(In the final days of an election, there is so much information from so many races, it's difficult to stay on top of every story and understand the subtle dynamics often at play on the ground. Thankfully, we have an expansive 50-state blogosphere to match our 50-state strategy. Over the last two weeks of the campaign, we've asked leaders of the state blogospheres to provide insight into late developments and share the stories of their states in a series we're calling "Listening to the Locals." SusanG)
Situated in the Rocky Mountains, Montana is one of the most beautiful spots on Earth. Still, politically, it's just a flyover state, with less than a million people, a single at-large representative in the House, and three Electoral College votes, right? Why fuss over Montana?
Because Montana's political environment is ideal for creating the Western Democrat. With a strong streak of libertarianism mixed with a heaping dash of economic populism, the state's electorate prefers Democrats that are outspoken, independent, and genuine. That, along with Montana's beautiful open spaces, creates progressive politicians with a strong conservation ethos, that champion individual civil liberties, and who defy conventional rhetoric when advocating for issues important to their state.
That's how we ended up with Senator Jon Tester and Governor Brian Schweitzer.
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