Serving the Flathead Valley & Montana since 2006. A reality based independent journal of observation & analysis. © James Conner.
Do Republican voters still love Denny Rehberg? Denny wants to know, so yesterday he told a few reporters he was thinking about running again for the U.S. House seat he vacated for the honor of losing the 2012 U.S. Senate race to Jon Tester.
Now he’s sitting back and waiting for the reaction. If he’s overwhelmed by a blizzard of love and kisses, he’ll probably enter the GOP primary for the House, assuming he would make short work of the likes of Ryan Zinke, Cory Stapleton, Matt Rosendale, et al. If his trial balloon deflates without attracting attention, he’ll decide not to run, explaining that much as he would like representing Montana again, he’s having too much fun selling Whoppers at his Burger King fast-food joint.
If he runs, Rehberg will start with high name recognition and the ability to raise money, providing his former funder have forgiven him for losing to Tester. He’ll also bring a lot of baggage, much of it producing an olfactory impact that could increase sales of clothespins and other nose clips.
But don’t bet the ranch on his being returned to the House. His Democratic opponent will be John Lewis, the most formidable Democratic candidate for the House since Pat Williams. Right now Rehberg is so giddy about returning to Washington that he’s flippin’ out — but on 4 November 2014, there’s a very good chance the voters will send him back to flippin’ burgers.