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November 30th , 2023 Political Note #603 Monica Tranel Montana 01
2024 General Election
Ryan Zinke, the Republican incumbent, is not the worst member of Congress. If there were an award, though, he would be a contender. In a Congress that includes George Santos and Lauren Boebert and Joe Wilson of “You Lie” fame and Marjorie Greene Taylor and Jim Jordan, Zinke could never be a champion.
He had showed some promise of being a serious politician. He was an Eagle Scout, played football for Whitefish High, and got a football scholarship to the University of Oregon. He had a military career as a Navy SEAL. He left the SEALS in 2008 after 22 years of service. Still a young 47 year old, his last military responsibility was to establish and run the SEALS Advanced Training Command.
Home in Whitefish, he ran for the State Senate where he served two terms. In the state senate, he was a champion of clean energy, though that included, according to him, clean coal. In 2012, he was chosen as the Lt. Governor candidate by Businessman John Livingston. Zinke helped out by creating and running a PAC that was supposed to be independent of the campaign.
After the gubernatorial loss, he became a radio host. In that role, he took a turn toward the extreme. He was particularly focused on the [phony] question of whether or not Barack Obama was legitimately an American citizen. Elected as Montana’s sole Member of Congress, his positions resonated with his radio role. He described Hillary Clinton as the anti-Christ, doubted that human activity was the dominant cause of climate change, and supported offshore oil and gas drilling on the Atlantic coast, except for Florida. He showed some delicacy and refused to cross one line. When American Nazis harassed Jews in Whitefish, he expressed disapproval – once, at least.
Whether it was the birtherism or his antipathy to Hillary Clinton or something else, Donald Trump liked him enough to nominate him as Secretary of the Interior. Zinke was a dutiful supporter of the President – proposing substantial reductions in the national monuments Obama had named – the Bears Ears monument and others.
Zinke had some quirks and some failures. Unlike his colleagues, he flew the secretarial flag when he was working in office, the deputy secretarial flag when the deputy was in his place. An advocate for hunting, he had to retreat from an effort to lift the import ban on trophies from elephant hunting. He also lost in court when he wanted to end protections for the sage grouse habitat. He could not persuade the Congress that the Interior Department would be just fine with a 10% reduction in staff. Nor could he persuade anyone that environmental terrorist groups were the cause of western wildfires. Environmentalists suggested the alternative theory that climate change was a factor.
The award of a $300 Million contract to a Whitefish company to fix Puerto Rico’s post-hurricane electrical grid might have done him in if research had found a connection between Zinke and the company other than proximity. Zinke insisted he had no role in the award of the contract to two guys from his small town of 8,000 people. The contrast was eventually revoked.
None of the above forced his resignation. His preference for luxury flying did it. That preference was accompanied by an inability to distinguish whether flights were for governmental or personal or political purposes. Had he included a reference to the Interior Department’s work when he spoke to honor the new Las Vegas Golden Knights hockey team or on his trip to the Virgin Islands, he might have avoided the scandal that required his resignation.
Out of government and at loose ends, Zinke got himself involved in cybercurrencies. Then he ran for Congress in 2022 for Montana’s 1st District, Montana having been awarded a second Congressional District after the 2020 census. He defeated Monica Tranel by a 2.9% margin to win the seat in 2022. Recently, he introduced a bill to prohibit anyone traveling on a Palestinian Authority passport from entering the United States. It is not clear what his purpose was, but successful passage of that proposal would weaken the Palestinian Authority in its combat with Hamas.
Monica Tranel on Zinke’s passport proposal: “Ryan Zinke just put forth the most Islamophobic bill we’ve seen in the halls of Congress, showing just how unfit he is to serve Montanans.”
Born in Wyoming, Monica Tranel grew up in Montana and competed in basketball and track at Billings Central Catholic High School. She went to Gonzaga, another Catholic school, but not on an athletic scholarship. She got her law degree at the Camden campus of Rutgers on the other side of the country. In the years after earning her JD, she started rowing. By 1991, she was rowing competitively. In 1993, she won a bronze at the world championships, won a gold in 1994, and won a silver in 1995. Twice, she competed on behalf of the United States in the Olympics. The University of Montana named a boat after her.
