CHRISTEN-KERR, E. Deschire -- Former federal Senator Denna Halitz (C) says she is backing Conservative Sam Pyatt in the race for East Deschire governor, despite her close relationship with Pyatt's NAT opponent, Val Hennemott.
Questions had been swirling for months about whom Halitz would endorse in the race.
A longtime Conservative, Halitz has known Pyatt for years and the two served in Congress together.
However, Val Hennemott is a former federal senator also, and like Pyatt, served alongside Halitz.
In addition, after a crushing defeat in the 2014 election, Halitz returned to East Deschire looking to rebuild.
Hennemott offered her a partner-level job at her public relations and consulting firm in Christen-Kerr.
The two former female senators, from different parties, built a successful bipartisan consulting agency.
There was speculation Halitz might cross party lines and endorse Hennemott over Pyatt in allegiance to her colleague and business partner.
But in her announcement video, which was filmed in the living room of her home outside Christen-Kerr, Halitz said while she considers Hennemott a friend, she and Hennemott agree to disagree on politics.
"Our friendship transcends politics," she said.
"Val and I made an agreement a long time ago, and that agreement was this: we may endorse different political candidates or different political parties. We may not agree on politics. We may have polar opposite views. But we will always be friends no matter what. And each of us should feel free to voice our political beliefs and share our opinions without fear of damaging our friendship," said Halitz.
She pointed out that in the 2016 presidential race, Hennemott endorsed Nationalist Jim McCaren, while Halitz supported Conservative Donna Almone.
"Just because I endorse someone doesn't mean I don't like Val or think she would make a great governor. I think she would make a great governor. And she is a role model for women leaders in East Deschire. But I have to be true to my political convictions, and politically, I am more conservative, and Sam Pyatt is the more conservative choice, and I think he is well-positioned to lead, he's done a good job in his first term as governor, and we need to continue the work he's already done," Halitz said.
Sources close to both women told the GBC when Hennemott first began exploring a campaign for governor, she consulted with Halitz. The two agreed Hennemott was a viable candidate and had a strong chance of winning.
Hennemott even asked Halitz if she'd be interested in serving as her running mate.
Halitz expressed interest but said she didn't want to run against Pyatt, whom she also considers a friend. She also expressed doubt that a gubernatorial ticket led by two women could win in strongly-conservative East Deschire.
Halitz also reportedly expressed trepidation about endorsing a Nationalist candidate.
"Denna feared that if she backed someone from the NAT, that would effectively end her career in the Conservative party," said one source, who asked for anonymity because they were not permitted to speak to the media. "Denna is already considered a 'moderate,' a 'faux-Conservative' by many hardliners in her party. If she endorsed a Nationalist, that would just seal her coffin and she'd never be able to win another election in East Deschire as a Conservative."
After Lieutenant Governor Mark Ellsworth decided to run for attorney general, Sam Pyatt needed a new running mate to replace Ellsworth.
The governor reportedly asked Halitz if she wanted the job, but like she did when Hennemott asked, Halitz declined, saying she didn't want to run against her friend, Val Hennemott.
Pyatt ultimately chose Christen-Kerr Mayor Phil Qwenberry to be his running mate.
Hennemott chose her former rival, Hansboro businessman John Blackman, to be hers.
The sources who spoke to the GBC said they believe Halitz wants to endorse Val Hennemott, but is backing Sam Pyatt because of pressure from Conservative party leaders.
"If she didn't have to consider politics, I think she would back Val Hennemott, but she's trying to protect her political future, and part of that is loyalty to the party," the source said.
In her video statement, Halitz said she will campaign with Pyatt at various campaign events, but would not demonize the NAT ticket, or condone any negative attacks against Hennemott and Blackman.
"We need to return civility to our politics. I will not participate in any attack ads or negative mailings. I want to elevate the level of our discourse because at the end of the day, we are all East Deschireans who care about our state, whether you're Conservative or Nationalist."
The Val Hennemott campaign released a statement in response to this article, saying, "Val appreciates her friendship and business partnership with Denna Halitz. Val and Denna are both political veterans, and they both understand that sometimes in politics, friends are pitted against friends, and friends end up on different sides. But that's okay, because reasonable people can disagree on these issues and elections and still have a productive relationship."
