Marc Racicot & Dorothy Bradley
The decision by Marc Racicot and Dorothy Bradley to set aside partisan differences and unite in warning about threats to democratic institutions during the Trump era stands as a powerful example of civic virtue. Their efforts contrast sharply with a political culture increasingly defined by hyper-partisanship, the pursuit of power for its own sake, and forms of self-dealing that have become depressingly common in public life.
Racicot was among the Republican Party's most prominent figures. He served as Montana's attorney general before winning two terms as governor. His national stature grew when he became chairman of the Republican National Committee in 2001 and later chaired President George W. Bush's 2004 reelection campaign.
Bradley ranks among the most influential Montana Democrats of the past half-century. First elected to the Montana House of Representatives in 1970 at age twenty-three, she served sixteen years in the legislature. Throughout her career she earned a reputation as a pragmatic coalition-builder rather than an ideological partisan. Her work focused on environmental stewardship, government reform, and public policy solutions.
What makes their partnership particularly noteworthy is that they were once political rivals. In 1992, Racicot and Bradley faced one another in one of the closest gubernatorial elections in Montana history. Racicot prevailed by fewer than 11,000 votes after a vigorous campaign.
Despite spending much of their careers on opposite sides of the political divide, both came to believe that the defining political question of the Trump era was not Republican versus Democrat, but democracy versus authoritarianism.
Racicot's stance carried particular significance because of his standing within the Republican Party. He energetically opposed Donald Trump's candidacy in 2016, arguing that Trump lacked the character, temperament, and principles necessary for the presidency. In 2020, he endorsed Joe Biden and refused to support Republican candidates who backed Trump.
Bradley's opposition to Trump was less surprising given her long record as a progressive Democrat and reform-minded legislator. In recent years, she and Racicot have appeared together at public forums and civic events dedicated to defending democratic institutions, promoting political moderation, and encouraging civil discourse. Their uncommon alliance serves as a reminder that the preservation of democratic norms requires every citizen to put principle above party.
“This is the handbook for fascism. That’s what it is plain and simple.”
LIVINGSTON, MONTANA - OCTOBER 8, 2025