STEVENSVILLE — A political fight among Republicans in Ravalli County that resulted in the ousting of Freedom Caucus allies from local leadership posts earlier this year may serve as a warning to the Montana Republican Party.

In March 2025, Ravalli County District Court Judge Jennifer Lint found the Ravalli County Republican Central Committee had disenfranchised voters and infringed on their constitutional rights by failing to hold an election of officers.

In the complaint, Stevensville Republican Tony Hudson alleged the local party chairman, influenced by hardline members of the GOP, was failing to hold a central committee election contrary to state law, and was illegally holding onto power.

Defendant Ron Stoltz, then chairman of the Ravalli County central committee, argued state GOP by

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