“In Montana, Democrats have a choice to make: We can adopt the messaging and ideology of national democrats – and continue to lose almost every statewide race. Or, we can be Montana Democrats again – and show the rest of the country how Democrats connect to win in red and rural America. Democrats who just claim to have ‘Montana Values’ won’t cut it. A new generation of independent-minded Montana Democrats who personify those values in all 56 counties are the only way out of this newfound wilderness.”

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“Jake Eaton, a GOP strategist who worked on the Gianforte campaign, said he believes Republicans won by such large margins in part because their message was compelling to independent voters and the party was effective at getting its base to turn out and vote.

Internal polling data, Eaton said, indicated Montana voters were worried less about the health care issues Democrats focused on than about their livelihoods, particularly given the economic uncertainty created by the pandemic. 

Other Republicans and some Democrats concurred, citing a perception that the Democratic Party has become increasingly disconnected from low- and middle-income people and communities.”

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“For the most part, that message is that the Montana Democratic Party is not working hard enough for common workers, struggling property taxpayers, and anyone else that’s feeling left out.

…

My God, what a failure the Dem message is!
 
Montana Democrats are set to lose every single statewide office in November, it's so obvious.
 
Instead of figuring out what to do about this, or why the current strategy isn’t working, I feel Montana Democrats will continue down the same tired path.
 
That’s more private fundraisers at rich people’s houses and more out of state fundraising from PACs.
 
I’m sorry, but if that strategy worked then why did Matt Rosendale – who has about $100,000 less in his campaign bank account – get 29,000 more votes than Jesse Laslovich?”

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“Their loyalty is simple – money.
 
Money didn’t quite do it for Hillary.
 
It’s time Democrats look at their strategy of raising tons of dark money and Wall Street money.
 
It didn’t work.
 
Like I’ve said, however, I fully expect they’ll continue to embrace that strategy.
 
They don’t know what else to do.
 
I mean, it’s not like they’ll embrace majorities in this country, they’ll just cling to their minorities.
 
And they’ll lose.
 
It’s just a sad, sad Party.”

“I think this may be a moment of opportunity for Montana Democrats. After sixteen years of understandably playing defense on so many issues, it’s time to sit down over the next few months and develop an agenda for change, for new policies and new ideas.”

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