The Montana Republican Party formally censured nine Republican state senators for repeatedly aligning with Democrat lawmakers during the 2025 legislative session, which undermined the elected Republican majority in the state Senate, just as some Republican lawmakers have done in Alaska.
According to a statement released by the Montana Republican Party, the party’s executive committee voted unanimously to censure Sens. Jason Ellsworth, Butch Gillespie, Gregg Hunter, Joshua Kassmier, Gayle Lammers, Denley Loge, Wendy McKamey, Russel Tempel, and Shelley Vance. The censure vote took place during a meeting on March 27.
The rogue Republicans had had advance warning. The party issued a press release on March 13 criticizing the nine, stating that the senators “frequently aligned with Democrats, creating obstacles for the Republican majority in the Senate.” The release referenced actions beginning on Jan. 6, the first day of the 69th Legislative Session, when the senators joined Democrats to overrule Republican leadership and create a coalition government.
“The MTGOP calls on these senators to cease obstructing key Republican priorities and return to the faithful representation of their constituents and the Republican platform. If their actions continue to damage the integrity of the Republican majority, the party will consider additional steps to address the situation,” Montana GOP wrote in its warning. The nine ignored the warning.
As a result of the censure, the party said it would no longer recognize the senators as Republicans and would not provide them with political funding in future campaigns.
In response, eight of the nine censured senators — all except Sen. Jason Ellsworth — issued an open letter to the citizens of Montana, which said, in part, “We were elected to serve you, not to follow orders from political insiders… Let’s be clear: this censure is nothing more than a distraction — meant to cover up the fact that party leaders have failed to deliver on the core priorities you sent us here to address… This censure changes nothing. We’ll keep showing up. We’ll keep delivering. And we’ll keep putting Montana first.”
The coalition in Montana mirrors Alaska Legislature’s problems. Although Alaskans elect a majority of Republicans, since 2023, the Alaska Senate has been governed by a majority-democrat coalition, with a few Republicans joining in — Sen. Cathy Giessel, Sen. Bert Stedman, and Sen. Gary Stevens, and Sen. James Kaufman, who eventually left the Democrat coalition and rejoined the Republicans.
In the Alaska House, a couple of rogue Republicans joined with the Democrats to create a majority. They are Rep. Louise Stutes and Rep. Chuck Kopp.
Setting a good example for Alaska. So what is the Alaska GOP waiting for?
They ARE the problem. They have threatened this before they have censured then endorsed Murkowski. At a bare minimum they should EJECT Stutes and Merrick from the party altogether.
Would a carefully researched false advertising class action lawsuit tune up the Rinos?
After all they did make promises and take money on the strength of those promises.
Senators, as part of the government, are typically protected by sovereign immunity, which generally shields the government from lawsuits unless it consents to be sued.The constitution also protects their right to vote as they see fit.
Get right on that lawsuit Bob.
Go for it!
Whether Alaska, Montana, or wherever, the Democrat Party’s values are clear: abortion, unchecked immigration/population replacement, gun control, gender confusion and bloated, tyrannical government. When “Republicans” side with any or all of those values, they have left the core of Republican (or what SHOULD be Republican) values behind.
Population replacement. Republicans like these that can’t tolerate democracy over party need replacement — xenophobia aside.
Yes and the The Republican stand for corruption, lying, betraying the trust of their constituents, putting the interest of billionaires and large corporations before the country and their state. Dehumanizing racism, sexism, xenophobia, exploiting the poor and the disfranchised, massive hypocrisy.
Your woke crocodile tears are the balm of my soul.
So philosophical…I put you right up there with Socrates and plato..
The Clintons, Jeffry Epstein, and George Soros are good examples of the rich with dirty deeds. Then, there is the Pilosi’s insider trading. Who, specifically, are you referencing?
Oh Luke, you really need to do your research before commenting. How do you think AOC and her friend Bernie became miiionaires working in Congress? Bet it was ok with you when all those biliionaires were supporting democrat causes. You want to talk corruption, have you visited Juneau this year with Dems in charge? You really need to stop drinking the kool-aide. I am a constituent and the only people that portrayed my trust were the people that ran as Republicans and follow democrats. You have a choice. Don’t vote for a Republican. Something tells me you probably haven’t unless you consider the likes of Cathy Giessel a Republican!
Nancy Pelosi.
That’s exactly what you Republicans are screaming about when it comes to immigration: The Great Replacement Theory! SMDH.
There is no such thing as the Democrat Party. If you’re making an argument, at least learn the name of the party.
on bloated govt, trump is the only politician EVER, to reduce the size of govt in any meaningful way. the ONLY one. so don’t lay this on dens.
When I hear a leftist mention “but there was bipartisan support. they are working together”, all I hear is that the crooked politicians on both sides decided to stab the voter collective in the back and move forward with their own uniparty agenda, against the will of the people who voted them in.
You hear what you want to hear and nothing else.
We need to follow their money trails! That should answer some questions!
I have come to the conclusion that in Alaska the term, “works across the aisle” means, “has no principles,” or “I am a leftist falsely claiming conservatism.” Just my own observation.
The Republican Party is far better off without RINOs and traitors. You can’t fight the real enemy when enemies are in your own ranks.
The Republican Party used to admire free thinkers, those who worked and compromised with others, and thought outside the box. Now it seems all that’s wanted is circus elephants – just grab that tail in front of you and follow along.
The GOP once stood on the shoulders of giants – now they lie down flat and let the party or Trump run right over them. Those that challenge the status quo are called RINOS and not true Republicans. Actually, they
very much are. What they are not is MAGA.
