Bohlinger senate campaign a matter of principle

Former Lt. Gov. John Bohlinger thought his political career was over when he and Gov. Brian Schweitzer left office in 2013.

He served eight years as Lt. Governor, was twice elected to the state Senate and served three terms in the state House of Representatives.

“I thought I would retire,” Bohlinger, 78, told the Pilot in a recent interview.

Then last year, longtime U.S. Sen. Max Baucus announced he wouldn’t seek another term, opening a floodgate of questions about which Democrat would step up and campaign for his seat.

“Of course there was great hope Schweitzer would declare himself the Democratic candidate,” Bohlinger said. “But Brian surprised everyone and said he’s not interested.”

In October, Lt. Gov. John Walsh announced he would run for Senate. Soon after Bohlinger declared his campaign.

“One thing that stirred my interest was when [U.S. Senate Majority Leader] Harry Reid called me in November,” Bohlinger explained. “He said ‘We’ve chosen our candidate, it’s John Walsh. We want you to drop out.’”

“I said, ‘Well Senator, I think it’s inappropriate for the Democratic committee to become involved in a Montana primary. The people of Montana should decided, not the power brokers in D.C.’ I [told Reid] it will be a contested primary.”

But in February, Walsh was appointed to the Senate seat after Baucus resigned to become the U.S. Ambassador to China. The move essentially gave Walsh the status of incumbent.

“When Baucus resigned, it was my hope [Gov. Steve Bullock] would have chosen someone not actively seeking the office — anyone other than [Walsh] or myself,” Bohlinger said.

He compared campaigning against an incumbent to running a sprint against someone with a 40-yard head start.

Still, Bohlinger doesn’t appear to be deterred. He spent 21 days on the road campaigning in April, and another 21 on the road in May, including his stop in Whitefish.

He says his campaign is “greatly under-funded,” having raised about $32,000 compared to the $1.8 million Walsh has raised, as of May 15.

“I have enough money for a tank of gas and a Big Mac,” he said. “But my style of campaigning is to go talk to the people. We’ll let the people decide.”

Bohlinger says he’ll be at peace with whatever the outcome of the June 3 primary.

“I’m doing this out of the principle,” he said. “One should be able to believe in democracy. It’s a government of the people, for the people, by the people. Not a government that’s handed to us by someone else.”

Bohlinger calls his agenda “very progressive.”

He would like to bring forward a Constitutional amendment that declares, “Only human beings are entitled to First Amendment rights of free speech.”

“When the Supreme Court decided corporations are like people, I think that has a damaging effect on the process,” he said. “Our democracy is at risk if politicians can be bought.”

He also would bring forward legislation to shorten the campaign season.

“Our neighbors to the north [in Canada] elect their government in 90 days,” he said. “We could do the same.”

He is proposing tax reform that “encourages businesses to bring their jobs and capital back home,” and would like to expand Social Security and increase the minimum wage.

He also would like to introduce an equal rights amendment.

“I want to clearly state a woman’s right to choose, and also bring forward protection for the LBGTQ community,” he said.

Bohlinger also is proposing a program where 18-year-old citizens can serve in the military, AmeriCorps or Peace Corps in exchange for college tuition.

Bohlinger joined the Marines when he was 18.

“I learned the most important lessons of discipline and commitment,” he said. “It’s where I grew up. Most 18 year olds today have not been challenged. They feel entitled. It’s through volunteer work, through service that you grow.”

He says his experience as Lt. Governor will serve him well if elected.

“We inherited a balance of $40 million,” he said. “When we left eight years later, we passed off a balance of almost a half billion dollars. We did so without raising taxes. We developed resources, put Montanans to work and we challenged expenses. We managed the budget. Those are some of the skills I’ll be taking to D.C.”