Fern on targeting

During my days on the Whitefish School Board, I was honored to be the sole representative to all Montana trustees serving as a board member to the Montana High Schools Association. I served seven years, a long time for such a position. The MHSA is at the forefront of fair play, for both girls and boys’ sports and activities.

I evaluated state sports and activities tournaments and adjudicated numerous eligibility cases. You will not find a Montanan more passionate about fair play and the opportunity for our girls to have equity including practice times, quality of transportation between games and locker room conditions, than the scribe of this article.

I trust you can understand my surprise at the text of a political mailer from the Montana Republican State Central Committee, stating boldly, “Dave Fern is against fair competition…supports a radical agenda that allows high school boys identifying as females to compete in girls’ sports”. 

Extremists from the far-right side of the majority party seem to be obsessed that a literal pipeline of transgender athletes are participating in MHSA activities. 

Our high school activities and athletic programs provide valuable lessons in leadership, and fair play, something sorely missing from the perpetrators of this mailer.

Ironically, in December of 2023 and January 2024, efforts were made by a Republican Party leader to recruit me to join the party as a “guarantee” to win the race for Senate District 2, Whitefish/Columbia Falls. As a moderate Democrat I have worked with Republican legislators and the governor’s office to promote policies for the betterment of Montana. There are many moderate Republicans in the legislature who have a prickly relationship with the right end of the party. 

I chose to stay with the Democrat Party and honor those who have supported my past races. Loyalty is very important to me. The recruiter commented that I “do a good job and am well liked by many Republicans.” I truly appreciated the offer and thought carefully about my future options.

I believe I was unfairly targeted by the Republican State Party. Such a mailer is negative and inaccurate. Candidates targeted by political parties and uncoordinated associations deserve better. No wonder people can’t wait for this election cycle to end.

Dave Fern

Whitefish