeking another term in the Montana Senate.
Karl Ohs, chairman of the Montana Republican Party, said “the beauty of our system of government is that public service is honored and encouraged. Until Bob Keenan decides what he is going to do, I have nothing further to add.’’
Ohs also praised Burns for his years in the senate and for helping to bring $2 billion in federal money to Montana.
Democrats, not surprisingly, had a different take.
“When Mr. Keenan returns from Costa Rica, we will welcome him with open arms to the large cross-section of Montanans who believe Conrad Burns’ relationship with Jack Abramoff is both embarrassing and hurting Montana,’’ said Matt McKenna, a spokesman of the Montana Democratic Party.
Burns has been consistently linked to the ongoing U.S. Justice Department investigation into lobbying abuses involving Jack Abramoff, who pleaded guilty in January to corruption related charges.
Burns received around $150,000 in campaign contributions from Abramoff, his associates and tribal clients more than any other lawmaker, according to the Washington Post.
That newspaper, and others, has reported that Burns is under investigation by the Justice Department. The paper has cited anonymous sources. Burns has consistently said no one from the agency has contacted his office about the investigation.
Yea, then burns ran off and violated his campaign limit pledge in 2000 and ran for reelection. NOthing but a power hungry politician. You know its one thing to run and not promise term limits and stay there forever, i expect that. But if you run on term limits and ignore them, your a whole nother breed.
"Please remove me from your ping list."
Done.
I believe the filing deadline lapses in 2 days, so the GOP better make Burns an offer he can't refuse before it's too late.
Although I guess Burns can always decide to retire after winning the nomination (but before the ballots are printed) and be replaced by Rehberg (with Rehberg being replaced in the House race by another Republican, who would run against whichever loser Democrat was running against Rehberg).
Even a wounded Burns would be more able to win this Senate race than would Rehberg.
The dangerous thing about this race is that Morrison, the likely Dem nominee, is the son of the former Supreme Court Chief Justice in Montana. This is the guy who was the architect of the strategy of the MT Trial Lawyers Assoc. to take over the SC (it was successful -- the SC is their personal playpen, now.)
And apparently the apple hasn't fallen far from the tree, from what I hear.
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