Two formerly prominent Montana Democrats have changed their colors and are now working to support Green Party Candidates, but they say the Democratic Party is pushing back.

Montana State Green Party Coordinator Danielle Breck says she and her husband were threatened by the Democratic Party of Montana when they chose to publicly support Jill Stein for President after Hillary Clinton won the primary back in June.

"I was a Missoula County Democratic Precinct Committeewoman and after the state convention in June, I set about to get Jill Stein (Green Party) on the ballot and I was informed that as a Democratic Precinct Committee person, as an elected official of the Democratic Party, by endorsing and campaigning for a member of another party I was at risk of losing my seat," Danielle Breck said.

Breck’s husband, Thomas Breck is now trying to get on the ballot as a Green Party candidate in Montana’s Special Congressional election. He says that there are high ranking members of the Montana Democratic Party that felt disaffected after Rob Quist was picked as the party’s nominee and that some have said they will vote Green this year, however, he says he did not want to name names out of fear that the Democratic Party might retaliate.

"At the Democratic State convention, when Amanda Curtiss did not get the nomination I had more than half a dozen people call me and tell me 'I'm in on your campaign' and the only thing they were waiting for was whether or not they were going to let the progressive have the nomination or going to prop up a quasi-celebrity instead," Thomas Breck.

Thomas Breck is working to get on the Montana ballot and has a hearing before U.S. District Judge Brian Morris in Great Falls next Tuesday on on April 4th.

KGVO News asked Montana Democratic Party spokeswoman Kristen Cates about how the party would deal with party officials supporting third party candidates and received the following response:

"The Montana Democratic Party welcomes all voices to participate in the Democratic process -- unlike the Montana GOP, which made candidates pay a Democracy tax to participate in the special election, has a record of trying to remove third-party candidates from the ballot and has supported voter suppression efforts in the Montana Legislature." -- Kristen Cates, Communications Director, Montana Democrats

Even if the court rejects his case, Breck says he is planning to continue to campaign as a write-in candidate.

More From Newstalk KGVO 1290 AM & 98.3 FM