From BillingsGazette.com:

Even without a presidential race to lure voters, the stakes couldn’t be higher this election season for Democrats and Republicans fighting to control an often narrowly divided state Legislature.

Montana’s House of Representatives was evenly split in 2009. Two years earlier, the chamber was divided with 50 Republicans, 49 Democrats and one Constitution Party member. Likewise, during the last few sessions, control of the state Senate has come down to a couple of seats.

And this year’s primary elections, particularly for Republicans, are thick with candidates. Republicans have 31 contested primary races for the House and Senate, including 10 with at least three candidates. And, 10 of those multicandidate races are along the Yellowstone River corridor from Livingston to Miles City.

Read the Rest…