Hear from the 2024 candidates for the MT House of Representatives
There are many candidates running for the MT House of Representatives in Districts 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67 and 68. Read on to hear their responses to the Exponent’s 2024 candidate questionnaire.
Candidates were given three weeks to respond to the questionnaire and were given word counts for each response. Not all of the candidates responded despite multiple emails and phone calls by Exponent staff, and by no means is this an exhaustive account of all of the policy positions and ideas supported by each candidate in a particular race. It is the Exponent’s hope, however, that this concise guide to candidates’ ideas in their own words can serve as a useful resource for voters to decide who they want to vote for. All photos were provided by the candidates’ respective campaigns.
Montana House D 59 - Bozeman
Candidates: Marc Greendorfer (R), Ed Stafman (D)
-----
Marc Greendorfer (R)
Would you be able to provide a brief biography of yourself?
Greendorfer: I founded and run a non-profit civil rights advocacy practice that focuses on combating discrimination. As a first generation American who is the son of a Holocaust survivor, I know America, and our systems, are a force for good in the world and we should celebrate and build the institutions that have spread liberty here and abroad.
What are your top three priorities if elected, and how do you plan to address them?
Greendorfer: My first priority is to reform the property tax system, which no longer works given the massive influx of new residents and the corresponding pressure on housing prices. My second priority is to provide balance in Helena. I reject extremism from both sides of the political divide and believe that the government must limit itself to protecting and providing for vulnerable individuals while avoiding entangling itself in personal decisions or societal issues. My third priority is to protect Montana’s traditions and environment while implementing responsible government programs in line with my second priority.
Why should MSU students, faculty and staff vote for you?
Greendorfer: I am the only moderate choice for HD 59. I am a constitutional conservative and believe that government works best when it is limited, allowing each individual to pursue his or her interests. It’s not government’s place to regulate personal decisions, whether it is who to love, who to marry or how to raise your children. Likewise, censorship and bans in the name of public safety are incompatible with the proper role of government. Instead, government must return to its role as a means for protecting those in need, providing order and security and being a steward for, rather than a participant in, outcomes.
I live next door to a fraternity and have been very impressed with the sophistication and hard work of MSU students. I know the challenges that face young people moving from education into their future careers. Extremism on campus is something I fight every day in my work.
The reality is that the Montana Legislature is controlled by Republicans and I am the only choice for providing a voice in Helena that will have the ability to effect change that benefits everyone. The idea that only Democrats can protect rights is outdated and at odds with current events. Indeed, extremism from both sides must be rejected.
-----
Ed Stafman (D)
Would you be able to provide a brief biography of yourself?
Stafman: I spent 25 years as a civil rights lawyer, before pursuing a PhD and rabbinic ordination. I served as rabbi in Bozeman for 10 years, heavily engaged in interfaith and justice work. I’ve served in the Montana House for two terms. I’m married with two grown kids and 2 dogs.
What are your top three priorities if elected, and how do you plan to address them?
Stafman: My top three priorities are affordability, protecting freedom to make personal health care choices, and protecting our right to a clean and healthy environment and public lands. I‘ve filed and/or supported legislation in all of these areas last session which I would pursue again. On affordability, I filed bills to expand access to quality healthcare, especially mental healthcare and children’s healthcare; to prevent the recent property tax increases (killed on party line vote); to support affordable housing and more childcare. On personal freedom, I’ve introduced legislation to protect private healthcare decisions (earning an endorsement from Planned Parenthood), to protect doctors who are under attack for providing care, and to protect LGBTQ+ rights. On the environment, I’ve filed legislation to require power plants to reduce carbon emissions and have consistently voted to protect our climate, our environment, and public lands, earning me endorsements from the Montana Conservation Voters and the Montana Sportsman’s Alliance. I am also a strong supporter of public education (earning the endorsement of MFPE), and have opposed the siphoning off of taxpayer dollars to pay for private religious schools. I have also been active in protecting voting rights and democracy against attempts to make it harder to vote.
