I find it interesting and intriguing that Mr. Keith Virga found the need to write a letter to the Editor in the May 10th Pathfinder. His support of Freshman Representative Hopkins is his right, as is mine to support and promote Mr. Derek (DJ) Smith, a strong conservative Republican. It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to look at an idea without agreeing with it. (Aristotle)
I am on the ballot and filed my C-1 in December of 2016. If I did not think then that I was better qualified than Mr. Hopkins, why file?
I have followed the voting record of our Freshman Representative Hopkins to see if he is going to follow his mentor’s moderate approach. Mr. Hopkins did just that.
Freshman Representative Hopkins did vote for the six-cent gas tax increase. The Montana Senate amended HB- 437 basically lowering the rate from eight cents to six cent by 2022. Senate (amended) BILL – 473 is the six-cent gas tax-raising bill and signed by the Governor. This point was missed or left out in error in the May 10th letter to the Editor.
This is a fact and true, he voted against it before he voted for it!
Next I will address voting records as reviewed by four different conservative Republican groups and their individual ratings.
Americans for Prosperity 2017 – AFPMontana.com l InfoMT@afphQ.org 212 Discovery Dr. S 1-Bozeman 59718
• Names like Brad Tschida HD-97 100% - Greg & Adam Hertz HD-12 HD96 Greg 95% Adam 91% - Nancy Balance HD-87(Chair of the Committee Mike served on) 91% Mike Hopkins 73% (low C)
American Conservative Union Foundation’s 2017 C-Pac
• Mike Hopkins 71% (low C)
Legistats I House Rankings http://107.170.153.135/sessions/7/groups/275
• Tschida 100 A; Balance 81 A; Hertz 51 B; Mike Hopkins 19 _D_. They use loyalty Index not %’s Quoting, “D rating reflects a weak Republican” F rating “is a Rep. that Democrats can consistently count on to swing partisan votes”. Mike is dangerously close to this.
MFLG (Constitutionally-conservative political committee)
• Balance 82%; Hertz, Adam and Greg 91%; and Mike Hopkins 64%
Two D ratings and two very low C ratings for Mr. Hopkins.
If Mr. Hopkins is part of the Republican Party in Missoula and accountable to it, what part of the real need for a strong Conservative Republican does Mike represent?
Larry Dunham asks you to vote and make it Derek (DJ) Smith. I have decided he and I are both qualified and have a true WORK experience – I look forward to working with him in Helena as a lobbyist and committee wise.
Respectfully,
Larry Dunham
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