Two Helena teachers, Don Pogreba and Jason Neiffer of Helena are about 95 percent certain they will file as Democrats for governor and lieutenant governor this week, Pogreba said Monday.

If they run, they would face Gov. Brian Schweitzer and Lt. Gov. John Bohlinger in the Democratic primary. Unopposed so far on the Republican ticket are state Sen. Roy Brown for governor and Steve Daines for lieutenant governor.

After thinking about running for several months, Pogreba and Neiffer launched a Web site Friday and Saturday declaring their candidacies. The address is

www.pogrebaneiffer08.com.

However, Pogreba said they want to talk to more people before making a final decision. The filing deadline is 5 p.m. Thursday.

"It doesn't seem right that there isn't some kind of discussion in the Democratic Party primary," Pogreba said.

They are especially interested in offering their views on education, environmental and energy policy.

"We're not overwhelmingly optimistic there is going to be a great discussion of education in a general election campaign," Pogreba said. "Roy Brown is so far to the right. We think it would be good to engage Governor Schweitzer now."

He said they differ with Schweitzer over the need for better college preparatory courses in high school, the need for the state to provide more guidance for local school districts for better standards for teachers and students and, most importantly, school funding.

"We are committed to ensuring that Montana's students receive a fully funded, quality education, and that Montana's taxpayers are certain that their tax dollars for education are spent efficiently on direct student instruction," their Web site said.

Pogreba said he and Neiffer both think Schweitzer had done "a great job" as governor, particularly after his two Republican predecessors, Govs. Judy Martz and Marc Racicot.

"That doesn't mean we shouldn't have a choice in the primary," Pogreba said.

They also can offer the perspective of two working people living on teachers' salaries and facing the same financial worries that many Montanans are going through, he said.

They intend to rely on their Web page, "netroots," or organized political activity online and young people to help, Pogreba said.

"We obviously don't have the money and the time to campaign," Pogreba said.

Pogreba, 36, is a Shelby native, Laurel High School and Carroll College graduate. He was an assistant coach for Carroll's Talking Saints debate team for four years, taught at C.M. Russell High School in Great Falls and has taught at Helena High School since 2001.

Neiffer, 34, is a Great Falls native, Great Falls High School and Carroll College graduate. He has taught at Great Falls High School and now teaches at Helena Capital High School. He has a master's degree in educational technology.

No one put them up to deciding to run or had even talked to them about it, Pogreba said.

"Can we win?" they ask of themselves on their Web site.

"It's certainly a long shot," they continue. "But in a state that elected Conrad Burns three times, isn't anything possible?"

In response to their likely candidacy, Schweitzer's campaign manager Harper Lawson, said, "Brian Schweitzer has faced a contested primary in every race he has ever run, and our campaign never expected this campaign to be any different."