Why should MSU students, faculty and staff vote for you?
Stafman: I live just one block from campus and many of my friends and neighbors work at MSU. Keeping MSU tuition affordable for Montana students is important. So too are resources to help us attract the best faculty and ensuring a strong pension system for MSU employees. Campus safety is important and I opposed efforts to increase unregulated firearms on campus. MSU students, faculty, and staff should vote for me if they believe we need to make Montana more affordable for ordinary Montanans in housing, healthcare, and childcare, and that we musts stop catering to wealthy out of state interests. They should vote for me if they believe we should be protecting freedom to make personal health care decisions. They should vote for me if they believe that we must protect our constitutional right to a clean and healthful environment, and if they believe we must strengthen public schools.
Montana House D 60 - Bozeman/Big Sky
Candidates: Jerry Johnson (R), Alanah Griffith (D)
-----
Jerry Johnson (R)
As of press time, Johnson had not responded to the Exponent’s questionnaire. Responses submitted after press time will be published on msuexponent.com.
-----
Alanah Griffith (D)
Would you be able to provide a brief biography of yourself?
Griffith: I am a native Bozemanite. I came back to Gallatin County after law school. I have specialized in contract law, which means I have two decades of experience doing the job of a legislator for my community. I have a fifteen-year-old son. I’m running to ensure he can live and raise a family in Montana.
What are your top three priorities if elected, and how do you plan to address them?
Griffith: Three of my priorities are affordable housing, women’s reproductive health and public access. I have worked on affordable housing for Big Sky and beyond. The Governor’s task force’s Phase II report came out 6/11/2024. It identifies a number of ways we can address this issue, some not supported by our Governor, but that make common sense. I will use this as a roadmap to educate, build alliances and then introduce and pass legislation that will support on the ground efforts to build housing.
As someone who has had four miscarriages, one late in my pregnancy, I know first-hand the importance of keeping the government out of the doctor’s office and will work to ensure that all women have this right. I am eternally grateful that my doctor could give me the health care advice that I needed during this very difficult time without fear of going to jail.
I fish, hunt, kayak, backcountry ski and hike on our Montana lands and waters. As I have done in the courtroom, I will fight to keep our public lands public and ensure that we have access to those public lands.
Why should MSU students, faculty and staff vote for you?
Griffith: I want to take my decades of experience giving my clients a strong voice in their communities and in court and put it to good use representing us in Helena. I believe together, we can find the common-sense solutions to the real challenges facing our state today. I want to put my years of mediation, advocacy and drafting good legislation to work for you. Feel free to contact me with any thoughts, needs and concerns. My email is griffithformt@gmail.com and my website is griffithformt.com. I look forward to serving you in Helena.
Montana House D 61 - Bozeman
Candidates: Thomas Carlson (R), Becky Edwards (D)
-----
Thomas Carlson (R)
Would you be able to provide a brief biography of yourself?
Carlson: I grew up in Churchill (~20 miles from Bozeman) and have lived in the Gallatin Valley almost all my life. I am an OU and MSU alum, mathematician, teacher, and am involved in youth baseball. Since 2021, I have been studying and teaching math at MSU, working towards a PhD.
What are your top three priorities if elected, and how do you plan to address them?
Carlson: Get state agencies back under the control of the people and remove power from unelected bureaucrats. There is far too much regulation being done by unelected, unaccountable state employees, who in no way represent the people of Montana. These powers need to be returned to the people and their elected representatives in government.
We need to return the state to just performing its necessary functions well (e.g. law enforcement; protecting the rights of vulnerable people including unborn babies, children, seniors and Montanans with disabilities; maintaining roads; protecting Montana’s beautiful outdoors; providing quality public education). We need to stop adding spending and programs every time someone has a “good idea.” Just because something is a good idea, that doesn’t make it a good law and it certainly doesn’t make it the government’s job.
Get the government out of people’s business and lives. Our state has made some great strides recently in preventing the government from interfering in Montanans’ decisions about medicine, childcare and business, but there is more to be done. We need to continue to recognize that the state has no business making these decisions for the people and continue to implement appropriate restrictions on government to ensure Montanans’ liberty.
