Evening star., 1934-06-17
BATTLE IS CERTAIN
IN MONTANA VOTE
All Congress Incumbents
Face Keen Opposition in
July II Primary.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

special D1SpatCn TO Inc Star.
HELENA, Mont, June l6.-Congres-
sional elections in Montana will pos
sess unusual interest this year and
the primary of July II is sure to wit
ness a lively battle. All incumbents
have keen opposition. A veteran Of
the House, out one term, seeks his
old seat, and national figure on the
Federal bench enters the arena for
the first time.
Democratic candidates exceed Re
publicans in number, but because OF
the personnel involved, the Republican
races will be equally hot"
Two Senators are to be elected,
owing to the death of the late T. j.
Walsh, whose unexpired term former
Gov. j. E Erickson of Kalispen is
serving. Two Representatives also are
to be elected.
In the Democratic primary, B. K.
Wheeler of Butte, incumbent, will face
Bert Replogel of Lewistown, a prom
inent member of the last State As
sembly. Both are progressives.
Erickson Has Large Field.
Senator Erickson will contest
against a larger field, consisting of
John A. Lovelace of Bozeman, prom
inent merchant; James Murray of
Butte, a wealthy attorney; James j.
O'Connor, formerly on the State
bench and long leader of the party
in Montana, and L. P. Donovan, a
Shelby attorney; and all these are
progreSSives.
Seeking Senate honors among Re-
pubIicans is George M. Bourquin, for
more than 20 wears Federal district
Judge in Montana and nationally
known in his profession. He will op-
pose Senator Wheeler if he can de-
feat o. H. P. Shelley of Red Lodge
in the primaries. Shelley is former
national committeeman and now a
publisher. Judge Bourquin resides in
Butte.
Republicans seeking the seat Of Sem
ator Erickson include l.. c. Young OF
Hobson, now State railway commits
sioner; Wellington D. Rankin of Hell
ena, former attorney general and for
mer Federal district attorney; Scott
Leavitt of Great Falls, former Repre-
sentative, and James A. Jorgenson of
Whitehall, a business men. None Of
the Republicans could be character
lied as Old Guard and all but one, or
possibly two, may safely be classed as
progreSSiyes.
Many Seek Two Seats.
For the two seats in the lower
chamber many aspire. In the first, or
western district, the incumbent, Joe
P. Monaghan OF Butte, a Democrat
and the baby of the house, Is opposed
by John M Evans of Missoula, and
Dennis A. Wellwo of Charlo. Wellwo
was speaker of the last House and has
a large following. Evans was men,
ber of the House for more than 20
years, but was defeated by Monaghan
in the primaries two years ago. All
are progressives. The district Is heav-
ily Democratic, which may account
for the fact that Rev. R. C. Edgington
of Dayton, a Methodist minister, is
unopposed thus far among Repub-
lican aSpirants.
In the second, or eastern district,
the incumbent. Roy E. Ayres of Lewis
town, is unopposed. Republican aspir-
ants are Rev. T. S. StoCkdal OF Bill
ings and District Judge Stanley E.
Felt OF Baker. Ayres is progressive.
Nominations closed 40 days before
the primary Of July II, but it Is not
thought there will be any startling
entries meanwhile.
This is an off year in the State pri-
mary, as Gov Frank H. Cooney. who
is serving the unexpired term of Erick-
son, sits until January l, 1887. Several
State officers are to be elected, includ-
ing members of the Supreme Court,
and also the Assembly and about half
the State Senate, the remainder being
holdovers.