Election mail bag

Hensley for sheriff

Regarding the sheriff's race; one candidate is the outstanding choice and that is our current undersheriff, Lanny Hensley.

Under Montana law, undersheriffs serve at the pleasure of the sheriff. This means that they can be removed from that position at any time. Lanny Hensley was appointed by Sheriff Tom Rummel in 2012 and has remained undersheriff because he is trustworthy, works well with the public and is very good at managing the Sheriff's Office. He is the ONLY candidate who has both patrol duty and administrative experience as a Montana peace officer. Some of the other candidates are not Montana certified officers and this creates a huge liability when they act in law enforcement situations, which sheriff's must do.

As a Montana native with 25 years in police work, Lanny has more knowledge of Montana and Sanders County law enforcement than any other candidate in the race. A Montana sheriff needs Montana experience. Lanny Hensley has worked for and supported the citizens of Sanders County and now he deserves our support.

— Rube Wrightsman, retired Sanders County Undersheriff

Loge finds solutions

I am writing this letter in response to an email that was sent out on May 4 to the MCRCC members by a member of that committee, where he questions the loyalty of one of our Republican candidates who is running for House District 14 because I displayed a campaign sign in the back window of my car in support of that candidate. He suggests that this person may be a Moderate, Socialist, or even a Democrat and even worse yet, a RINO, because I, a liberal Democrat, am supporting him and this apparently proves it!

The problem is – here in Mineral County, we have NO Democrats running for local offices or for our state House seat. The last time I checked, we, as Democrats, still have the right to support a candidate even though we are not Republicans. Therefore, as a resident and taxpayer of HD14, I am supporting who I think will be the best Representative for our counties – and that person is Denley Loge – even though he is NOT a Democrat.

Mineral County is much more than a “liberal” or “conservative” county. Traditionally, our residents have worked together to solve problems and find solutions and Denley has been a part of that process for years. He knows our counties and the problems we face and works hard in Helena to represent all of us to the best of his ability.

We need more people like Denley in the Montana State Legislature!

— Diane Magone, Superior

Endorses Mitchell for HD14

The number of abortions in the USA - 62 million.

I remember when being a millionaire was a big deal. Now it’s fairly common place.

We manage our entire state budget in billions.

Here’s a link to the National Debt Clock which, of course, is in trillions, www.usdebtclock.org. That's a lot of zeros, and zeros matter!

One million pennies stacked on top of each other would make a tower 1 mile high.

One billion pennies stacked on top of each other would make a tower 870 miles high.

One trillion pennies stacked on top of each other would make a tower 870 thousand (870,000) miles high, or the distance of going to the moon, back to earth, and back to the moon again.

Yes, zeros matter.

Speaking of billions, let’s take a look at how the permanent Medicaid Expansion budget projections are shaping up when compared to the actual costs.

As our citizens may recall, they were given an opportunity to fund Medicaid Expansion through a 30% tax on the tobacco industry through the passage or denial ballot initiative I-185 in 2018. Our savvy, independent Montana citizens rejected the initiative in 2018. I was beaming with pride because it was a clear indication of our citizens fiscal conservatism, Constitutional awareness and commitment to limited government, personal responsibility principles.

But sadly, when the legislature convened in 2019, the big government loving, solutions caucus Republicans, of which Nancy Ballance, Dave Bedey and Sharon Greef and Denley Loge are members teamed up with the Democrats to pass HB658, making Medicaid Expansion permanent, and nullifying the will of the citizens.

We have overshot our “projected” permanent Medicaid Expansion costs by a mere $1.482,151,359 since 2016 - That’s billion. For one program! No mistake there!

But…Hey! The hospitals are rolling in the dough, and 90% of it is seemingly inconsequential “federal money." Right Rep. Loge? I mean, we’re only $30+ trillion in debt as a country, after all. (Yes, that’s cowgirl snark. Insert appropriate eye roll here)

If Mineral and Sanders county citizens like having their will nullified by their legislative Representatives - vote for Denley Loge, as he has made it perfectly clear through his votes that he supports Big Government.

If our citizens actually believe at their very core in the Constitutional/Republican principles of limited government and personal responsibility - vote Randy D. Mitchell for HD14, because voting records and elections matter.

— Sen. Theresa Manzella, R-Hamilton

Ready on day one

I strongly support our current Undersheriff, Lanny Hensley, for Sanders County Sheriff.

Undersheriff Hensley has a 27 year career in law enforcement. He was appointed Sanders County Undersheriff by Sheriff Tom Rummel, a position he has held for 10 years.

The phrase “constitutional sheriff” has become popular here and indicates a sheriff who will step outside Montana law to “enforce the Constitution”, indicating that Montana law is inadequate and not aligned with the Constitution. He, like every sheriff in the U.S., will take an oath to support the Constitution.

And Montana law has served Montanans well for generations. Undersheriff Hensley will be a Montana sheriff who adheres to the Constitution and enforces Montana law fairly across the county. As Undersheriff of Sanders County for the past 10 years, he has benefited from on-the-job training on being sheriff. He is the only candidate certified through the highest levels of both command and administration as a professional peace officer in Montana.

He has ongoing working relationships at the federal, state, and county levels. Undersheriff Hensley’s honesty and integrity are above reproach. With his experience as a Sanders County Deputy from 2011-2012, plus 10 years as our Undersheriff, he is intimately familiar with law enforcement issues within the county and prepared, today, to deal with them. Vote Lanny Hensley for Sanders County Sheriff. Ready on day one!

— Ruth Cheney, Thompson Falls