Why should MSU students, faculty and staff vote for you?
Carlson: I am a member of the MSU community as both a student and as an instructor. Our university is a great place to study, work and live, but there are issues we deal with on a regular basis that are specific to MSU. As a state university, the continued success of MSU depends largely on the university system maintaining the trust and support of the people of Montana, and on the state continuing to properly manage and support its university system. Electing me to the legislature would ensure that MSU students, faculty and staff have a voice in Helena who is familiar with the issues we face right here on our campus and is committed to the success and continued excellence of MSU.
-----
Becky Edwards (D)
Would you be able to provide a brief biography of yourself?
Edwards: I am a proud 2002 graduate of Montana State University, and Bozeman resident of 26 years. I am a working mom of three daughters (our eldest is a senior at MSU, majoring in biological engineering!) and run a national conservation and climate nonprofit, focused on ensuring women’s voices are at the table where decisions about our outdoor quality of life are being made. I am an avid gravel and mountain biker, backcountry skier and dog walker to our three adventure pups!
My top three priorities include protecting women’s reproductive freedom and LGBTQIA+ rights, protecting our public lands and climate, and attacking the affordability crisis hitting all Montanans. Passage of CI-128 that ensures reproductive freedom is paramount, and I will fight to ensure our state constitution — which ensures privacy for all — is protected. Additionally, the last legislative session was a bloodbath for members of the LGBTQIA+ community. These overtly discriminatory bills and attacks on Montanans are disgraceful. I will happily champion efforts to protect our reproductive freedom and rights for ALL Montanans. Additionally, ensuring the conservation financing is realized that was voted upon and passed by Montanans, and unfairly vetoed by Gov. Gianforte via SB 442, is at the top of my list. This is money that Montanans voted upon and are guaranteed that was earmarked for public lands protection. Additionally, investment in jobs for the future in the renewable energy sector, expanding our EV charging network across all of Montana, and improving public transportation options to reduce greenhouse gases are all high priority for my campaign. Lastly, I’m watching my own 21-year-old daughter struggle to pay rent, and sadly is completely priced out of home ownership in Bozeman. We must work towards tackling this affordability crisis through innovative solutions such as housing trusts, cutting Gov. Gianforte’s property tax increases, reviewing and revising development codes and capitalizing on federal grant dollars to tackle home affordability that Gov. Gianforte and the Republican supermajority have refused Montanans.
Why should MSU students, faculty and staff vote for you?
Edwards: I hope to earn the vote of MSU students, faculty, and staff. I received a top-notch education from MSU and have enjoyed seeing the university grow both their academic programs but also lead many sectors in research. As the daughter of two educators, supporting and funding our public schools is a very high priority for me. Growing up on a corn and soybean farm in the Midwest and climbing mountains around the globe in my twenties taught me how to work hard and never, ever, ever give up. So many of our current elected officials don’t represent most Montanans. I’m a 45-year-old working mom at the midpoint of my career, still experiencing affordability crunches, worrying about my daughters’ public education and acutely aware they are now growing up in a world where they have fewer rights than I did. I’m not an out-of-touch retiree, I’m right in the trenches of life with most Montanans, and I would be incredibly proud to represent the residents of HD61 of Bozeman.
Montana House D 62 - Bozeman
Candidates: Owen Lang (R), Joshua Seckinger (D)
-----
Owen Lang (R)
As of press time, Lang had not responded to the Exponent’s questionnaire. Responses submitted after press time will be published on msuexponent.com.
-----
Josh Seckinger (D)
Would you be able to provide a brief biography of yourself?
Seckinger: I have lived in the Gallatin Valley for the last 15 years. I’ve always rented and after bouncing from job to job, I finally found my passion in guiding fly fishing. I love it here and hope to continue to live and work here for the rest of my life.
What are your top three priorities if elected, and how do you plan to address them?
