Thanks for starting your week with The Western Word! Here are the topics for today’s common sense commentary: 

• Montana Campaign News
  • The Mayor Endorses
  • Ballots Received
  • Buttrey for Montana
  • Campaign Mailers Update
• American Prairie & BLM
• One More Thing

2026 MONTANA CAMPAIGN NEWS:

The Mayor Endorses…

Great Falls Mayor Cory Reeves wrote in a Facebook post, “This Cascade County primary race has been one of the nastiest local elections I’ve seen in a long time.” 

I agree. Some of the mailers, commercials, text messages, and social media posts are right out of the toilet. They are uglier than normal. 

Reeves also made his choices known for the primary:

Public service should never be about destroying people personally. It should be about ideas, leadership, and who is best prepared to move our community forward. These were my choices:

• Jesse Slaughter for Sheriff
• George Nikolakakos
• Tom Lynch For Cascade County Commissioner
• Lynn DeRoche for Cascade County Clerk & Recorder

Ballots Received…

The Western Word household received our ballots on Saturday. 

Is this a great country or what? 

Now, should I vote on the Democratic or the Republican ballot? A quick check shows there are eight contested races on the Republican side. I would love to see some MAGAs lose. 

I love that Montana lets you choose your party (which ballot to vote on) in the primary. It’s called an “Open Primary.” (Source) The MAGAs don’t like that.  

Buttrey for Montana…

Ed Buttrey is running for reelection in Montana Senate District 11. A reader pointed out to me that Buttrey posted a letter from the chairs and members of several Republican Central Committees across Montana on his Facebook page.  

They are unhappy with Chairman Wittich and the Executive Board of the Montana Republican Party for declaring nine Republican Senators “no longer Republicans” and issuing an “Honor Roll” of primary-approved candidates. 

I have mentioned several times that it appears the Montana Republican Party is imploding over who is the most Republican. They want to destroy Republicans who place their constituents and district above the party. 

Check out the post HERE.  

Campaign Mailers Update…

For new readers, I keep track of the campaign literature received during the campaign season. Some of the better mailers get shown on The Western Word.

So far this primary campaign season, I have received 33 campaign mailers.

That is through Saturday (May 10).

Please make sure you save your mailers and recycle them!

AMERICAN PRAIRIE & BLM:

Many Montana Republicans and Republican-leaning groups are ecstatic about the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) rescinding grazing permits for seven allotments in Phillips County, Montana, held by American Prairie. 

In a press release, the BLM stated:

The Bureau of Land Management today issued its final decision to rescind grazing permits for seven allotments in Phillips County, Montana, held by American Prairie, following a remand from the Secretary of the Interior directing the bureau to reevaluate permits issued in 2022. 

Under the Taylor Grazing Act, the BLM may authorize grazing only for domestic livestock managed primarily for production‑oriented purposes. After reviewing the administrative record, applicable law, and American Prairie’s own materials and public statements, the BLM concluded that American Prairie manages its bison as wildlife used primarily for conservation and ecological restoration rather than as a production‑oriented domestic livestock operation. 

The BLM was quick to point out:

To be clear, the BLM is not evicting hundreds of bison from Montana. The BLM is simply rescinding grazing authority for American Prairie’s bison under these permits and does not preclude American Prairie’s herd from occupying their private land. The Department of the Interior continues to support bison conservation and management efforts across federally managed lands, in partnership with tribes and state governments, regardless of the status of any individual grazing permit. 

Of course, this was a political decision. American Prairie will appeal the decision, and sources say they “will pursue all available legal action.” (Source) 

ONE MORE THING:

People who say, “Go big or go home,” underestimate my willingness to go home. 

## HAVE A GREAT WEEK ##