Questions had been swirling for months about whom Halitz would endorse in the race.
A longtime Conservative, Halitz has known Pyatt for years and the two served in Congress together.
However, Val Hennemott is a former federal senator also, and like Pyatt, served alongside Halitz.
In addition, after a crushing defeat in the 2014 election, Halitz returned to East Deschire looking to rebuild.
Hennemott offered her a partner-level job at her public relations and consulting firm in Christen-Kerr.
The two former female senators, from different parties, built a successful bipartisan consulting agency.
There was speculation Halitz might cross party lines and endorse Hennemott over Pyatt in allegiance to her colleague and business partner.
But in her announcement video, which was filmed in the living room of her home outside Christen-Kerr, Halitz said while she considers Hennemott a friend, she and Hennemott agree to disagree on politics.
"Our friendship transcends politics," she said.
"Val and I made an agreement a long time ago, and that agreement was this: we may endorse different political candidates or different political parties. We may not agree on politics. We may have polar opposite views. But we will always be friends no matter what. And each of us should feel free to voice our political beliefs and share our opinions without fear of damaging our friendship," said Halitz.
She pointed out that in the 2016 presidential race, Hennemott endorsed Nationalist Jim McCaren, while Halitz supported Conservative Donna Almone.
"Just because I endorse someone doesn't mean I don't like Val or think she would make a great governor. I think she would make a great governor. And she is a role model for women leaders in East Deschire. But I have to be true to my political convictions, and politically, I am more conservative, and Sam Pyatt is the more conservative choice, and I think he is well-positioned to lead, he's done a good job in his first term as governor, and we need to continue the work he's already done," Halitz said.
Sources close to both women told the GBC when Hennemott first began exploring a campaign for governor, she consulted with Halitz. The two agreed Hennemott was a viable candidate and had a strong chance of winning.
Hennemott even asked Halitz if she'd be interested in serving as her running mate.
Halitz expressed interest but said she didn't want to run against Pyatt, whom she also considers a friend. She also expressed doubt that a gubernatorial ticket led by two women could win in strongly-conservative East Deschire.
Halitz also reportedly expressed trepidation about endorsing a Nationalist candidate.
"Denna feared that if she backed someone from the NAT, that would effectively end her career in the Conservative party," said one source, who asked for anonymity because they were not permitted to speak to the media. "Denna is already considered a 'moderate,' a 'faux-Conservative' by many hardliners in her party. If she endorsed a Nationalist, that would just seal her coffin and she'd never be able to win another election in East Deschire as a Conservative."
After Lieutenant Governor Mark Ellsworth decided to run for attorney general, Sam Pyatt needed a new running mate to replace Ellsworth.
The governor reportedly asked Halitz if she wanted the job, but like she did when Hennemott asked, Halitz declined, saying she didn't want to run against her friend, Val Hennemott.
Pyatt ultimately chose Christen-Kerr Mayor Phil Qwenberry to be his running mate.
Hennemott chose her former rival, Hansboro businessman John Blackman, to be hers.
The sources who spoke to the GBC said they believe Halitz wants to endorse Val Hennemott, but is backing Sam Pyatt because of pressure from Conservative party leaders.
"If she didn't have to consider politics, I think she would back Val Hennemott, but she's trying to protect her political future, and part of that is loyalty to the party," the source said.
In her video statement, Halitz said she will campaign with Pyatt at various campaign events, but would not demonize the NAT ticket, or condone any negative attacks against Hennemott and Blackman.
"We need to return civility to our politics. I will not participate in any attack ads or negative mailings. I want to elevate the level of our discourse because at the end of the day, we are all East Deschireans who care about our state, whether you're Conservative or Nationalist."
The Val Hennemott campaign released a statement in response to this article, saying, "Val appreciates her friendship and business partnership with Denna Halitz. Val and Denna are both political veterans, and they both understand that sometimes in politics, friends are pitted against friends, and friends end up on different sides. But that's okay, because reasonable people can disagree on these issues and elections and still have a productive relationship."
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