Free Republic

Montana’s former Gov. Judy Martz, a Republican who served from 2001 to 2005, said her tenure in politics offers unique insight into Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin. Here’s what Martz learned: The women’s movement is hypocritical, Martz said, because it doesn’t celebrate all women, only those who align themselves with it. Too often the press ignores policy, favoring gaffes instead. Politics is tough on families. And although the electorate continually asks for authenticity, it seems to reward the phonies. The connection between Martz and Palin is less direct than intuitive. The two have never met. Yet, like Palin, Martz...

South Carolina's GOP Senate Primary Forces Beasley Into Runoff NewsMax.com Wires Wednesday, June 9, 2004 Hoping for a political comeback, former South Carolina Gov. David Beasley found himself unable to clinch a primary victory and was forced into a runoff in his bid to win the Republican nomination for one of the nation's most closely watched Senate seats. Tuesday's primary put Beasley up against three-term Rep. Jim DeMint in the GOP's effort to grab the longtime Democrat seat held by retiring Sen. Ernest "Fritz" Hollings. Education Superintendent Inez Tenenbaum won the Democrats' nomination. Beasley got 37 percent of the vote,...

National politics could impact state races By ROBERT TANNER AP National Writer Presidential politics and economic turmoil will have a major impact on the 11 gubernatorial races this fall, with the interplay between national and state politics most critical in four states where the 2000 race was dramatically close Missouri, New Hampshire, Washington and West Virginia. Tuesday’s primary, the first this year for a gubernatorial race, puts President Bush’s former budget director into the running in Indiana. Mitch Daniels is relying on the president’s term of affection “My Man Mitch” as his slogan for the GOP nomination. He’s up against...

<p>HELENA, Mont. — Montana's governor defended the placement of Ten Commandments (search) monuments on government property, saying those troubled by such displays "have something going inside of them that would need a little help anyway."</p> <p>Gov. Judy Martz's (search) comments Friday came in response to a question about a Commandments display in front of a courthouse in Kalispell. Opponents have said it violates the line between church and state, and have threatened legal action if the display is not removed.</p>

Montana Governor: Commandments Displays a Matter of Free Speech By Bob Anez Associated Press Writer HELENA, Mont. (AP) - Montana's governor defended the placement of Ten Commandments monuments on government property, saying those troubled by such displays "have something going inside of them that would need a little help anyway." Gov. Judy Martz's comments Friday came in response to a question about a Commandments display in front of a courthouse in Kalispell. Opponents have said it violates the line between church and state, and have threatened legal action if the display is not removed. Martz, a Republican, said such displays...

HELENA. Montana (Reuters) - A mural sculpture on a downtown hotel in Montana's capital city has local tongues wagging and pundits debating whether the nude dancer depicted shows state Governor Judy Martz. The dancer, wearing eyeglasses and sporting a short hairdo with bangs similar to the 60-year-old governor is shown kicking up her heels. "It's hilarious to watch people come and look at it and see their reactions," said one local business employee. The creator of the mural, Kristine Veith of Seattle, has denied that the figure is Martz. She says the figure, one of a series of people in...

HELENA, Mont. Gov. Judy Martz, saying she has done what she promised and that she wants to spend more time with her family, announced Wednesday she will not seek a second term. At a news conference in her Capitol office, the Republican ticked off a list of achievements dealing with economic development, health care and tax changes and then concluded, “I have accomplished what I set out to do. I have enacted my vision.” The surprise announcement is expected to entice Lt. Gov. Karl Ohs into the GOP primary race already crowded with three candidates. Ohs, who attended the news...

<p>HELENA, Mont. — Gov. Judy Martz, whose first term has been besieged by missteps and dismal popularity among voters, said Wednesday she will not run for re-election next year.</p> <p>At a news conference, Martz said she wanted to spend more time with her family and insisted that her sagging popularity was not a factor in her decision. Recent polls have shown her approval rating at about 20 percent.</p>

<p>HELENA -- Democrat Brian Schweitzer Monday reported raising another $106,000 the past three months for his 2004 gubernatorial campaign, continuing his record-setting pace for rolling up early cash in a Montana governor's race.</p> <p>This year, the Whitefish farmer/rancher has raised a total of $361,000 -- far more than a Montana gubernatorial candidate has ever raised at this point in the campaign.</p>

HELENA - Many Montana politicians are eyeing the 2004 governor's race, but many Republicans are waiting to see whether Gov. Judy Martz decides to run for re-election before announcing their plans. So far, only two major party candidates have declared: Democrat Brian Schweitzer of Whitefish, who lost a close race to U.S. Sen. Conrad Burns in 2000, and Republican Tom Keating, a former long-time Billings legislator who ran unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor in 2000. Also, Robert Kelle-her, a Butte lawyer, Constitutional Convention delegate and frequent candidate, has announced that he will run, but he hasn't disclosed on which political party...