Montana Shooting
Sports Association
General Election 2012
Candidate Grades and Endorsements
KEY
A-F = Letter grade
E/Bold = Endorsed by MSSA
? = No information about candidate (No Candidate
Questionnaire returned and no voting record)
United States Senate
Dennis Rehberg
AE
Jon Tester
C
Dan Cox
A
United States House of Representatives
Steve Daines
AE
Kim Gillan
?
Governor of Montana
Rick Hill
AE
Steve Bullock
?
Attorney General of Montana
Tim Fox
AE
Pam Bucy
?
Montana Senate
Montana House of Representatives
Name |
Office |
Grade |
Gerald (Jerry)
Bennett |
HD01 |
A |
Mike Cuffe |
HD02 |
AE |
Ronald K McDole |
HD02 |
? |
Shawn Guymon |
HD03 |
? |
Jerry O'Neil |
HD03 |
A+E |
Zac Perry |
HD03 |
? |
Tim Baldwin |
HD04 |
BE |
Ed Lieser |
HD04 |
? |
James Mahnke |
HD05 |
? |
Keith Regier |
HD05 |
AE |
Carl Glimm |
HD06 |
BE |
Brenda Talbert |
HD06 |
? |
Randy Brodehl |
HD07 |
BE |
Diane Frances
Taylor |
HD07 |
? |
Steve Lavin |
HD08 |
C |
Brittany MacLean |
HD08 |
? |
Rodrik Brosten |
HD09 |
? |
Scott M. Reichner |
HD09 |
B |
Mark Blasdel |
HD10 |
AE |
Alexander William
Schaeffer |
HD10 |
? |
Greg Hertz |
HD11 |
? |
Bud Koppy |
HD11 |
C |
Daniel R. Salomon |
HD12 |
AE |
Luke Walawander |
HD12 |
? |
Debra J. Achatz |
HD13 |
? |
Pat Ingraham |
HD13 |
AE |
Christine Johnson |
HD14 |
? |
Jessie Nichols |
HD14 |
? |
Nicholas
Schwaderer |
HD14 |
AE |
"Frosty" Calf Boss
Ribs |
HD15 |
F |
Joe Read |
HD15 |
AE |
Lila J. Evans |
HD16 |
C |
Lea Whitford |
HD16 |
? |
Christy Clark |
HD17 |
AE |
Mike Henning |
HD17 |
? |
Colter McCarty |
HD18 |
? |
Jesse O'Hara |
HD18 |
F |
Roger A. Hagan |
HD19 |
? |
Richard D. Liebert |
HD19 |
? |
Steve Fitzpatrick |
HD20 |
C |
Lindsay Love |
HD20 |
? |
Jean Price |
HD21 |
? |
Steven R. Sem |
HD21 |
? |
George Paul |
HD22 |
? |
Casey Schreiner |
HD22 |
? |
Carlie Boland |
HD23 |
F |
Patrick Flaherty |
HD23 |
? |
Tom Glover |
HD24 |
? |
Brian Hoven |
HD24 |
D |
Tom Jacobson |
HD25 |
? |
Cleve Loney |
HD25 |
BE |
Tim Martin |
HD26 |
? |
Robert "Bob"
Mehlhoff |
HD26 |
BE |
Rob Cook |
HD27 |
? |
Roy Hollandsworth |
HD28 |
B+ |
Todd Lark |
HD29 |
? |
Ryan Osmundson |
HD29 |
AE |
Bill Harris |
HD30 |
A |
Bridget Smith |
HD31 |
? |
Clarena M. Brockie |
HD32 |
? |
Kris Hansen |
HD33 |
BE |
Brenda Skornogoski |
HD33 |
F |
Karen S. Sloan |
HD34 |
? |
Wendy Warburton |
HD34 |
A+E |
Floyd R. Hopstad |
HD35 |
? |
Mike L Lang |
HD35 |
? |
Austin Knudsen |
HD36 |
A |
David Halvorson |
HD37 |
B |
Alan Doane |
HD38 |
AE |
Jim Hicks |
HD38 |
? |
Lee Randall |
HD39 |
AE |
Bill McChesney |
HD40 |
D |
Patricia Rae
Peppers |
HD41 |
? |
Sterling Small |
HD41 |
BE |
Carolyn
Pease-Lopez |
HD42 |
F |
Duane Ankney |
HD43 |
C |
Gary Perkins |
HD43 |
D |
Jonathan McNiven |
HD44 |
BE |
Wallace Yovetich |
HD44 |
? |
Tom Berry |
HD45 |
C |
Carolee Hagstrom |
HD45 |
? |
Clayton Fiscus |
HD46 |
A |
Dale E. Rumph |
HD47 |
? |
Daniel Zolnikov |
HD47 |
AE |
Douglas (Doug)
Kary |
HD48 |
AE |
Rita Wells |
HD48 |
? |
Mary McNally |
HD49 |
? |
Tim Stark |
HD49 |
? |
Dennis Robert Lenz |
HD50 |
AE |
Deborah D. Willis |
HD50 |
? |
Kelly McCarthy |
HD51 |
? |
Taj Mukadam |
HD51 |
? |
Virginia Court |
HD52 |
F |
Kassidy Olson |
HD52 |
? |
Dave Hagstrom |
HD53 |
BE |
Joseph Sands |
HD53 |
? |
David Lewis |
HD54 |
? |
Margie MacDonald |
HD54 |
F |
Cary Smith |
HD55 |
A+E |
Bob Winger |
HD55 |
? |
Don Jones |
HD56 |
B |
Sarah Laszloffy |
HD57 |
AE |
Sean Whiting |
HD57 |
? |
Krayton Kerns |
HD58 |
A+E |
Cole Olson |
HD58 |
? |
Paul Beck |
HD59 |
? |
Joanne G. Blyton |
HD59 |
AE |
Jim Dickey |
HD60 |
? |
David Howard |
HD60 |
C |
Alan Redfield |
HD61 |
? |
Reilly Neill |
HD62 |
? |
Dan Skattum |
HD62 |
AE |
Timothy Adams |
HD63 |
? |
Tom Burnett |
HD63 |
BE |
Franke Wilmer |
HD63 |
F |
Clint Field |
