Phillips, Velazquez to face off in June primary

By WALT WILLIAMS Chronicle Staff Writer

Two well-known local Democrats are seeking the seat held by Rep. Chris Harris of Bozeman, who isn't running for re-election.

Mike Phillips, 47, kicked off his campaign for House District 66 during a news conference Tuesday at the Emerson Center for Arts and Culture.

It's his second run for the state House of Representatives, having narrowly lost to Rep. Bill Warden, R-Bozeman, by 3 percentage points in 2004.

Also running for the seat is Tracy Velazquez, the vice chairwoman of the Montana Democratic Party. She unsuccessfully challenged Rep. Denny Rehberg, R-Mont., in 2004.

The two candidates are vying for the Democratic nomination in HD 66 in the June 6 primary elections.

Harris, a Democrat, is stepping down after serving six years in the House.

He endorsed Phillips at Tuesday's news conference, saying the candidate would carry on the tradition of popular Democratic lawmakers Dorothy Eck and Emily Stonington.

"Mike has the energy, the intelligence, the sense of fairness and the innovative ideas that will make Montana a better place to live," Harris said.

HD 66 covers southwest Bozeman, including a large chunk of the city core. It leans Democratic, meaning the winner of the primary election has a good shot of heading on to Helena.

Phillips is executive director of the Turner Endangered Species Fund of Bozeman and led the project to reintroduce wolves to Yellowstone National Park.

He has most recently been a progressive radio talk show host and was chairman of the campaign committee to pass last year's $55 million Bozeman school bond issue.

Phillips had indicated at the end of his last campaign he wouldn't run again.

"I said at the end of '04 I would do it again as soon as there was a need," he said in an interview. "Chris retired, there was a need."

Phillips said his previous campaign experience and his work on talk radio has made him a good listener. He will consider any ideas no matter where they come from -- he just wants good ideas.

The candidate also laid out some of the issues he will be talking about in the weeks ahead.

He wants to resurrect Harris' effort to tax alcohol purchases to pay for Fetal Alcohol Syndrome prevention and treatment. He wants to explore measures to curb identity theft. And he wants to encourage alternative energy.

"Fossil fuels are killing this planet," he said, adding he will work with Gov. Brian Schweitzer to address the issue.

Velazquez, 41, said she looks forward to the race and to talking to constituents about what issues matter to them.

"Before I can come up with some list of bills, I would rather talk to (voters) about what they care about," she said.

The main reason she became vice-chairwoman of the Montana Democratic Party was to push for more women in public office. At the moment, state government looks like a treehouse with a "No Girls" sign hanging over the door, she said.

"The women of Gallatin County deserve some representation in Helena," she said.

The county's 12 state lawmakers are all men.

No Republicans had filed to run in HD 66 as of Tuesday.

Reader Comments