Letters to the editor Jan. 18

The party of Trump

Rep. Braxton Mitchell, currently serving with the super-majority of Republicans in the Montana Legislature, recently announced his candidacy for House District 5. While it's good to know he will no longer represent Columbia Falls in HD3, it is likely he will return to the Legislature for another two-year term as he is seeking election in a newly formed majority Republican district that no longer includes Columbia Falls. 

In a statement to the Hungry Horse News Braxton bragged: "I was able to spend some of this past weekend with [indicted, impeached, defeated and disgraced former] President Donald Trump, and he told me to stick with it and keep fighting, and that's what I'm going to do for the people of Montana." (In case it's unclear, those bracketed words are my additions to Braxton's statement.) 

It's worth acknowledging Mitchell's willingness to serve in the Legislature. The future of the country and Montana depends upon young people becoming politically active. He deserves credit for doing so. However, his devotion to Donald Trump and reactionary MAGA politics is disturbing. 

On the same day Mitchell touted his devotion to Trump one of the few remaining critical-thinking Republicans resigned from the Republican presidential primary. In announcing the suspension of his campaign former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said the following: "Anyone who is unwilling to say that he (former President Trump) is unfit to be president of the United States is unfit themselves to be president of the United States." 

That should be amended as such: "Anyone who is unwilling to say that former President Trump is unfit to be president of the United States is unfit themselves to be a candidate for any elected office." 

I doubt we will hear any Republican candidate in Montana in 2024 say Trump is unfit to be president. 

— Roger Hopkins, Columbia Falls