Serving the Flathead Valley & Montana since 2006. A reality based independent journal of observation & analysis. © James R. Conner.

 

19 September 2013

Walsh may be getting closer to running for the U.S. Senate

Is Montana’s lt. governor, John Walsh, finally getting ready to become a candidate for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senator? There are some signs, faint signs to be sure, pointing that way. A 16 September story in U.S. News reports:

Several Democrats in the state confirm John Walsh, Montana’s lieutenant governor, is now the top recruit who will make his final decision in upcoming weeks. He spent time in Washington this week meeting with party leaders.

Walsh, a retired National Guard general who served in Iraq, reportedly is a natural campaigner with enormous energy. He’d mount the strongest challenge to Rep. Steve Daines, the probable Republican nominee.

Walsh’s meeting with party leaders suggests he’s finding out whether he would receive their blessing and their fundraising help. That’s a sign of serious intent. But that he’s doing it now instead of earlier makes me worry that he may lack a sense of urgency or simply not hunger enough for the job. If he’s going to get in the race, he needs to get in it now.

Daines is not unbeatable. He’s probably the odds on favorite at this point, but he could shoot himself in his foot if he joins with the teahadist Republicans in the House to shut down the federal government and/or refuse to raise the debt ceiling, thus causing the federal government to default on its obligations. That would hurt Montanans, plenty of Montanans, few of whom would reward his behavior with their vote.

Having been vetted for lt. governor, Walsh is not likely to have skeletons rattling in his closet. But some think he has too big an eye for the ladies. Buzzfeed reported last week that:

A screengrab captured by a Republican operative with interest in the 2014 Senate race shows Democratic Lt. Gov. John Walsh — whom national Democrats are hoping will jump into the Senate race soon — “liked” a Facebook profile featuring pictures of women’s breasts on Facebook around 9:45 p.m. on Aug. 19. The name of the account is “Breasts.Proof men can multitask2.”

Walsh’s Facebook profile disappeared sometime later before reappearing later with the “like” deleted. Walsh’s likes now include the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, the National Guard, various Montana Democrats, and “The 2nd Amendment Keeps Us Free.” There’s no mention of “Breasts.Proof men can multitask2.”

Walsh has access to the page, and engages with Facebook through his iPhone. A senior Montana Democrat close to Walsh said the “like” was a mistake on Walsh’s part. [Highlighting by Flathead Memo.]

That “evidence” does not support a charge of hormones gone wild.

Furthermore, being a straight man who likes women will not get Walsh in trouble with Montana’s voters. And Walsh is far, far, far from being the likes of Edwin Edwards.

In the meantime, Dirk Adams, a man who once ran a bank that was shut down by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, remains the only declared candidate for the Democratic nomination.