Bohlinger stays in MT race against Sen. Walsh

Former Montana Lt. Gov. John Bohlinger (D) has decided to stay in the race against Sen. John Walsh (D-Mont.) despite Walsh’s appointment to Congress.

{mosads}Bohlinger had previously indicated he was likely to drop out if Walsh was chosen to replace former Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) when Baucus was appointed ambassador to China. But he has changed his mind, criticizing the “Washington power brokers” who orchestrated Walsh’s appointment.

He compared Walsh’s appointment was like giving him a 40-yard lead in a 100-yard dash, but said, “If the person with the 40-yard head start should stumble, if he trips, then I can win,” according to the Helena Independent-Record.

Bohlinger, a former Republican who served as former Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer’s (D) lieutenant governor, could prove to be a thorn in Walsh’s side, as he looks to unite Democrats and win over the state’s independents in his uphill race against Rep. Steve Daines (R-Mont.).

It’s unclear if Bohlinger will be able to draw much attention — even before Walsh was appointed, the then-sitting lieutenant governor was the clear front-runner in the race. He has raised nearly $600,000 by the end of 2013, while Bohlinger had raised just $7,000, plus a $15,000 loan to himself.