Montana Pushes 'Top Two' Primary Designed To Block Tester Win
The thing about Montana is, they have a lot of libertarians. They get on the ballot a lot, because FREEDUMB! Because they get on the ballot, they sometimes win, and in the general election, they frequently ensure the winning candidate doesn't get an actual majority.
State Sen. Greg Hertz says he's really bothered that the state can elect a U.S. senator that doesn't have a majority. It's not partisan! He just wants a senator -- ONE SENATOR IN PARTICULAR -- to have a majority. And just this once. That's why his bill proposes a top-two primary. Via the Montana Free Press:
The bill as written discusses only U.S. Senate elections and sunsets in 2025. That means the law would only apply to the 2024 race for Tester’s Senate seat. It would not apply to the race for Republican U.S. Sen. Steve Daines’ seat in 2026. Daines is the chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the GOP organ that helps elect Republicans to the U.S. Senate. A spokesperson for the NRSC did not return a request for comment.
Why, it's almost as if it's meant to elect Republicans:
One of seven Republicans to vote against the bill, who requested anonymity “for fear of retribution by party bosses,” criticized the proposal as being “narrowly crafted by design” and said it would take citizens’ voices away.