Monica Tranel worked at rowing and at lawyering. She was with the state Public Service Commission, then ran in 2004, to be a Comissioner. After she lost in the Republican primary (note the party) and worked for Republican Senator Conrad Burns, she opened her own practice in Butte.
Monica Tranel practiced law, became a trustee of the state bar association, and as Montana was getting more reddish, she became a Democrat. Why did she become a Democrat? She tells us in her criticisms of Zinke. She called him and his Republican colleagues out for “votes to limit abortion, SNAP benefits, [and] health care services at the Department of Veterans Affairs.” The contest is not only about specific policies like nutrition assistance. The contest is also about who Monica Tranel and Ryan Zinke are.
Are there things to criticize Monica Tranel about? Zinke criticized her for representing a man who had been convicted of abusing four underaged girls. He claimed she was trying to put him back out on the street. She was representing the man in his claim he had ineffective counsel. The result of her work could have been another trial. While Zinke criticized her, the four girls criticized Zinke for publicizing the case and causing them pain.
Monica Tranel did get some criticisms from the press, though, after a semi-debate with Zinke. She was too aggressive, said the critics. They particularly noted the moment when she grabbed the microphone out of his hand. What have they all learned from that experience? Zinke? The press? Monica Tranel? I don’t think she is any less aggressive. Maybe Zinke will watch where he puts his hands when he holds a microphone.
Monica Tranel believes she can make up the 6,000 or so votes by which she lost to Zinke. She argues she is better known than she was in 2020 and Zinke is not popular She argues that Zinke could not get 50% of the vote because of that unpopularity. She says will give the people of Montana’s First Congressional District an alternative that they know this time.
Monica Tranel could also say the abortion issue has become much more important in MT 01 and everywhere else in the country. And she could say she is running with a strong slate of candidates – with US Senator Jon Tester at the top of the ticket along with gubernatorial candidate Ryan Busse, a former gun manufacturing executive who has said, about guns, enough is enough.
There are issues beyond abortion and gun safety in Montana. Everyone on the slate can be critical of the wackiness of Montana rejecting federal resources. Led by the incumbent Republican governor, Montana has rejected federal electronic food benefit funds — a decision which will increase food insecurity in the state.
Montica Tranel’s principal pitch is economic. She says: “Our property taxes are rising and we’re paying record-high electricity bills, but corporations are skating by. Ryan Zinke has done nothing to keep money in Montanans’ pockets – by working for corporate interests, he’s part of the problem,”
Monica Tranel says of herself: “I’ve dedicated my life to standing up to corporate greed. I’ve spent my entire career putting money back into the pockets of Montana’s working class, families, and small businesses and stopped out-of-state corporations from stealing land from our ranchers.” Zinke’s campaign leadership says she has never accomplished anything.
Monica Tranel has not held public office. Through her legal work, she has obtained public benefits for Montana. Her law firm does public interest work. As she explains, she took ”NorthWestern [Energy] all the way to the state supreme court, and won, saving rate payers $10 million dollars. She stopped a New York Hedge fund from cheating Montana small businesses, and beat out-of-state corporation’s attempts to steal land from local ranchers.”
Help Monica Tranel get those 6,000 votes back (This time she is running in only half the state, so results are hard to compare). The incumbent is #13 on Len’s List of Vulnerable Republicans in the House, #29 on Daily Kos’s List. The incumbent had $1.6 Million on October 1; Monica Tranel had a respectable $600,000. Help her catch up. Help the people of Montana remain conscious of the fact that Ryan Zinke was fired by Trump for corruption and won with only 49.7% of the vote in 2022. She can win this election DONATE TO MONICA.
