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WASHINGTON - Montana Republicans criticized Democratic Sen. Max Baucus on Friday for revealing his plan to reopen the closed runway at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls too early. Baucus said Wednesday that adding the Malmstrom provision to a massive highway spending bill moving through Congress was a "done deal." But House members objected to the language Thursday, delaying passage of the bill and forcing Baucus to abandon the plan Friday morning. "The timing was very bad," said Montana's other senator, Republican Conrad Burns. He said Friday that this week's public flap about Malmstrom will make it harder for...

GREAT FALLS - Rep. Denny Rehberg, R-Mont., called on fellow Montana Republicans on Friday night to volunteer their services, not just their money. "We need to take the time to re-establish grass-roots politics," Rehberg, a Billings rancher and developer, told delegates to the Montana GOP officers convention. If Republicans face campaign risks, it's because "we have become so arrogant we believe it's all about money," he said. Rehberg, seeking his fourth term, put in a strong sales pitch for Sen. Conrad Burns' re-election, calling him "the best senator our state has ever seen." He implored the party faithful to get...

Both Republican U.S. Sen. Conrad Burns and Rep. Denny Rehberg lead trial matchups against potential Democratic opponents for the 2006 election and, as incumbents, are far better known among voters, a new Gazette State Poll shows. The telephone survey, taken May 23-25 of 625 likely Montana voters by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research Inc., has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points. If the 2006 Senate election were held today, Burns would defeat state Auditor John Morrison, a Democrat, by a 49 to 34 percent margin, with 17 percent undecided. Burns leads among men by a 54...

Alliance for Marriage Recognizes 13 Senators With “Defender of Marriage” Award Rudy Takala The American Eagle News And Economic Report May 27,2005 Pine City, MN Last May 19th, the Alliance for Marriage (AFM) recognized thirteen senators with their first annual “Defender of Marriage” Award. The award was given to both Republican and Democratic senators who voted for the Federal Marriage Amendment in 2004, including Senators Allard (R-CO), Bunning (R-KY), Burns (R-MT), Byrd (D-WV), Brownback (R-KS), Cornyn (R-TX), Frist (R-TN), Inhofe (R-OK), Lott (R-MS), Santorum (R-PA), Sen. Enzi (D-WY), Hatch (R-UT), and Smith (R-OR). Ultimately, the amendment failed by a vote...

Driving his tractor-trailer rig to various campaign stops on Tuesday, Democrat Jon Tester, a Big Sandy farmer and state Senate president, launched his candidacy for the U.S. Senate seat held by Republican Conrad Burns.

Democratic State Auditor John Morrison, a former Helena attorney known for spearheading efforts to cut health care costs and protect Montana consumers, filed papers Monday to run for U.S. Senate against Republican incumbent Sen. Conrad Burns

All Crystal Ball junkies know the drill. Every election year, most Senators skate by, especially the venerable elders who well fit their states. Meanwhile, a handful of Senators are vulnerable, and those are the contests we watch like hawks. In last week's Crystal Ball email ( http://www.centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/article.php?id=LJS2005032401), we examined seniority and the 109th Senate, as well as the seats that are currently open and those that might open between now and 2006. This week, we've brought you the 14 seats out of the 33 up for election that appear to be moderately to very vulnerable. In alphabetical order by state,...

U.S. Senator Conrad Burns (R-MT) has broken his 1995 pledge not to seek re-election in 2006 and has now been tied to the scandal surrounding GOP lobbyist Jack Abramoff. No Democrat has come forward yet to challenge Burns, but possible candidates include state Auditor John Morrison (D-MT), state Senator Jon Tester (D-MT), former state House Speaker Daniel Kemmis (D-MT) and cattleman association president Leo McDonnell (D-MT).

Does anyone have contact info on these Senators so we can express our appreciation? Republican senators who called for Gorelick to testify: Saxby Chambliss of Georgia, Trent Lott of Mississippi, Conrad Burns of Montana; Bob Bennett of Utah; Pete Domenici of New Mexico; Don Nickles of Oklahoma; Ted Stevens of Alaska; Mitch McConnell of Kentucky; John Cornyn of Texas Norm Coleman of Minnesota.

Responding to a constituent's request to oppose the Law of the Seas Treaty, Sen. Conrad Burns, R-Mont., told his constituent that the treaty did not surrender national sovereignty. When pressed for an explanation of the Senator's claim, when Article 2(3) clearly says that "sovereignty over the territorial sea is exercised subject to this Convention ...," the senator's staff said, "We'll have to get back to you on that." After three phone calls over seven days, Myron Nordquist responded, not to speak for the senator, but as an adviser to the senator. He says that Article 2(3) does not surrender national...

<p>WASHINGTON - While the Senate continues debate about the proposed $87 billion emergency funding bill for Iraq and Afghanistan, a group of Republican senators just back from a trip to the region related personal experiences demonstrating the need for help from the United States.</p>

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Supporters of arming U.S. airline pilots said on Wednesday that prospects were brighter for getting legislation passed this year after the idea's chief opponent in the Senate said he would allow a committee vote. A spokesman for Montana Republican Sen. Conrad Burns, one of the chief co-sponsors of a plan to arm pilots, said he would push for committee action in September, after the chamber returns from its summer recess, with the hope of getting the entire Senate to approve the measure soon afterward. "We intend to ask for a markup (committee) hearing in September. Our feeling...