Greetings! Here are the topics for today’s common-sense commentary: 

• Montana Campaign News
• Montana Chamber & Data Centers
• Best & Worst Taxpayer ROI
• One More Thing

2026 MONTANA CAMPAIGN NEWS: 

Kurt Alme is out and about…

The Helena Independent Record (IR) has a report about Republican U.S. Senate candidate Kurt Alme. 

The IR reports that Alme has been especially discreet in the three weeks since he became the presumed front-runner for the highest office on Montana’s ballot this November, a pitch that shifted Monday as his campaign released its first ad and the former federal prosecutor took questions in an interview with the Montana State News Bureau.

“When I was given the opportunity late in the process to step up, I stepped up,” he said. “Now, I’m just going to work as hard as I can to earn people’s votes all the way across Montana.”

Many observers—including fellow Republicans—are rankled by what they see as a hand-picked coronation of Kurt Alme, orchestrated by Senator Daines at the final hour. Whether this backfires in the primary remains to be seen, but the fallout has already provided a major spotlight for Independent candidate Seth Bodnar.

You can read the full report from the IR HERE (Paywall). 

Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen’s billboards…

The Daily Montanan is reporting that a complaint filed with the Commissioner of Political Practices over billboards alleges Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen is in violation of a law limiting the use of state funds for advertisements by candidates for public office.

The Daily Montana says the complaint alleges billboards that advertise a new photo identification law “with (Jacobsen’s) face portrayed prominently” violate a prohibition on candidates using state funds for public service announcements except in an emergency.

In the article, one of the billboards looks to be above an “Adam & Eve” shop. Hello Christi…

You can read the full report from the Daily Montanan HERE. 

MONTANA CHAMBER & DATA CENTERS:

The President and CEO of the Montana Chamber of Commerce, Todd O’Hair, has written an op-ed circulating around the state about the chamber’s support for data centers. 

O’Hair writes:

Montana stands at an important crossroads in our economic future. As the global economy becomes increasingly digital, the infrastructure that supports that transformation – data centers – has become essential. From cloud computing and artificial intelligence to telemedicine, online commerce, and modern agriculture, nearly every sector now depends on secure, reliable data processing. The question for Montana is not whether this transformation will happen, but whether we will participate in it.

He continues:

Data centers fit firmly in the evolving nature of our economy and are squarely in the burgeoning high tech space. Data and technology are as inextricably linked as loggers and sawmills.

Many people have concerns about data centers draining local energy and water supplies and leaving citizens to foot the bill through higher utility rates.

You can read the entire OP/ED HERE. 

BEST & WORST TAXPAYER ROI:

WalletHub reports that around 66% of Americans think their current tax rate is too high, according to their Taxpayer Survey. WalletHub does know, however, that taxpayer return on investment, or ROI, varies based on where one lives. To determine the states with the best taxpayer ROI, WalletHub contrasted state and local tax collections with the quality of the services residents receive in each of the 50 states. WalletHub’s data set includes a total of 29 key metrics.

New Hampshire has the best ROI, and New Mexico was last. Montana comes in ranked #30. 

You can read the full report HERE. 

ONE MORE THING:

My grandmother started walking five miles a day when she was sixty. She’s ninety-seven now, and we don’t know where the hell she is. -Ellen DeGeneres

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