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

• Nikolakakos Fights Back
• Homeless, Unhoused, Indigent
• Day of Prayer for Rain
• Campaign Mailers Update
• Cassidy Loses His Primary
• One More Thing

NIKOLAKAKOS FIGHTS BACK: 

Republican Montana Senate District 12 candidate George Nikolakakos has been attacked from just about every side. He’s been called a RINO (Republican in Name Only), and he’s made the GOP bad list on several occasions. The MAGA wackos have been relentlessly attacking him.

Nikolakakos fights back. I like that. Here is a recent post on his Facebook Page: 

Great Falls friends, this is Art Wittich.  After being convicted of a pay-to-play scheme (effectively selling his vote) & being kicked out of office he was recently elected party chair by the “Freedom” Caucus faction. He insists my loyalty be to him first & I have his permission before voting on behalf of the people of Great Falls. My opponent is all in. Thoughts? 

That paragraph basically tells the story about how a certain group of Republicans (I call them MAGAs) want their candidates to put the party above all else. Nikolakakos is running for an open seat, and his opponent in the primary is Randy Pinicco. 

Meanwhile, if Democrat Dr. Mindy Sterner Leach survives her primary against Jim Whitaker, who used to be a Republican, the race in SD-12 will be interesting. 

HOMELESS, UNHOUSED, INDIGENT: 

Every so often, Great Falls City Commissioner Rick Tryon posts something about the homeless, unhoused, and indigent folks in Great Falls. After his latest two posts, I am not sure the Commissioner has the compassion to help these people. We know by past actions that the city of Great Falls and many residents are lacking in the compassion department for the homeless population. 

Here is part of a post by Tryon on May 14: 

Driving around the downtown area here during our recent warm weather reminds me once again of our homeless, unhoused, indigent folks.

We all have compassion for those who by no fault of their own need a hand up, or those who are physically or mentally unable to function normally in our society.

I have zero compassion for able-bodied adults who choose to live like bums because they don’t think they should have to follow the rules and standards the rest of do.

He completes his post with this:

I intend to do my part as a city commissioner to sharpen that line and insist on consequences for those who take advantage of our citizens’ patience and tolerance. 

One person asked Tryon in the comments, “Rick may I ask what is you experience and education on mental illness.” Another person commented, “Apparently, Rick is now a mental health professional. ”

A day or so later, Tryon posted the following:

The greatest disservice you can do to those who actually need help with homelessness, mental illness, and addiction is to waste the resources intended to help them on those who have no desire or intention to change their lives but are merely gaming the system.

I’m surprised so many people don’t understand this simple fact.

I do hope that when the Tryon decides to “sharpen that line and insist on consequences,” that the commission partners with local mental health experts, as a brief drive through downtown and a visit to local encampments do not provide sufficient data for policy changes. 

DAY OF PRAYER FOR RAIN:

In case you missed it, Governor Greg Gianforte on Friday proclaimed Sunday, May 17, 2026, as a Day of Prayer for Rain as drought conditions intensify across Montana.  

And just like that, it rained on Sunday (at least it did in Great Falls), and there was some snow in Montana.   

Powerful! Now, if we can get the Governor to pray for lower gas prices, food prices, and peace. 

CAMPAIGN MAILERS UPDATE:

Because I am a political nerd, I keep track of the campaign literature received during the campaign season. Some of the better mailers get shown on The Western Word.

There are about 15 days left until Montana’s Primary Election Day on June 2.  

Last Friday, I reported that I had received 45 campaign mailers through Thursday, May 14. Business picked up significantly on Friday and Saturday. I received nine more fliers.

So that brings the total for this primary campaign season to 54 campaign mailers.

That is through Saturday (May 16).

Please make sure you save your mailers and recycle them! 

CASSIDY LOSES HIS PRIMARY: 

Two-term Republican U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy lost his primary election in Louisiana over the weekend. Cassidy had voted to impeach Donald Trump in 2021. That sealed his fate. (Source)

Once you pledge loyalty to Trump and the MAGA movement, dissent is fatal; turning on the boss means political execution. 

Cassidy can finally breathe easier now that this burden has been lifted, though the MAGA faction may still need his vote until his term expires in January. I would probably tell them where to go if they needed my vote. 

One More Thing:

I am so old that, when I was a kid, we actually had to win to get a trophy. 

## HAVE A GREAT WEEK ##