House races in the Northwest and the Pacific
Adam Gray in CA 13 is running against John Duarte, who is #2 on Len’s List of vulnerable Republican incumbents and #1 on Daily Kos’s List. With $200,000 in the bank on October 1, Adam Gray has to catch up with the incumbent who had $1.2 Million. DONATE TO ADAM See Len’s Political Note #586
Incumbent Marie Gluesenkamp Perez WA 03 is #4 among vulnerable Democratic incumbents on Len’s List and #2 on Daily Kos’s list of vulnerable Democratic incumbents. On October 1, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez had $1.6 Million available for her campaign. Her previous opponent, right wing extremist Joe Kent had $400,000. Help her stay well ahead of him. DONATE TO MARIE See Len’s Political Note #543
Incumbent Andrea Salinas OR 06 is #6 among vulnerable Democratic incumbents on Len’s List and tied for #22 on Daily Kos’s list. As of October 1, Andrea Salinas has $750,000 available for her campaign. Her probable opponent had less than $50,000. Help Andrea Salinas dominate this race. DONATE TO ANDREA See Len’s Political Note #548
Rudy Salas CA 22 is running against Incumbent Republican David Valadao who is #7 on Len’s List of vulnerable Republican incumbents and #3 on Daily Kos’s List. the incumbent had $1.2 Million on October 1 to Rudy Salas’s $150,000. He has some catching up to do. DONATE TO RUDY See Len’s Political Note #602
Incumbent Jim Costa CA 21 is #14 among vulnerable Democratic incumbents on Len’s List. On October 1, Jim Costa had a modest $650,000, while his Republican opponent had $150,000. DONATE TO JIM. See Len’s Political Note #566
Will Rollins in CA 41 is running against Incumbent Republican Ken Calvert who is #17 on Len’s List of vulnerable Republican incumbents and tied at #19 on Daily Kos’s List. This is promising to be a high spending race. The incumbent had $2 Million on October 1, Will Rollins had $1.5 Million. DONATE TO WILL. See Len’s Political Note #588
George Whitesides CA 27 will be the Democratic nominee against Mike Garcia, who is #19 on Len’s List of Vulnerable Republicans. Garcia’s good fortune may have run out in running against former CEO George Whitesides. On October 1, George Whitesides had a slight lead in the money race — $1.7 Million to $1.6 Million. Help George Whitesides win this. DONATE TO GEORGE
National Security Figure Jessica Morse will be the Democratic nominee for CA 03 against Republican first term incumbent Kevin Kiley who is #24 on Len’s List of vulnerable Republicans and tied for #7 on Daily Kos’s List. On October 1 Kiley had $1.5 Million available; Jessica Morse had a respectable $500,000. If she can ramp up her fund raising, she can flip this seat. Help Jessica Morse. DONATE TO JESSICA
Incumbent Mike Levin CA 49 is #25 among vulnerable Democratic incumbents on Len’s List and #25 on Daily Kos’s List. Mike Levin has some opponents raising money. He had $1 Million on October 1. One opponent had $900,000. Another had $800,000. DONATE TO MIKE See Len’s Political Note #591
Incumbent Kim Schrier WA 08 is #32 among vulnerable Democratic incumbents on Len’s List and tied for #22 on Daily Kos’s List. She had $1.8 Million available on October 1. Her opponents had very little in the way of funds. Help her dominate this race. DONATE TO KIM
Incumbent Mary Peltola AK AL is #35 among vulnerable Democratic incumbents on Len’s List and is #18 on Daily Kos’s List. On October 1, Mary Peltola had a substantial lead in the financial race with $1 Million. Her previous opponent had only $200,000. The Lt. Governor, Nancy Dahlstrom, however, had not yet entered the race for that reporting period. The addition of Dahlstrom and the complexities of Alaska’s system of ranked voting for the preliminary four leading candidates makes the whole process unpredictable. Help Mary Peltola dominate the race. DONATE TO MARY See Len’s Political Note #600
Incumbent Val Hoyle OR 04 is #36 among vulnerable Democratic incumbents on Len’s List. Val Hoyle’s$400,000 on October 1 would seem anemic for an incumbent. However, her potential opponents’ fund raising was negligible. Help Val Hoyle dominate this race. DONATE TO VAL
The Big Senate race in the Northwest
Incumbent Jon Tester of Montana. See Len’s Political Note #550. With Joe Manchin no longer running for reelection, many see Jon Tester as the most vulnerable Democratic incumbent and the place that Republican money will go. Jon Tester is prepared financially. On October 1, he had $13 Million available, ten times as much as Tim Sheehy his probable opponent who has enough money to make up the difference from his personal checkbook. Help Jon Tester stay ahead in this high dollar race. DONATE TO JON. See Len’s Political Note #550