The world you lived in when “free thinkers” worked and compromised is gone. It’s been dead for more than 20 years. This had nothing to do with Trump. The “free thinkers” that reached across the aisle helped facilitate the mess that we are in today. Get with the program and stop pretending that working with the Dems is honorable. They are working to destroy Alaska and our nation. Figure this out, before it is too late.
The republican party in alaska is weak that’s why people look me left the party. If they had a set I would go back but as yet they can’t seem to rid themselves of Murkowski so why would anyone expect them to do any better.
Well Tim, actually I never saw or heard of you helping by working within the party, Did I miss your participation? Did you work on Kelly Tshibaka’s campaign to help her defeat Murkowski?
For some reason the good Senators Kelly Merrick and Jesse Bjorkman is frequently left off the list of Republicans serving at the Democrats pleasure.
Good call. – sd
Merrick and Stutes are the worst.
I thought that when people were elected to office, it was for the people all the people and if you work with the opposite party to get things done, that is what you do. Now it seems if you work that way, you are slammed by the trump party. If you don’t want to work with both sides then, go get a different job where you don’t have to work for the people.
So Republicans want their elected officials to blindly follow a party platform without any thinking for themselves and they people they serve or are not all Republicans. Sounds like a dictatorship to me and another good reason to have a strong independent party. Take off your Republican blinders.
That is what they were elected to do. Represent their constituents.
Ahh, Republicans with a Spine.
The so called rogue republicans are republicans that do not want to go along with the republican platform that trump has created. These republicans realize that the Republican Party is doing things that are distructive to Montanas citizens they want what is best for Montana, not what is good for the party, their conscious of the fact that Republican Party does not reflect the values of the American people. I salute these brave and patriotic senators of Montana for standing up for what is right, doing the right things for their constituents, thank you for your patriotic duty to the people of Montana and our country, God bless.
Your celebration of spineless uniparty sellouts and traitors is noted.
What would you look at that. A bunch of ticked off make America great again Republicans because democracy is actually working. Because even the representatives elected by red areas are waking up and realizing how pathetically corrupt and stupid this administration is.
You supporters of Donald Trump will not be looked upon kindly by history. You guys are marks. You’re gullible, pathetic marks. Learn to think for yourself.
A Lefty saying think for yourself. That’s a hoot.
Good for them! Some people found a spine.
George Washington believed that political parties would divide and destroy the United States.
In his Farewell Address in 1796, he said “the spirit of party … serves always to distract the public councils and enfeeble the public administration. It agitates the community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms, kindles the animosity of one part against another, foments occasionally riot and insurrection.”
How dare someone vote for the values their constitutes elected them for! All should bow to the dictatorial whims of Trump! Stop thinking damn it!
How much money and favors are being paid out to get what those votes. It is a sad state of affairs when political elect can be bought off by money, vacations, promises and deals made that the general public knows nothing about. It is not only about power and control, it is about the almighty dollar and has been for more years than anyone will admit.
Wow, the uniparty trolls are really out in force here to defend the treasonous indefensible!
And a whole bunch of new trolls, at that.
Looks like the USAID-funded NGOs are still at it.
Trolls yes, but maybe really only one or two basement dwellers who have no life other than trolling conservative platforms. Rather pathetic, really. No doubt he/she/they will be going to hear the traitor Liz Cheney when she comes to UAA in her effort to remain relevant.
New, or newly renamed?
This is democracy in action. But Republicans can’t stand democracy, and clearly prefer Dictatorship, which is why they think it appropriate to censure members of their own party for having the audacity to think for themselves rather than be robot minions to the cult. So good for these free thinkers. Perhaps some Republicans in our Federal Congress should consider following this lead and create a coalition government with Hakeem Jefferies so they can restore some decency back to the US legislature as well.
The Republican party platform was in place long before Trump got involved, and his campaign came up with a catchy acronym. A lot of comments on here form lefties who have come out of the woodwork. Maybe one of you ultra-tolerant “free thinkers’ could direct me to a left/liberal Alaska news website where I can comment anonymously as a conservative without being censored or banned. Go ahead. I’ll wait.
Thank you to the nine who are trying to make ouyt government work for us, not money.
Unless I’m misunderstanding what’s happening here, nine Republicans are being censured for voting as the people who elected them want to which happens to be against what the Republican party wants them to vote, so they will pull funding for these people. Shouldn’t the people voting for these guys decide who gets into office, not the party that they belong to?
The people who elected them expected them to vote in accordance with the Republican party platform, not with the opposing party. So, yes, you are misunderstanding what’s happening here.
You’re understanding correctly. Those who say that these members need to vote exactly the way the party tells them to don’t understand that if the voters don’t like how their reps vote, then there will be an election where they can voice their verdicts. However, the dictator side of the GOP gets angry if any official refuses to walk in lock step with the party leaders, so apparently they must be punished, not by the voters, but by them via militant means.
Great for Montana. Unfortunately Alaska doesn’t have a functioning GOP party. The leadership goes to parties and patts themselves on the back, but other than that, they seem useless.
They lied to get voted in then turned, Just like Murkowski
Again, the best Democrats have Rs after their names.
The more that all of our elected representatives forego the party lines the better for their constituents.
Legislators surely should vote their consciences, but if they run with an “R” behind their names and take $ from contributors who think they support the Republican platform, then voting against the platform is dishonest. The honest thing to do would be to run as an Independent.
Too many forget the saying v about the queen”s s hillingyou take it,you’re obligated to the service to earn it taking contributions from a,party, means you’re signing n to the platform
Nice to be back without getting “403 Forbidden” each post attempt