Chuck Johnson

Veteran Montana political reporter Chuck Johnson reportedly died this past weekend. Tributes immediately started pouring in from fellow journalists and across the political spectrum as the news got out across Montana.

"Oh sure... They abandon their Capitol bureau during Bullock so he can do anything he wants, but a Republican gets elected and it's all hands on deck! Where was this sudden awareness for the need of government transparency the past 8 years?!"

16 points in Yellowstone County? Wow. I don't think Montana Democrats have ever done that bad in Yellowstone County. Some Montana Democrats responded via Twitter, "wait till Cascade County comes in." They got hammered in traditional Democrat-voting Cascade County also.

We had a record turnout in Montana's June 2nd primary election. But who did they turn out for? Republicans.

Is Governor Steve Bullock (D-MT) exploiting his nephew's death nearly two decades ago as he seeks to run as a Democrat presidential candidate in 2020? That certainly seems to be the not-so-subtle message coming from veteran reporters Sally Mauk, with Montana Public Radio, and longtime capitol correspondent Chuck Johnson.