HD64 |
? |
Tom Woods |
HD64 |
? |
Nick Mahan |
HD65 |
? |
Kathleen Williams |
HD65 |
? |
Jennifer "JP"
Pomnichowski |
HD66 |
F |
Dave Ponte |
HD66 |
BE |
Gordon (Gordy)
Vance |
HD67 |
A |
Kelly Flynn |
HD68 |
B |
Ted Washburn |
HD69 |
B |
April Buonamici |
HD70 |
? |
Christopher Burke |
HD70 |
? |
Kerry E. White |
HD70 |
B |
Kim Miller |
HD71 |
? |
Ray L. Shaw |
HD71 |
? |
Norma J. Duffy |
HD72 |
? |
Jeffrey Welborn |
HD72 |
C |
Pat Noonan |
HD73 |
F |
Gary Wold |
HD73 |
AE |
Ryan Lynch |
HD74 |
? |
Max Yates |
HD74 |
BE |
Ed Zimpel |
HD74 |
? |
Edith (Edie)
McClafferty |
HD75 |
F |
Greg Miller |
HD75 |
AE |
Amanda Curtis |
HD76 |
? |
Adam Lythgoe |
HD77 |
F |
Kirk B. Wagoner |
HD77 |
? |
Joe Cohenour |
HD78 |
? |
Steve Gibson |
HD78 |
C |
Mark Diaz |
HD79 |
? |
Chuck Hunter |
HD79 |
F |
Liz Bangerter |
HD80 |
D |
Kelsen Young |
HD80 |
? |
Galen Hollenbaugh |
HD81 |
F |
Ronald Lassle |
HD81 |
? |
Jenny Eck |
HD82 |
? |
Samuel J
Hunthausen |
HD82 |
? |
Marla C Clark |
HD83 |
C |
Wylie Galt |
HD83 |
? |
Mike Miller |
HD84 |
AE |
Everett G. Sheets |
HD84 |
? |
Scott Vandevender |
HD84 |
? |
John "Scott"
Perkins |
HD85 |
? |
Gordon Pierson Jr |
HD85 |
? |
Elena Gagliano |
HD86 |
? |
Kathy Swanson |
HD86 |
F |
Pat Connell |
HD87 |
BE |
Karen Fisher |
HD87 |
? |
Jan Wisniewski |
HD87 |
? |
Ron Ehli |
HD88 |
BE |
Pam Erickson |
HD88 |
? |
Stephen Rodriguez |
HD88 |
? |
Nancy Ballance |
HD89 |
AE |
Andy Elwell |
HD89 |
? |
Peggy Steffes |
HD89 |
B |
Edward Greef |
HD90 |
C |
Toby Martin |
HD90 |
? |
John D Meakin |
HD90 |
? |
Chuck Erickson |
HD91 |
? |
David "Doc" Moore |
HD91 |
BE |
Bryce Bennett |
HD92 |
F |
Paul Varkuza |
HD92 |
? |
Douglas Coffin |
HD93 |
? |
Brandon Simpson |
HD93 |
? |
Lyn Hellegaard |
HD94 |
? |
Ellie Hill |
HD94 |
F |
Karen K. Meyer |
HD95 |
? |
Tom Steenberg |
HD95 |
? |
Jon Baker |
HD96 |
C |
Carolyn Squires |
HD96 |
F |
Gary E Sanders |
HD97 |
AE |
Nancy Wilson |
HD97 |
? |
Jenifer Gursky |
HD98 |
? |
Larry Jones |
HD98 |
? |
Kimberly Dudik |
HD99 |
? |
Gary Marbut |
HD99 |
AE |
Dave Andrews |
HD100 |
? |
Champ Edmunds |
HD100 |
AE |
Notes: MSSA does not endorse candidates in uncontested
races. MSSA grades are based only on voting records of
incumbents, and/or MSSA Candidate Questionnaires returned to MSSA by
candidates. MSSA records and tracks votes of incumbents both
on chamber floor votes, and in committee votes on selected Right to
Keep and Bear Arms-related bills. That is, MSSA requires an
objective basis for its grades. MSSA does not endorse
candidates below a B grade. MSSA prefers to see a two-letter
separation between opposing candidates before endorsing the better
candidate, such as an A and a C, or a B and a D. MSSA does not
endorse a candidate unless MSSA has positive information about that
candidate - a voting record or a returned Candidate Questionnaire -,
even if the opponent has an F voting record. MSSA does not
consider or report political affiliation when making grades or
endorsements, although political party platforms on RKBA-related
issues may be factored into grades. MSSA is
non-partisan. MSSA is not a Republican organization, even
through the majority of its endorsements go to Republican
candidates. That is because incumbent Democrats tend to have
poor voting records on RKBA issues, and non-incumbent candidates
running as Democrats often do not complete and return MSSA's
Candidate Questionnaire. Conversely, Republican incumbents
usually have good voting records on RKBA issues, and new Republican
candidates are much more likely to return MSSA's Candidate
Questionnaire. Given the critical importance of the US Supreme
Court to the RKBA, Senate votes on confirmation of Supreme Court
justices weighed heavily in MSSA's grade assignment.