I happened to catch a story by the Associated Press about the fight that is going on within the Republican Party in Montana. “Friends are foes in legislative primary battles” can be viewed HERE.

The story was good for a chuckle.

They are basically fighting because one group wants ultraconservatives to be elected and another group wants moderate conservatives to be elected. One group is called “Main Street Advocacy” for the moderates and the other group is called “Montana Conservative Alliance” for the ultraconservatives.

According to the story, State Senator John Brueggeman is helping the Main Street Advocacy group and Roger Koopman is the leader of a group called the Montana Conservative Alliance.

Brueggeman gets the award for the best line in the story. He said, “Eventually it is going to be Roger Koopman standing on a hill all by himself,” the state senator said. “The way they are going, they will have a party of exactly one.”

It’s too bad for conservative-leaning folks that the “big tent” is closed. There does not appear to be any leaders in the Montana GOP who can sit down with these groups and stop the battles from within.

It’s funny that we don’t see many of these fights within the Democratic Party getting into the media for all to see.

That’s a sign of poor leadership within the Republican Party.

Nonetheless, both political parties have favorable ratings near record lows according to this Gallup Poll. Most of us are sick of them.

There’s nothing wrong with a spirited contested primary as long as the candidates and supporters unite afterwards and fight for victory in the General Election. I’m not sure that would happen in this case. From what I have heard, some would rather elect a Democrat instead of some Republican they agree with 75% of the time. The Montana Democratic Party should be jumping with joy.

The Republicans have failed to remember what one of their great leaders, Ronald Reagan, said: “Thou shalt not speak ill of any fellow Republican.”

Right now, the Democrats control all the state-wide offices in state government. They control two-thirds of the Federal delegation. The Democrats controlled the State House last session and the Republicans controlled the State Senate.

So yes, it soon may be a party of one.