A reality based independent journal of observation & analysis, serving the Flathead Valley & Montana since 2006. © James Conner.
Updated. Senate District 40 (map) leans Republican, but its most interesting primary may be a contest between two Democrats — Hal Jacobsen and Joshua Manning (left) — that pits experience and age against youth and hunger.
The 3,128-square-mile district begins on the west side of Helena in House District 79 (represented by Jenny Eck, D-Helena) and merges with House District 80, currently represented by Mike Miller (R-Helmsville) (he’s not running for re-election). The northwest corner of HD-80/SD-40 is only 28.5 miles southeast of Flathead Lake, but almost 100 miles from Helena.
In the low turnout 2014 midterm election, Eck prevailed in HD-79, but Miller prevailed by a wider margin in HD-80, so that overall, the senate district voted Republican by a ten point margin.
By some definitions SD-40 is a swing district. Based on the results in 2014, I’d say it leans Republican but in a high turnout Presidential election with a popular Democrat at the top of the ticket, it’s not out of reach for a hard working, well funded, straight shooting Democrat who presents himself as open minded and who doesn’t pander.
Hal Jacobsen is an old school Democrat, a veteran of four terms in Montana’s House of Representatives, a businessman and civic leader in Helena. He filed his C-1 on 15 October. On 10 December, Montana Cowgirl published an extensive profile of Jacobsen, so I refer you to her article.
Joshua Manning, 41, is a generation younger. He filed his C-1 on 17 December.
This is Manning’s first campaign. A son of Missoula, and of writer Richard Manning, he’s a human rights investigator with Montana’s Bureau of Human Rights. During the ten years previous to that, he worked as an intelligence analyst for a defense contractor and as a soldier in the U.S. Army. After graduating from Evergreen State College in Olympia, WA, he worked as a newspaper reporter in Idaho.
Manning is the step-son of Tracy Stone Manning, chief of staff for Gov. Steve Bullock. I mention that for the record — and to report I cannot find any evidence that she’s working on Manning’s legislative campaign. She’ll be paddling Bullock’s canoe.
Manning’s campaigning on a platform of “…fairness and equality for everyone in this district. I want to work on bringing equality to everyone’s incomes based on three pillars:”
Manning also wants to:
“These are not issues only for Democrats,” he asserts. “They are policies-in-waiting that defy party lines and will better the lives of this district’s citizens.”
Missing is a plank on health care, but that may be added later.
Although Manning does not have a dedicated, domain name, website yet, he does have a well developed Facebook Page, and an Act Blue account to make donating to his campaign convenient.
Manning has contributed several posts to Montana Cowgirl’s website under the pen name of Secret Squirrel. One, Please Don’t Get Bern[t], a patronizing piece written in support of Hillary Clinton's candidacy, deeply offended supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders.
Update. In an email announcing his candidacy, Manning identified himself as Secret Squirrel. I did not blow his cover, contrary to some insinuations on Twitter.
Manning is smart, hungry, and well organized. It remains to be seen whether he can raise enough money to be competitive, and whether the voters will like him, but he’s off to a fast start. That’s good. Jacobsen is exhibiting less urgency and enthusiasm. That’s always a factor when the guard changes.
