Many of us felt that his heart was no longer with Montana. Many folks complained that he came back to the state during the two years prior to election just to campaign. Now we know the truth.

Lee Newspapers are reporting today that Montana’s Senior Senator, Max Baucus, “didn’t own a home in Montana for 11 years of his 29-year Senate career.”

His comeback? Since 2002, he owns “half” of his mother’s house in Helena. Half.

Lee Newspapers also reported that Baucus has owned a very expensive Georgetown home back there in D.C. land since 1984. Priorities.

This was probably a great day to have a negative story written about you considering this is “football” day in Montana, and many people are preoccupied.

Of course, the Baucus supporters will say he comes home a lot. He visits his mother’s home and considers it home. His staff says he “sleeps in his own bed” there. Sure he does. I can envision a small twin bed with some drawings on the wall from school, and maybe some stuffed animals on the bed. In the corner of the bedroom is a box with some toys in it.

I am a lot younger than Max Baucus, but I don’t consider my parent’s house my home. I do commend Max for visiting his mother a couple of times a month, though. That is nice.

But, it is hard to believe this 65-year-old Stanford-educated lawyer, chairman of a so-called “powerful” committee, made such a dumb mistake of not owning or at least renting a home in the state he claims he represents.

Of course, the law about this is very hazy. But the fact of the matter is that Max Baucus did not care enough to own property in the state he represents. That tells us voters a lot about the man who claims to place Montana first. He doesn’t.

Yes, the native son went Washington on us.