Seckinger: Women’s Reproductive Freedoms — CI-128 is on the ballot, and I hope that people turn out to vote for it, but even if it does pass, the attacks on women’s rights will not end. (TRAP — Targeted Restrictions on Abortion Providers like House Bill 937 are an example of how the state can curtail these rights without actually targeting abortion directly.) I will stand up to any effort to undermine a woman’s right to choose.
Rent Increases and Property Taxes — Make no mistake: When property taxes go up, rent goes up. We need to address the increase in residential property taxes with bipartisan efforts. Homestead exemptions, renters’ tax rebates, nothing is off the table to make this place a more affordable place to live. I will also support policy that incentivizes landlords to keep rents below market rate.
Retooling Public School Funding — It is a shame that we have the lowest-paid public school teachers in the country. This is particularly acute in the first three years of a teacher’s career. It is no wonder that we are experiencing a teacher shortage statewide. We must pay our teachers more and fund our schools better. Public education has rightly been called “the great equalizer,” and it's the cornerstone of a functioning democracy.
Why should MSU students, faculty, and staff vote for you?
Seckinger: I can’t claim to be a MSU Alumni or an alumni of any university in Montana, but I did attend a fantastic, public, land-grant university in Madison, Wisconsin. Right after I moved to Montana, a new administration took over in the Governor’s office in Madison and set about gutting the public sector unions. My former professors fled the state, seeking other jobs at other schools. The UW system became a shell of its former self.
If you’ve read this far, you know that I believe education is the cornerstone of a functioning democracy, and that does not stop at the high school level. As a future legislator, I vow to protect and fund all post-secondary public education in the state and fight against any political attacks on public sector unions.
Montana House D 63 - Bozeman
Candidates: Mark Lewis (R), Peter Strand (D)
-----
Mark Lewis (R)
Would you be able to provide a brief biography of yourself?
Lewis: My family and I live in Middle Creek, which in HD 63. We own a local business (Montana Spirits & Wine) and have two children at Gallatin High. I went to public school and graduated with an accounting and law degree, and spent most of my career in sports administration.
What are your top three priorities if elected, and how do you plan to address them?
Lewis: Ensuring the rights and freedoms that my children have are as great or better than those enjoyed by me, my wife and generations before us. I support health care autonomy, including a woman’s right to choose. Those rights must be clearly established.
- Reducing government spending and modernizing our tax system. Taxes are too high for Montanans. We need to bring a “family budget” approach to state government in order to avoid burdening future generations with debts they will have to repay. I believe we can achieve a 5% reduction in state employee headcount and also create incentive based compensation systems. My small business pays more taxes in this state than Amazon. We need to modernize our tax system to provide relief to most at risk parts of our society and find ways to allocate taxes more fairly.
- Preserving our state’s natural resources. Montana is a special place, but as our population grows the strain on those resources becomes more acute. Making sure public lands remain public and accessible is critical to keeping one of our greatest assets for future generations, and also creating incentives to invest in new energy technologies.
Why should MSU students, faculty and staff vote for you?
Lewis: My decision to run for this house position came reluctantly; I never envisioned myself seeking political office. I worry about the future of our state and country, and I chose to run to try and help ensure that young people, including my children, are able to have opportunities like I did. My approach would be one of respect and collaboration to find bi-partisan solutions. Society is experiencing rapid change, which can create huge new opportunities. However, it also means our institutions need to evolve and adapt. I spent my career in those types of environments, and I want to invest my time and effort in helping make the future positive. Also, I’m the only candidate in this race who actually lives in the district. I think you should have to be able to vote in a race if you want to be a candidate. Why not run where you live?
-----
Peter Strand (D)
Would you be able to provide a brief biography of yourself?
Strand: I moved to Bozeman with my wife and my then-two-week-old son in 1995. I've spent the better part of three decades raising my kids here and teaching in the Bozeman Public Schools. In short, I've dedicated my working life to public service.
What are your top three priorities if elected, and how do you plan to address them?
