Endorsement from Debby Barret, Former MT State Legislator and President of the MT Senate.

“I received a campaign mailer that, at first glance, appears to come from a conservative group supporting a conservative candidate. However, with a bit of research and a couple of phone calls, I have learned that just the opposite is true.

The Conservatives 4 MT PAC was set up by the most liberal/moderate legislators in the Montana Republican Party. Their PAC is financially supported by the Montana Hospital Association PAC (with a $75,000 donation) and a donation of $80,000 from the Guarantee PAC (based in Washington, DC).

The membership and the financial contributors of the Conservatives 4 MT PAC do not support conservative candidates, nor conservative issues. The fact that this PAC is heavily supported by the Montana Hospital Association PAC gives the impression that hospitals are hoping to influence legislation to save Medicaid expansion.

The mailer states that candidate Nicholas "is a trusted advisor of Governor Gianforte".

However, when I asked the Governor, he said, "She came to one of my fundraisers. Other than that, I have no relationship with her." The fact that the candidate herself has, to my knowledge, made no effort or attempt to correct this glaring mistake speaks volumes regarding her political intent.

This disingenuous mailer is the product of a caucus that was established in 2007. During a budget impasse, they met secretly and illegally with members of the Schweitzer administration to cut a deal and undermine their fellow Republican Legislators. They have given themselves numerous "titles" over the years: The Log Cabin Caucus, The Reasonable Caucus, The Responsible Caucus, and The Problem Solvers Caucus, etc. They now appear (unbelievably) to call themselves The Conservative Solution Caucus.

Party affiliation to this faction is a convenience rather than a commitment to any Party values and principles. Mr. Welch, Mr. Welborn, and Mr. Shaw were members of this caucus during their legislative careers. This faction of Republican Legislators has little regard for the Montana Republican Party, Legislative Leadership, and our Governor.

But perhaps the most concerning aspect of this deceitful campaign mailer is the degree of contempt it holds for the voters of Montana!

If you feel as deeply as I do that there is NO place for this type of campaign based on falsehoods, join me in supporting Montana's true conservatives: Candidate Maness for House District 70 and Candidate Tezak for Senate District 35.

Respectfully submitted,

Former MT Legislator and President of the MT Senate

Debby Barrett

Dillon, Montana