“Let me say that I appreciate your message,” Turiano said, referring to Owen. “I got it loud and clear!”

When announcing his candidacy, Turiano said he was wearing his passion on his sleeve and was fired up and “I came on too strong.” He said his statements were misunderstood.

Meanwhile, in its statement to the media Tuesday, the Montana Tea Party Coalition also said it was perplexed by news stories that have said tea party candidates are running in Democratic legislative primaries. After surveying its member organizations, the coalition said no one in the coalition knew of any active tea party members who are running in Democratic primaries.

The one exception was Mike Comstock, previously involved with the Bozeman Tea Party, has twice run as a Democrat.

“We welcome people of all political persuasions to take up our issues of fiscal accountability and, if inspired, run for office as individuals in the party of their choice,” Anderson said. “However, being a candidate and in agreement with some of our principles is a far cry from being a ‘tea party’ candidate.”

Chuck Johnson is chief of the Lee Newspapers State Bureau in Helena. He can be reached by email at chuck.johnson@lee.net or by phone at (406) 447-4066 or (800) 525-4920.

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