Question: Can I get a couple of tickets to the GOP dinner Friday night?
Answer: You are not invited or welcome.

This is what happened to Lt. Gov. John Bohlinger, R-Mont., the other day when he tried to get tickets for his party’s annual convention. Bohlinger is a Marine Corps veteran, which makes him a very OK guy in The Western Word’s eyes. He’s also won a few races for the Montana House and Senate…as a Republican.

Solution: Surely there’s someone attending who has an extra ticket or two. They could step up and invite the Lt. Governor to be their guest? That would tick some people off.

A little history: The Montana GOP has been seething mad at Bohlinger because he teamed up with Brian Schweitzer, D-Mont., to run for Governor and Lt. Governor. Schweitzer and Bohlinger were the first Democrat/Republican ticket for these seats.

Montanans liked the idea so much, that they elected them and they will probably do it again.

I’ve never heard Bohlinger say he was leaving the Republican Party. Other Republicans have, like Sam Kitzenberg.

I don’t think the Montana GOP gets it. Voters are tired of the partisan politics and they are tired of nasty elections. John Bohlinger does.

Several Republicans have left the party because the GOP tent was a little too small for them. In the 2006 U.S. Senate election, it came home to hurt the GOP as a third party candidate from the Libertarian Party took over 10,000 votes which would mostly have gone to GOP candidate, Conrad Burns. Burns lost the election by around 3500 votes.

The flaps on the GOP tent appear to be closed. To win elections, they need to unbutton them.