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

• Montana U.S. Senate Poll
• Record Diesel Prices
• FIBA Basketball World Cup
• One More Thing 

MONTANA U.S. SENATE POLL:

According to a Montana Free Press-Rutgers Eagleton poll, Kurt Alme leads Seth Bodnar by 8 points in Montana’s four-candidate U.S. Senate race, with Alani Bankhead and Kyle Austin trailing by wide margins.

The most interesting part is that Alme’s 38% share of 845 registered Montana voters polled between Aug. 27 and Sept. 7 suggested a drop from MTFP-commissioned polling in early May. Bodnar, an independent, appeared to be gaining support, with a 30% share, suggesting a seven-point gain from the spring.

The Bodnar campaign quickly responded to the poll:

“Despite a summer of non-stop attacks from Republican dark money groups, Seth is gaining ground while Alani Bankhead is losing her own party’s voters in real time and Kurt Alme can’t even hold onto the base he inherited from a backroom deal,” said Abigail Tracy, spokesperson for the Bodnar campaign. “Montanans are seeing both candidates for what they are, and they’re moving toward the only candidate in this race who actually answers to them.” 

This is crunch time in the campaign season. Talking about the issues to as many people as possible, debating, and getting your message out is very important.

Read the complete report from the MTFP HERE. 

RECORD DIESEL PRICES: 

The Trump administration has set another record! 

The Associated Press (AP) and other sources are reporting that Diesel prices in the U.S. hit yet another record on Friday, soaring past $6 a gallon on average as Washington’s war with Iran disrupts the world’s flow of fuel. 

The AP also pointed out that the national average of nearly $6.06 is up from $5.85 last week and almost $3.71 this time last year, according to motor club AAA. 

Most people understand this, but just in case MAGAs are reading, it is important to know that rising diesel prices are driving up the cost of everyday goods by making shipping and delivery networks more expensive. Because diesel fuels the majority of freight transit, many businesses have already passed these higher expenses onto consumers through added fees on mail and online orders.

By the way, the national average for a gallon of gas was $4.31 on Sunday (Source), and the Montana average was $4.47. (Source) 

FIBA BASKETBALL WORLD CUP:

I had the privilege of watching the entire USA Women’s National Basketball Team schedule during the FIBA Basketball World Cup Tournament in Berlin, Germany. My dedication was tested with a 3:15 a.m. wake-up call for one of the broadcasts, but it was entirely worth it. 

On Sunday, the USA team secured a 97-79 win over France in a game that was far more competitive than the final score implies. France dominated the first half to build a 14-point advantage. Ultimately, the turning point was Team USA’s exceptional basketball IQ, as they successfully diagnosed France’s strategy and adjusted their defense to seal the win. (Box Score)

Congratulations to Team USA! 

ONE MORE THING:

I was once so broke that I couldn’t afford to pay my electricity bill. Those were the darkest days of my life. 

## HAVE A GREAT WEEK ##