If politics is a horserace, then House District 84 might just be the local contest that has the bookies scratching their heads.

Voters in the district on Nov. 4 will choose from:

- Republican primary winner, Mike Miller of Helmville.

- Incumbent John Ward of the Helena Valley, who narrowly lost the June 3 contest to Miller and is running a spirited write-in campaign.

- Libertarian Ron Vandevender of Craig, a longtime politico new to the local scene.

- Democrat Pam Ponich-Hunthausen of the Helena Valley, who was appointed after the primary, when the original Democratic candidate was disqualified for not living in the district.

The district includes much of the northern Helena Valley, stretches north to Highway 200 and the Cascade County line, and extends westward to cover the southern half of Powell County.

It’s been solidly Republican in the two elections since the legislative map was redrawn five years ago, with Ward winning about two-thirds of the vote in both 2004 and 2006.

But Miller’s 25-vote upset of Ward in this year’s primary, the addition of a third-party candidate and the midsummer change on the Democratic ticket make the race flatly unpredictable.

Miller has advocated for environmentally responsible natural-resource development and has said he would support increased alternative-energy development. A self-described small-government conservative, he’s said he would repeal regulations and increase tax incentives for businesses willing to move to Montana, as well as create tax deductions for medical expenses.

One of his main priorities, if elected, would be to raise teachers’ salaries in Montana to better compete on the national market. Miller has seen teaching positions advertised for as little as $19,000 per year with no benefits.

Miller, who runs a computer business, said he believes waste in state government could be trimmed, with money gained from those efficiencies going to support education. He also thinks increased natural-resource development could provide a funding stream for schools.

Ward has taken some creative approaches to running as a write-in after being elected twice in the district and has loaned his campaign thousands of dollars. After losing the Republican primary, he was unable to use the party’s name or symbols on his campaign materials, so he’s painted shamrocks over the elephants on his old GOP signs and has sent packets to voters that include stickers they can use on the ballot instead of writing in his name.

In the primary, Ward was the target of mass negative campaign mailings after he was labeled by Rep. Roger Koopman as one of a dozen “socialist” Republicans in the state Legislature. He filed a complaint against Miller alleging he distributed campaign materials that he grossly misrepresented Ward’s voting records.

Ward, who owns a septic-pumping business, chose to push his re-election campaign in light of those attacks because he thinks it’s the fair thing to do for his constituency.

“If he hadn’t lied about my voting record … I would have endorsed him and probably written him a check and rode off into the sunset,” he said. “I’ll feel good knowing that when I wake up Nov. 5, I’ll have done everything I could.”

On the issues, Ward supports researching clean-coal technology and also thinks natural-resource development could provide an additional funding stream for the state’s school districts. He lists education and improving rural health-care opportunities as his priorities.

Vandevender, a small-time rancher and online business owner, said he would encourage small-business development, advocate for ecologically sound mining and timber practices, push for alternative energy development, focus on improving education standards, and work to revise health care.

He would push for wind and solar energy development at the household level and ask for solar panels to be used on state buildings and schools.

Vandevender ran for a congressional seat in Mississippi in the 1990s as a Republican, but said he left the party because he was sick of partisan politics.

Ponich-Hunthausen, the Florence Crittenton Home’s clinical director, was appointed by Democrats in August to replace Wayne Lewis, who didn’t live within HD 84. According to state law, candidates must live in the district they’re running in if the district crosses county lines.

Her top priorities include strengthening the educational system by raising teachers’ salaries and giving them more resources to work with.

She also wants to focus on early-childhood services, and said she believes the state can save money in the long run by focusing more on early childhood — education, social and emotional growth, and preventative physical and mental health care. Part of the solution, she said, is relieving tax pressure on working parents, giving them more time, energy and resources to focus on parenting as their first job.

She also wants to increase opportunities for alternative energy development and conservation both on the corporate and household levels.

Fundraising

Miller had raised about $3,700 and spent about $3,200 as of Oct. 18, according to his campaign finance report. He’s raised $1,270 from political action committees, including social conservative groups and petroleum and timber advocates. He’s also taken $750 from local Republican committees and raised $1,060 from individual donors. He’s loaned his campaign about $1,500 over the course of the primary and general races.

Ward has raised about $5,700 in individual contributions and received $160 from the Montana Public Employees Association PAC. He’s spent nearly $14,000 on his campaign, loaning more than $8,400 of his own money to the race.

Vandevender reported raisng $191, including $91 of his own money and $100 from the Montana Academy of Ophthalmology. He’s spent $122.

Ponich-Hunthausen has raised about $12,300 and spent $1,600 as of Oct. 18. She’s raised $1,270 through political action committees and local Democratic clubs. She reported nearly $11,000 from individual donors.

Reporter Larry Kline: 447-4075 or larry.kline@helenair.com