Montana seemed to make quite an impression on folks who attended the Grand Western Conference (e.g., see Claire Wolfe's weblog entry at
http://www.clairewolfe.com/wolfesblog/archives/00000141.html). I have to admit Montana always makes a great impression on me whenever I visit. But impressions aside, we also have to look at some facts about Montana. It's got high taxes compared to Wyoming, NH, and other FSP candidates. It has a relatively bloated government sector. It's awfully dependent on the "Federal" government (its dependency rating is 1.67 -- the only state that's worse is North Dakota). 1.57% of its population is in the NEA (the only state that's worse is Alaska), which means that its 14,000+ NEA members will nearly match the FSP contingent (contrast with Wyoming, which has only about 5,800 NEA members). Its most expensive election in the last 8 years cost $10.9 million, contrast to Wyoming's $4.7 million. Its voting population is around 411,000, nearly twice that of Wyoming's 213,000. So 20k porcupines would be 9.4% of Wyoming voters, vs. 4.9% in Montana (better than 4.1% in Idaho or 3.5% in NH, but still). I too feel an emotional attachment to Montana based on my visits there. But I just can't see how it is twice as good as Wyoming (which it would need to be given its population) when it has higher taxes, bigger government, lower economic freedom, etc. Plus Wyoming has closer proximity to jobs (especially from Cheyenne).
Here's an eye-opening article contrasting Montana and Colorado on economic affairs:
http://independenceinstitute.org/publications/Op-Eds/PoliticsandGovernment/countyourblessingscolorado.htm This article (from the Independence Institute, a free-market think tank in Colorado) shows that Montana made some horrendous choices regarding economic and government policy, greatly expanding government bureacracy over the last 30 years, with predictable results. Wyoming has not made the same mistakes and the southeast corner of Wyoming can tap into the job markets of the northern Front Range of Colorado (Fort Collins, and even Boulder and Denver). Why should the FSP try to reform a state like Montana that has made so many mistakes, when the smaller, freer state of Wyoming offers much stronger potential?
Hey, I like Montana too at an emotional level. But I really want to see Montana advocates make the argument for their favored state based on facts and research. Let's not make a decision of this magnitude based on emotion!