Strand:
- Reigning in our property tax fiasco. It’s smashing homeowners, and it’s indirectly doing the same to renters. And this tax spike isn’t paying for improvements to our schools, our infrastructure, or any other public services. Instead, it’s paying for a monumental tax break for corporate interests. But other rising costs are also in my sights, such as Northwestern Energy’s wild rate hike and exploding housing costs.
- Freedom to do as we choose. Government shouldn’t be meddling in doctor’s offices and living rooms, telling us whether and when to have children let alone which books we should and shouldn’t read.
- Robust public schools. Montana’s public schools and the opportunities they provide have been a stand-out feature of Montana life for generations. They’ve enabled all families to empower their children with access to the Montana dream. But recently, legislators have been working aggressively to move public funds to private schools. Great education should be available to all of us, not just to the wealthy.
Why should MSU students, faculty and staff vote for you?
Strand: Education is at the heart of everything I’ve worked on as an adult. Each of my gray hairs came to me while doing the work of guiding students and supporting young families in the community — for decades. I am all about supporting our educational system to maximize opportunity and success for Montanans. My priority is anything that supports our schools, their staff, their faculty, and especially their students. I genuinely believe that Montana is at its best when our schools are at their strongest. That is why I’ve spent my working life in them.
More broadly, the kinds of objectives that drive people at MSU are very much the kind that drive me. I’m running for office because everything we do now defines what we will experience down the road. Teaching and learning are both about future horizons. Legislating, when done right, is the same.
Montana House D 64 - Bozeman
Candidates: Jolene Crum (R), Kelly Kortum (D)
-----
Jolene Crum (R)
Would you be able to provide a brief biography of yourself?
Crum:
- Fifth Generation Montana Native
- MSU graduate (Biotechnology)
- Research Experience
- Wife and Mother
- Real Estate Saleswoman
- Home Owner
- Ag Producer
- Leadership Team member of Montanans for Medical Freedom
- Endorsed by the Montana Shooting Sports Association, and Montanans for Limited Government
What are your top three priorities if elected, and how do you plan to address them?
Crum: Elections. No Tabulators and No Software. Hand count the ballots by paying people what we spend on software/tabulators, so we have locally run elections.
No property taxes on primary residences after 10 years of ownership.
Medial Freedom- Stop the World Health Organization/World Economic Forum/U.N- We will not comply with their global power structure/agenda regarding biosecurity/pandemics (like Louisiana) We need the Nuremberg Code in our State Law, and Ivermectin (human formulation) sold over the counter.
Why should MSU students, faculty and staff vote for you?
Crum:
I am for the following
- For Medical Freedom
- For Private Property Rights
- For Fossil Fuels
- For Protecting Children
- For Hand counting ballots
- For the 2nd Amendment
-----
Kelly Kortum (D)
Would you be able to provide a brief biography of yourself?
Kortum: Kelly Kortum grew up in Ekalaka (southeastern Montana). After high school, he moved to Bozeman seeking education and a career in technology. Kortum has worked at the Community Food Co-op as a Systems Administrator for 14 years.
Kortum was elected to represent Montana House District 65 in 2020. He specializes in voting rights and technology.
What are your top three priorities if elected, and how do you plan to address them?
Kortum: I will continue to defend the right to vote for every Montanan citizen, regardless of age, sex, gender, race or party affiliation. We all have the right to vote and anyone interfering with that right is an enemy of democracy.
I will vote for economic policies that keep Montanans in Montana. This includes affordable and available housing, wage increases, fully funded community services and fair tax structures.
And I will oppose bills or motions that attack our civil and human rights, such as attacks on reproductive freedom, LGBTQIA+ discrimination and allowing corporations to spy on you.
Why should MSU students, faculty and staff vote for you?
Kortum: I will continue to vote for higher ed, for a livable community for all Montanans and for your constitutional right to privacy.
Montana House D 65 - Bozeman
Candidates: Esther Fishbaugh (R), Brian Close (D)
-----
Esther Fishbaugh (R)
Would you be able to provide a brief biography of yourself?
