Welcome to The Western Word. Here are the featured topics for today’s common-sense analysis:

• Operation Epic Fury
• Montana Campaign News
• Nation’s Top Problem
• One More Thing

OPERATION EPIC FURY:

The Department of War announced the death of four Army Reserve Soldiers who were supporting Operation Epic Fury.

Capt. Cody A. Khork, 35, of Winter Haven, Fla.; Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Neb.; Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minn.; and Sgt. Declan J. Coady, 20, of West Des Moines, Iowa, died on March 1, 2026, in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait, during an unmanned aircraft system attack. All Soldiers were assigned to the 103rd Sustainment Command, Des Moines, Iowa. The incident is under investigation.

Please join me in praying for these soldiers, their families, and friends. 

2026 MONTANA CAMPAIGN NEWS:

It was another exciting day in the Montana political world. Read on for the news!

A total of 321 candidates have filed for office in Montana as of Tuesday evening, per the Secretary of State’s online registry.

Candidate filing in Montana ends on March 4, 2026, (TODAY) at 5:00 p.m.

The Primary election in Montana is Tuesday, June 2, 2026. 

You can keep track of who files for state and federal office by clicking HERE.

Make sure your voice is heard! Check your Montana registration HERE today. 

Don’t let administrative hurdles or outside interference prevent you from casting your ballot. If you reside outside of Montana, click HERE to register to vote or to update your registration. 

In other political news…

Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen filed to run for Congress in the 1st Congressional District (MT-01). I am surprised that Jacobsen decided to jump into the race, but the publicity could help her in future races, like for Governor. 

President Donald J. Trump took time out of bombing Iran to endorse Aaron Flint for Congress in the 1st Congressional District (MT-01). In a lengthy endorsement, Trump says, “Aaron is a MAGA Warrior…”  

I like Flint, and I think he will win the Republican primary, but being called a “MAGA Warrior” is a big negative in my book. I think Trump and the MAGAs are destroying the United States. You can read the full endorsement HERE. I don’t live in MT-01. 

One other thing I’ve noticed is a significant increase in friction within the Montana GOP over the last two weeks. The level of internal animosity and hatred is striking, raising the question of whether the party can maintain unity heading into the June 2 primary and beyond. 

NATION’S TOP PROBLEM:

Gallup is reporting that Government and political leadership remained Americans’ top concern in February, when asked to identify the “most important problem facing this country today.” Immigration emerged as the clear second choice, followed by the economy and inflation.

These findings are from a Feb. 2-16 Gallup poll, conducted before the United States and Israel launched military strikes on Iran on Feb. 28.

Gallup also reported that overall, 29% of U.S. adults in February cited some aspect of government or politics as the country’s most important problem. This is similar to the 32% recorded in January and 26% in December. Immigration was mentioned by 20% — up sharply from 10% in January, but similar to the 19% citing it in December.

Read the complete report from Gallup HERE. 

ONE MORE THING:

When someone says, “I expected more from you.” I’m like, “Well, whose fault is that?”

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