MONTANA SHOOTING SPORTS ASSOCIATION
NEWS RELEASE for immediate release

Gun owners and hunters endorse legislative candidates for Primary Election

MISSOULA The Montana Shooting Sports Association today announced its endorsement and grades of state and legislative candidates for the June, 2004, Primary Election. Endorsements have been made only in races with contested primaries, and only in those races where a candidate clearly superior for gun owners and hunters can be identified.

MSSA has recommended candidates in contested races in both Democratic and Republican primaries, but only in those races where information on significant issues is available. This usually includes voting records for incumbents, returned candidate surveys for candidates challenging incumbents and with candidates for open seats, and information about candidates gleaned from other contacts. Depending on available information about candidates, both incumbents and challengers have been endorsed, as well as preferred candidates in open seats.

The candidates endorsed and graded are:

Bob Brown, Governor, C
Pat Davidson, Governor, No information
Tom Keating, Governor, A, Endorsed
Ken Miller, Governor, A, Endorsed
Brian Schweitzer, Governor, No information
John Vincent, Governor, B

Brad Johnson, Secretary of State, A, Endorsed

George,Everett, HD05, Endorsed
William Junis,Jones, HD09, Endorsed
Edward B.,Butcher, HD29, Endorsed
Dave Kasten, HD30, A-
Jim Peterson, HD30, B
Frank,Piocos, HD35, Endorsed
Carol Lambert, HD39, Endorsed
James E.,Dick, HD51, Endorsed
Roger,Koopman, HD70, Endorsed
Harry W.,Klock, HD83, Endorsed
Kandi,Matthew-Jenkins, HD95, Endorsed
Thomas,Opre, SD46, Endorsed
Diane,Rice, HD71, Endorsed
John Maurice,Swanson, HD81, Endorsed
Robert,Bonato, HD85, Endorsed

Rod Bitney, SD03, A-
Jerry O'Neil, SD03, A
Rusty,VanOverbeck, SD07, Endorsed
John,Ward, HD84, Endorsed
Donald L. Hedges, SD18, A
Sam Kitzenberg, SD18, A-
Bruce,Simon, SD26, Endorsed

All endorsed candidates were sent a copy of the endorsement letter attached below.

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Information: contact MSSA president Gary Marbut at mssa@mtssa.org

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On MSSA letterhead

May 18, 2004

Candidate's Name
Address
City, Montana 59XXX

Dear (Candidate's Name),

I am pleased to inform you that you are endorsed by the Montana Shooting Sports Association (MSSA) in your bid to be nominated as the candidate for (office), for the June, 2004 Primary Election.

MSSA is the primary organization asserting the right to keep and bear arms and the rights and prerogatives of hunters in Montana. You will be aware that we routinely obtain passage of pro-gun and pro-hunting legislation by the Legislature.

You have been endorsed by MSSA because you are clearly the best candidate in your Primary Election contest to represent gun owners and hunters. We highly recommend you to the voters of your election district in the Primary Election. We think the right to keep and bear arms and hunting are important. Those voters in Montana who agree with us about this important right should know that you will certainly be the best of the Primary Election candidates in your party to represent our shared convictions.

We believe it is important to elect people to public office in Montana who believe in the rights reserved to the people by our constitutions, state and federal, and especially our right to keep and bear arms, and who believe in our cherished heritage and culture of hunting game animals.

We wish you the best for your Primary Election challenge.

Sincerely yours,

Gary S. Marbut
President