Fishbaugh: I am a 4th generation Montanan from a farming community in north central Montana with 38 years of business experience running my own corporation in campground management. I have been married for 47 years and have two daughters and four grandchildren. I have a master of science in physiology from MSU. I enjoy outdoor sports and gardening.
What are your top three priorities if elected, and how do you plan to address them?
Fishbaugh:
- Property tax and all taxes generally have become burdensome to Montana families. I will work to make government more fiscally responsible and transparent to Montanans. We need to have government small and efficient with past expenditures posted online along with future budgets. We need to have quarterly reports on income from all tax categories with appropriate analysis to help all Montanans evaluate the fairness of the tax burden.
- I will work to restore integrity in our judicial system to return to constitutional restraint and proper spheres of authority within the three branches of Montana government. When ideological issues pre-decide judicial rulings, the judiciary is outside the fair and unbiased application of the law. Currently, judicial review of ethics violations needs to be expanded to include members of the legislature and executive officers. Right now we have the fox guarding the henhouse with judicial members reviewing themselves.
- My husband, Perry, has been in education for 34 years as a public, private and now homeschool teacher. Education needs a boost to more creatively include current technology in how instruction can be delivered. One-size-fits-all does not. Boys in particular are not well-served in the current classroom setting. I support parental choice in education with the education dollar following the child.
Why should MSU students, faculty and staff vote for you?
Fishbaugh: I have a strong background in education through my husband and a commitment to pragmatic and innovative problem solving through my business background. Problem solving, balancing budgets and creative solutions has been my strong point in staying in business for 38 years. I will work to bring technology to educational settings to help contain costs and deliver a superior product to the student.
-----
Brian Close (D)
Would you be able to provide a brief biography of yourself?
Close: Since 1994 I have been involved in public policy. During my thirty years here I have successfully led efforts to improve public transportation, government, and recreation. That included chairing GALAVAN and stabilizing it finances; co-authoring the city charter (including ethics reform); and leading the effort to establish a park district.
What are your top three priorities if elected, and how do you plan to address them?
Close:
Tenants’ Rights:
- Abolish application fees. There is no reason why application cost can’t be made part of general overhead. No one should be required to pay multiple application fees.
- We must pass legislation protecting tenants in trailer parks. Local government should be able to exercise eminent domain over trailer parks to preserve this important source of housing.
Freedom:
- We need to keep government out of our medical decisions, especially for reproductive choice. Women are not property of the state.
- Government has no business policing thought through things like book bans.
- The legislature needs to get of the business of “othering” people, particularly the LGBTQIA+ community. It is the worst kind of bigotry.
Seniors:
- We need to reform our antiquated guardianship system so that all guardians receive training, and that their accounts are audited.
- We need to clarify the laws pertaining to health care proxy, so that there are clear lines of authority even if someone does not have a health care proxy form on file.
- We need to give additional tax relief to seniors and others on fixed income. As a tax attorney, I will be able to participate positively in reforming our antiquated property tax system.
Why should MSU students, faculty and staff vote for you?
Close: I appreciate that the University invests $500 million in this community every year. I will fight to protect MSU from interference by the legislature. There are hundreds of students residing in House District 65. I have talked to them and I know that they are being squeezed by property management companies. We need to strengthen tenant rights. Faculty and staff can’t afford to live here. I will work for additional funding so that the University can provide additional housing to staff, faculty, and students. We need to be innovative here, including housing stipends. The University needs to become a player on this issue. Currently, unfortunately, it is a bystander. I have spent more than 15 years of my life in academia in various capacities, including as a professor. I appreciate the University and understand and support its values of intellectual freedom, inquiry and integrity.
Montana House D 66 - Bozeman
Candidates: Marla Davis (R), Eric Matthews (D)
-----
Marla Davis (R)
Would you be able to provide a brief biography of yourself?
Davis: I’ve lived in Gallatin County since 2005. My children are graduates from Manhattan schools and Montana State University. I have a degree in Physical Therapy from the University of Oklahoma. I have been a PT for 32 years, including 10 years as a director. I’m actively involved in the community.
