NEWS RELEASE
(for immediate release – April 30, 2014)
MSSA issues legislative endorsements for Primary Election
and Grades for Congressional Candidates
MISSOULA – The Montana Shooting Sports Association today announced its endorsement of 23 legislative candidates for the June, 2014, Primary Election. Endorsements have been made only in races with contested primaries, and only in those races where a candidate clearly superior for gun owners and hunters can be identified.
MSSA has recommended candidates in contested races where information on issues significant to gun owners issues is available. This usually includes voting records for incumbents, and returned candidate surveys for candidates for open seats or candidates challenging incumbents.
MSSA is the primary political advocate for gun owners and hunters in Montana, having gotten 64 pro-gun and pro-hunting measures through the Montana Legislature in the past 30 years.
Legislative Candidates
The candidates endorsed for the June, 2014 Primary Election include:
Montana Senate
Mark Blasdel – Senate District 04
Kris Hansen – Senate District 14
Tonya Shellnutt – Senate District 24
Cary Smith – Senate District 27
Joanne Blyton – Senate District 29
Jedediah Hinkle – Senate District 32
Marissa Stockton – Senate District 42
Scott Boulanger – Senate District 43
Montana House
Ronalee Skees – House District 07
Mike Hebert – House District 11
Ann Morren – House district 18
Ryan Osmundson – House District 30
Sarah Laszloffy – House District 53
Jeff Essmann – House District 54
Seth Berglee – House District 58
Debra Lamm – House District 60
Mike More – House District 65
Matthew Monforton – House District 69
Bob Wagner – House District 71
Mike Miller – House District 80
Theresa Manzella – House District 85
Edward Greef – House District 88
Dan Salomon – House District 93
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Congressional Candidates
Note: The grades below are derived from everything MSSA knows about the candidates. MSSA FAR prefers to have a candidate’s voting record, than a response to MSSA’s Candidate Questionnaire. It’s too easy for a candidate to espouse one position on a Candidate Questionnaire and then vote differently. MSSA believes voting records are the most reliable measure of a candidate’s affinity for issues of interest to MSSA, its members, and Montana gun owners. Some candidates have no voting record and also declined to return MSSA’s Candidate Questionnaire. MSSA scores these candidates with a “?” and views them as hiding anti-gun sentiments.
Only candidates with in a contested Primary Election are graded for the Primary.
U.S. Senate
Democrat Primary
Name Grade Basis
Dirk Adams D Candidate questionnaire
John Bohlinger C- Voting record
John Walsh ? No information
Republican Primary
Susan Cundiff ? No information
Steve Daines A- Candidate questionnaire
Champ Edmunds A Voting record – 100% + CQ
U.S. House of Representatives
Name Grade Basis
Democrat Primary
John Driscoll ? No information
John Lewis ? No information
Republican Primary
Elsie Arntzen A+ Voting record – 100% + CQ
Matt Rosendale A Voting record – 100% + CQ
Corey Stapelton A Voting record – 100% + CQ
Drew Turiano B Candidate questionnaire
Ryan Zinke B Voting record – 85%
All endorsed candidates were sent a copy of the endorsement letter attached below.
