Incumbent Noland to face off against Allen in HD10 race
The results of the 2020 Montana primary election are in and in Bigfork that meant a win for incumbent Republican Mark Noland, who has represented House District 10 since 2015. Noland led challenger Doug Mahlum by 264 votes for the Republican nomination for HD10. Noland had 1,358 votes to Mahlum’s 1,094 votes. Noland will face off against Democratic nominee Jennifer Allen in the Nov. 3 general election.
“It is an honor to be the Republican nominee,” Noland wrote in a June 4 email. “I value the trust the voting public has placed with me, to be the one who will run a conservative, constitutional, principled campaign against the opposition, the Democratic party. My victory in winning the nomination over my friend Doug Mahlum is humbling.”
Noland said the COVID-19 pandemic changed the rules of the game when it came to campaigning — ruling out debates, group meetings and even door-knocking. Instead, his campaign used mailings, Facebook messaging and signs to get the word out.
Looking ahead to November, Noland said the race is going to be one of “different choices.” He identifies as a constitutional conservative who is an advocate for second amendment rights, small government and is pro-life.
“I do not believe in a government that has to take care of all people. It is up to the individual to use their God given rights to choose the path they want to go down,” Noland wrote. “I see the function of the government to protect us, not dictate what or how or where we live and what insurance plan we are allowed to have and what doctor we are allowed to see.”
Noland touted his three terms of experience and ability to form connections on both sides of the aisle as reasons why he believes he is the best choice to represent HD10.
“As a three-term legislator I know how to present my constituent’s ideas and agendas in a way that will help all Montanans,” he wrote.
Democratic nominee Jennifer Allen earned 833 votes in the primary election and will challenge Noland this fall. Allen, a Flathead County resident for over a decade, comes into the race with a background in mental health work and social work. Recently she worked as a crisis interventionist and later with social security disability clients alongside local attorneys.
“I understand budgets and data driven decision-making and know how to build competent and accountable programs. My life’s work has been in the service of others,” Allen wrote.
She believes the Republican party is too rigid to “work across the aisle” to get things done and thinks the current economic crisis demands a more immediate response.
“Right now, the Republican Party in Montana is talking only about what they won’t do – no taxes, no government, no social safety nets, no regulation, cut programs – and not talking about what they will do to help take care of our state, our businesses, our community members and our environment in the midst of these crises,” she wrote. “Montanans are losing their jobs and their health care coverage right along with them, just when we need them to be able to get testing and treatment to keep their families safe, our community safe and keep our rural hospitals solvent.”
She is also a supporter of public lands and wants to minimize the impacts of climate change to protect both tourist-based industries and the environment.
Overall turnout for the Montana primary in Flathead County was 50.52% with more than 35,000 ballots cast between all 42 precincts. The tightest race of the night was for the Republican nomination for county commissioner with Brad Abell narrowly edging out Tony Brockman by just 88 votes. Abell earned 7,157 votes to Brockman’s 7,069, while Elliot Adams rounded out the race with 6,612 votes.
The new commissioner will replace outgoing commissioner Phil Mitchell and represent District 1 and the northern part of Flathead County. The winner of the GOP nomination will take on Democrat Kristen Larson, who ran unopposed. ■