What are your top three priorities if elected, and how do you plan to address them?
Davis: As I talk to voters, the most pressing issues heading into the 2025 session are property taxes, affordability of housing/economy, maintaining access to public lands, the medicaid expansion package debate and healthcare accessibility, and education choice, funding and quality of outcomes. We need to look at all options to best address these issues, ultimately reducing spending where appropriate to reduce the tax burden on Montanans. We need to reduce unnecessary fees and regulations that add costs to housing and reduce restrictions and bureaucratic processes placed on the healthcare and education sectors to make them more sustainable, efficient and desirable. We need to ensure control of public lands remains in public hands.
Further on Property Taxes which affect rent - we need to lower tax rates and place caps for seniors and those on fixed incomes. I would return to a 6-year appraisal cycle instead of a 2-year cycle, with market price averages and specific restrictions on increases. I would increase Homestead Exemption protections that reflect current market rates. I do not believe we should be taxed on unrealized gains due to changes in property values and we need to delve deeper into how to capitalize on our tourism industry.
Why should MSU students, faculty and staff vote for you?
Davis: As a Physical Therapist for 32 years and an active entrepreneur, I understand the importance of hard work, compassion, and common sense. My service and involvement in countless community activities demonstrate my deep connection to the people of Gallatin County. I believe in a bright future for Montana — one that values fiscal responsibility, limited government and the preservation of our freedoms and the natural beauty of our state. I wish to help create a prosperous and vibrant Montana for all, especially our youth. I will fight for our values and bring real solutions to the real challenges we face today.
-----
Eric Matthews (D)
Would you be able to provide a brief biography of yourself?
Matthews: I was born and raised in Bozeman, Graduated Bozeman High and MSU. I taught for 25 years at Chief Joseph Middle School and I’m currently the President of the Bozeman Education Association. I was elected for my first term to the Montana State House in 2022.
What are your top three priorities if elected, and how do you plan to address them?
Matthews: Having been a teacher and associated with public employee union work for most of my career, education has been one of my top three priorities and where I have built my expertise. Promoting policy that protects and defends our public school system is a priority for me. In addition to policy, understanding school funding is critical to make sure we are properly funding our constitutions requirement to develop the full educational potential of each person. I believe that a quality public school system is the great equalizer for every citizen. Another top priority is to work towards a tax system that fairly distributes the tax burden in Montana to citizens and where applicable to visitors to our state. Tourism and second homes for non-residents are a great place to start looking for revenue to reduce the burden on citizens of Montana. Finally, healthcare for Montanans needs to be addressed. It is critical that we continue Medicaid expansion this next session. Our rural communities as well as our largest communities rely on this program to stay open. Access is already slim in some parts of our state but eliminating Medicaid Expansion causes chaos for many communities.
Why should MSU students, faculty and staff vote for you?
Matthews: Bozeman is my home. I have spent my lifetime as a member of this community. As a teacher, a volunteer and as a friend to many I have prioritized people in my life, and that is why I am running. I feel like we all deserve to have representation that is thoughtful, open minded, fair and that keeps the welfare of all citizens at the center. Every Montanan deserves to have representation that keeps the human element at the heart. Montanans deserves to work a job and make a wage that allows them to live in their community, to have healthcare that isn’t going to bankrupt a family, to be able to retire with dignity, and to be able to have time for family, faith and recreation. I would be honored if MSU students, faculty and staff voted for me knowing I’m working towards a good life for everyone.
Montana House D 67 - Belgrade
Candidates: Jedediah Hinkle (R), Carl Anderson (D)
As of press time, Hinkle and Anderson had not responded to the Exponent’s questionnaire. Responses submitted after press time will be published on msuexponent.com.
Montana House D 68 - Belgrade
Candidates: Caleb Hinkle (R), Alexander Colafrancesco (D)
As of press time, Hinkle and Colafrancesco had not responded to the Exponent’s questionnaire. Responses submitted after press time will be published on msuexponent.com.
Comments ()