Montana
Montana deserves better than attack ads and political junk food • Daily Montanan
Let’s talk about attack ads. You know the ones—ominous music, grainy photos, and a narrator who sounds like they gargle gravel for a living. We’ve all seen them. We’ve all heard them. And at this point, we’re anesthetized. Political Novocaine.
Enough.
Montana deserves better than campaigns that treat voters like raccoons rummaging through ideological trash cans. We deserve ideas, not insults. Debates, not drive-by smear jobs. Sunlight, not sludge.
And that brings us—unavoidably—to incumbent Sen. Steve Daines.
Rather than showing up in Montana for public town halls, rather than standing in front of voters and answering unscripted questions, Daines has perfected a different approach – absence. He won’t hold a public town hall. He won’t face constituents. Instead, Montanans get something else entirely—well-financed, vicious attack ads, launched long before an election and even before a candidate has formally declared.
That’s offensive.
If you won’t show up, don’t send a hit piece in your place. Montana is not a focus group. Democracy is not a mailer campaign. And an attack ad is not a substitute for showing your face and answering hard questions.
Daines should show up. Sending a slick, cynical attack ad instead doesn’t cut it.
Now let’s be honest about what just happened—because it tells us everything we need to know.
University of Montana President Seth Bodnar resigns his position, and before he even announces a campaign, before he files for office, before he says a word about running, Republicans launch a vicious attack ad.
Day. One.
That’s not confidence. That’s fear.
You don’t unload the attack ads that early unless you’re scared stiff.
No welcome. No thanks for service. No “let’s debate the issues.” Just straight into the gutter, guns blazing, facts optional. Misleading claims. Flat-out untruths. The political equivalent of throwing a punch before the bell rings.
Shame on them.
This is exactly why Bodnar is such a compelling candidate. The very speed and savagery of the attacks are the tell. When the ideas are weak, the attacks get loud. When the record can’t compete, the mud comes out early.
Here’s a radical thought: What if candidates held 56 debates across Montana? Fifty-six. One for every county. Let voters ask questions. Let candidates explain who they are, what they’ve done, and what they actually plan to do—rather than explaining why their opponent is apparently the third cousin of Satan.
Crazy, right?
Attack ads don’t persuade; they poison. No one watches one and says, “Wow, that really enriched my understanding of public policy.” They say, “I hate all of you now.” These ads ruin television, make public service unattractive, and convince good people that running for office isn’t worth the personal abuse.
Attack ads are why decent people stay home and cable news stays rich.
This isn’t the Montana way. Or at least, it didn’t used to be.
Which brings me back to Bodnar.
Under his leadership, UM stretched to new heights: roughly $300 million in infrastructure improvements—much donor-funded; R-1 research status (a very big deal); rising enrollment; better retention. He took on a tough job and exceeded expectations.
Now, according to reports, Bodnar may run for the U.S. Senate—as an independent. And suddenly the political establishment loses its mind.
Let’s pause on something important: Bodnar is a real public servant. Full stop.
First in his class at West Point. Rhodes Scholar. Truman Scholar. Green Beret. Multiple combat deployments. Lieutenant Colonel in the Montana National Guard—still serving. Leadership under fire isn’t theoretical for him; it’s lived.
This guy didn’t read about leadership—he graded it.
He taught economics at West Point. He served as a senior executive at General Electric. He knows how large, complicated systems work—and how to fix them.
So what do the attack ads do? They lie.
They claim Bodnar raised tuition by 30%. False. Tuition is set by the Board of Regents, appointed by Gov. Gianforte. If you’re angry, aim accordingly.
What Bodnar actually did was create the Grizzly Promise: Students from families earning $50,000 or less attend UM tuition-free—about a quarter of undergraduates. The average Montana student paid around $3,000 a year in tuition. That’s not an increase. That’s a lifeline.
They claim he’s anti-woman. Also false. His record includes hiring and promoting accomplished women across campus leadership—law, business, conservation and beyond.
Montana deserves truth—not attack-ad garbage. Not politics as a blood sport. Not tribal stupidity served with gusto.
Public service should not require body armor.
This is a call for higher integrity and higher discourse—from every party and every candidate. Tell us your vision. Tell us your ideas. Tell us how you’ll make Montana stronger.
And if you’re already in office, show up. Face the people you represent.
Just spare us the lies, the fear-mongering, and the political junk food.
Montana deserves better. And we should demand it—loudly.
Montana
Montana Lottery Powerball, Lotto America results for March 4, 2026
The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at March 4, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from March 4 drawing
07-14-42-47-56, Powerball: 06, Power Play: 4
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lotto America numbers from March 4 drawing
33-38-39-47-51, Star Ball: 07, ASB: 02
Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from March 4 drawing
01-07-08-27, Bonus: 12
Check Big Sky Bonus payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from March 4 drawing
05-10-26-53-59, Powerball: 06
Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Montana Cash numbers from March 4 drawing
03-04-06-08-10
Check Montana Cash payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from March 4 drawing
12-13-36-39-58, Bonus: 03
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Montana Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 9 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky For Life: 8:38 p.m. MT daily.
- Lotto America: 9 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Big Sky Bonus: 7:30 p.m. MT daily.
- Powerball Double Play: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Montana Cash: 8 p.m. MT on Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 9:15 p.m. MT daily.
Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Great Falls Tribune editor. You can send feedback using this form.
Montana
University of Montana president job draws high interest • Daily Montanan
The search for a new University of Montana president has drawn more than 60 applicants, according to a spokesperson for the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education.
“We do not have an exact count at this time, as several applications are still being completed and additional submissions are expected,” said spokesperson and Deputy Commissioner Galen Hollenbaugh in an email earlier this week.
In January, then-UM-President Seth Bodnar announced his resignation to pursue other public service. Wednesday, the final day of filing, he announced he was running as an independent for the U.S. Senate to try to unseat Republican incumbent Steve Daines.
Commissioner of Higher Education Clayton Christian earlier said that with the advice of AGB Search, a firm that’s helped the Montana University System conduct other executive searches, he would undertake an expedited process to appoint a new president.
Christian has been providing brief updates on a website dedicated to the search. Last week, he said he and AGB Search are reviewing applications, and the pool of candidates was “strong and diverse.”
The commissioner also announced he was convening a small working group to assist in the search, members who “represent a variety of perspectives to assist in vetting and narrowing this field of exceptional candidates.”
In an email this week, Hollenbaugh identified the members of the working group who are assisting Christian with application review as:
- Community member and former Regent Joyce Dombrouski
- Faculty Senate Chairperson Valerie Moody
- Staff Senate President Dominic Beccari
- Administration Representative John DeBoer (Vice President of Academic Affairs)
- ASUM (Associated Students of the University of Montana) President Buddy Wilson
Hollenbaugh declined to comment on the way the rest of the process would unfold or the role the working group members would play.
Christian earlier said he anticipated an appointment within one to three months, or as soon as early this month.
Montana
Montana Supreme Court allows ballot measure on initiative process to move forward
HELENA — The Montana Supreme Court has ruled in favor of a proposed ballot measure intended to simplify the process for introducing ballot measures in the future.
Justices ruled 5-2 that the measure, currently called Ballot Issue #8, did not violate state requirements that a single constitutional amendment can’t make multiple separate changes to the Montana Constitution.
“We’re very grateful to the Montana Supreme Court for agreeing with us that the attorney general’s finding of legal insufficiency for Ballot Issue #8 was incorrect,” said SK Rossi, a spokesperson for Montanans Decide, the group sponsoring the measure.
Montanans Decide argues the Montana Legislature has passed laws making it harder for the public to propose and pass ballot issues. The Montana Constitution already guarantees the people the right to pass laws and amendments through ballot measures, but Ballot Issue #8 would expand that to include a right to “impartial, predictable, transparent, and expeditious processes” for proposing those measures. It would seek to prevent “interference from the government or the use of government resources to support or oppose the ballot issue.”
Attorney General Austin Knudsen’s office argued the measure “implicitly amended” multiple provisions in the state constitution, including by limiting the “power and authority of public officials to speak officially on ballot issues that affect those officials’ public duties” and by putting restrictions on judges and on the Legislature. Montanans Decide, the group sponsoring Ballot Issue #8, disagreed – and the majority of justices sided with them.
“Its provisions operate together to define and protect a single constitutional right—the people’s exercise of initiative and referendum,” wrote Justice Katherine Bidegaray in the majority opinion. “They are closely related components of one constitutional design.”
Bidegaray’s majority opinion was joined by Justices Jim Shea, Laurie McKinnon, Beth Baker and Ingrid Gustafson.
Chief Justice Cory Swanson and Justice Jim Rice each wrote dissenting opinions, saying they would have upheld Knudsen’s decision to disallow Ballot Issue #8. Rice said the language restricting government interference with a ballot issue was not closely related and should have been a separate vote. Swanson agreed with Rice and said the measure’s attempt to fix a timeline for legal cases surrounding ballot measures was also a separate substantial change.
In a statement, Chase Scheuer, a spokesperson for Knudsen’s office, reacted to the decision.
“This decision only further muddies the courts’ jurisprudence on ballot issue questions,” he said. “This initiative would violate the separate vote requirement by amending multiple parts of the Montana Constitution, but the court contradicted its prior rulings. Attorney General Knudsen will continue to neutrally apply the separate vote requirement in his review of ballot initiatives.”
The court’s decision means that Knudsen’s office will now need to approve ballot language for Ballot Issue #8. Once that language is finalized, Montanans Decide could begin gathering signatures to qualify the measure for the November ballot.
However, last year, sponsors of another initiative went to the Supreme Court to argue that the ballot statements Knudsen prepared were misleading. If Montanans Decide object to their ballot statements, that could further delay signature gathering while the case plays out in court.
“Regardless, we’re going to push as hard as we can to get those petitions into the hands of voters and let them sign and support if they so choose,” said Rossi.
Rossi said the legal battle this measure has gone through – and the possibility of more to come – shows why Ballot Issue #8 is needed.
“The state Legislature, and also statewide elected officials, have taken every opportunity to create burdens and hurdles and rigamarole for campaigns to get through in order to just get to the signature gathering phase, and then to get through the signature gathering phase onto the ballot, and then get through the election phase,” said Rossi. “The reason we filed this initiative is just to make sure that the process is simple, that the timeline is clear, and that Montanans can have their will heard when they want to propose and pass laws that they deem worthy.”
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