In a repeat of 2008, former Bozeman Rep. Roger Koopman has set his sights on state Republicans who he accuses of being too liberal, or RINOs (Republicans in Name Only). Koopman, the chairman of the newly formed Montana Conservative Alliance, says his group is mailing questionnaires to every GOP candidate and, based on their results, will identify who will be supported and who will be targeted.
In a letter included with the questionnaire, Koopman said he seeks to elect lawmakers, “who will set aside the pressures to compromise, will adhere to principle and demonstrate true courage.”
Koopman said his group is a “loose confederation of local Tea Party groups, Campaigns For Liberty, party activists and issue-based organizations,” and added that recruiting efforts have already begun in districts that are a lacking a proven conservative candidate.
Last election season, Koopman used a conservative index rating to compile a list of Republican lawmakers who he saw as being too far to the left. At the time, targeted Polson Sen. John Brueggeman called it “an absolute hack piece” that was “narrowly tailored to make a number of us look bad.” Brueggeman went unchallenged in the primaries and was eventually reelected, but three other Republican incumbents who made the list lost in the primaries.
It will be interesting to see how many Republican candidates actually fill out the Montana Conservative Alliance’s questionnaire. The Republican National Committee, after receiving some backlash, ditched a similar idea of requiring candidates to pass a so-called purity test to receive backing. Instead, the party is urging its leaders to “carefully screen” potential candidates who want support.
But Koopman is undeterred, warning that “we must interpret any late or non-response (to the Montana questionnaire) as disinterest in receiving the support of our member organizations and of conservative Montanans in general.”
Here’s Koopman’s letter in its entirety:
Dear Candidate,
Please give your immediate attention to the attached MCA “Principles” questionnaire. These questions reflect the kind of real issues you will face in the state legislature.
Montana Conservative Alliance was formed to bring together for effective action, the many conservative organizations and thousands of individual activists across the state (Tea Party groups, Campaigns for Liberty, property rights organizations, recreationists, pro-gun and pro-life groups, etc., as well as conservative activists within the parties.)
We believe that defense of liberty is a lawmaker’s highest calling. Thus, we seek to elect legislators who will keep a firm “constitutional grip” on the power, size and cost of government. We believe these times require a new breed of legislators who will set aside the pressures to compromise, will adhere to principle and demonstrate true courage: lawmakers who will truly advance the small government agenda that got them elected.
While we are not a partisan or Republican organization, our chief focus at this time will be on the Republican primaries, since that’s where most or all conservatives will be found. We are in the process of identifying those primary candidates who we can actively support, while targeting for candidate recruitment and assistance, those legislative districts where no conservative, pro-freedom candidate is now on the ballot.
For that reason, we request that our candidate questionnaire be returned to us no later than Friday, February 12. Because of the March 15 filing deadline, surveys sent back after that date will be of little use to us, as we must disseminate this information to all participating organizations in time for them to bring forth their own candidates as needed. Please understand that we must interpret any late or non-response as disinterest in receiving the support of our member organizations and of conservative Montanans in general. We will communicate that message within MCA and to the voting public.
Thanking you for your participation, I am,
Roger Koopman
Executive Director, MCA
former member, MT House of Representatives