Digital Voter Guide for Montana's First Congressional District

Of course, I oppose the DOGE cuts and the embarrassing, haphazard “chainsawing” of federal employees. This country lost thousands of combined years of experience because of DOGE. Many respected professionals I know lost their jobs, and I’ve spoken to dozens more on the campaign trail. While the cuts themselves absolutely warrant outrage, I believe there was a deeper, more disturbing intention behind DOGE’s mass firings.

DOGE was about terrorizing land managers, irresponsibly reducing critical reviews and scientists, removing expertise and oversight, and demoralizing the federal workforce. The result has been exactly that — along with dangerous gaps in public lands and water management at a time when we can least afford it — all to the benefit of the world’s largest corporations, which are already pouncing on the opportunity. While this question is about DOGE, the truth is that it’s only a symptom of a much larger attack on federally managed public lands and conservation efforts nationwide.

I will fight to repair what DOGE has wrought, but it’s time for something bigger than repair alone. I will be a tireless champion for responsible, professional public lands and energy management grounded in science, expertise, and proper funding.

Public lands changed my life. I later served for years on the MCV board, and as board chair helped lead the organization through significant conservation victories because I care deeply about electing leaders who protect what makes Montana special.

I oppose the 2025 DOGE cuts.

We’ve seen this strategy before: underfund public land agencies, let capacity erode, and then point to the damage as an excuse for ripping them out of public hands and privatizing them. That approach fails Montanans,puts our public lands at risk, harms businesses and public land users, including grazing, and our state’s $7 billion outdoor economy.

Here in Montana, the impacts are already real. Cuts have reduced staffing and resources needed for wildfire prevention and response. Fewer trained employees on the ground means less early detection, slower response times, and higher risk to communities, wildlife habitat, and public facilities.

Reduced staffing is also showing up on the ground. Trail and campground maintenance is falling behind, facilities are less reliable, pollution increases, and public land users  notice. That hurts tourism and the Montana businesses and communities that depend on outdoor recreation.

Habitat protection has been hit as well. Reduced funding means fewer scientists in the field, limited monitoring, weaker stewardship programs, and less capacity to manage invasive species or protect water quality. Science-based land management only works when it’s properly funded.

In Congress, I would work to restore staffing and funding for our land management agencies, fully fund wildfire prevention and response, strengthen science-based stewardship and conservation programs, and oppose efforts to sell-off and privatize public lands. Montana’s public lands are a public trust, and I’ll defend them full stop.

This candidate did not reply to our questionnaire.

This candidate did not reply to our questionnaire.

I spent 2025 fighting back against DOGE attacks on public lands and public servants as a leader in my union. When Elon Musk and his cronies tried to fire over 300 Forest Service employees last February, we organized, held rallies and forums, and fought in court to get those people their jobs back. 

Public lands aren’t just lines on a map. They’re a whole lot of people working their tails off to protect communities, clear roads and trails, and carry out the science that keeps our air and water clean.

They claimed that DOGE cuts were about ‘efficiency.’ That was a lie. Most of the Montanans they fired in the Forest Service were making less than $20/hour protecting public lands. DOGE’s cuts were about power and about privatizing what few public goods working people still have access to. While there are certainly inefficiencies in the federal government, the inefficiencies are not the people.

When they gut public lands and public services, we end up in a constant state of crisis-response governance where all of us pay more for less. I’ll fight in Congress to reinvest in our public lands. Not just to rehire the workers we lost, but to expand our investments in forest management and create more good-paying jobs in Montana, doing work like thinning and prescribed burning and fully funding positions that protect our air and water so we can proactively address the wildfire crisis and protect what makes Montana an amazing place to live.

This candidate did not reply to our questionnaire.

This candidate did not reply to our questionnaire.

I oppose DOGE cuts to Federal land management agencies. These weren’t bureaucratic line items, they
were the wildland firefighters, trail crews, and wildlife biologists who keep Montana’s public lands functioning. Cutting them doesn’t save money. It defers costs onto ranchers, local governments, and the
communities that depend on healthy forests and accessible public land.

In MT-01, we’ve already seen the consequences: delayed fire response, deferred maintenance on grazing allotments and recreation infrastructure, and reduced capacity for habitat work that supports our hunting and fishing economies. This is a direct hit to the Montana way of life.

When DOGE cuts became forest service layoffs I, as both a rancher and Chief of Staff at Montana Farmers Union, reached out to local agencies and to my suddenly jobless neighbors. I offered temporary positions to help them get by until we knew how permanent this was. These incredible individuals give their all in the mountains, working behind the scenes to give us trails, sites, and great experiences in nature. They do NOT deserve the insulting DOGE cuts and insinuation their jobs are not valuable.

I will fight to restore full staffing and funding to the Forest Service, BLM, and Fish & Wildlife Service. I’ll push to reverse hiring freezes, restore wildland firefighter pay that was cut, and pursue dedicated
appropriations for deferred maintenance — a backlog that was in the billions before these cuts made it
worse. I’ll work to protect PILT payments so counties aren’t further squeezed. These aren’t partisan issues. They’re Montana issues.

This candidate did not reply to our questionnaire.

I am in favor of aggressively restoring clean energy grants and loans initiated under the Biden administration and of seeking other creative jump-starting programs as well. This should be treated as an urgent priority. Our country has subsidized coal, oil, and gas for more than a century, and there is much “catching up” to do for clean alternatives. It is therefore not a “favoring” of clean energy that must happen (as Zinke and this administration like to claim), but rather a sorely needed leveling of the playing field.

As you all probably know, our boys are litigants in the case of Held v. Montana, and I owe it to them and to everyone in this country, especially those “within the womb of time,” to treat the climate situation with the seriousness it deserves.

Of course, wildlife and wild places should be conserved, and this is also a very high priority for me. I am not in favor of weakening bedrock environmental laws for development (ESA is an example). Those speed limits were established to avoid disastrous wrecks, and it’s bad policy to gut them because corporations claim they must cut corners. We should be careful to minimize or avoid additional disturbance and use land already disturbed by agriculture or other energy development.

Montana has a lot of energy potential, and the federal government should be a partner, not a top-down decision maker, in helping us build a more diverse and reliable energy economy.

An all-of-the-above approach makes sense here. Montana already generates more than half of its electricity from renewables, and we have some of the best wind and solar resources in the country. And the reality is renewable energy is cheaper and that is exactly what ratepayers need –  lower utility bills. With the right federal support, especially for transmission, grid upgrades, and financing, we can build more clean energy here at home, create good union jobs, and bring down energy costs for Montanans.

At the same time, we need to be honest about coal. Coal still plays a major role in Montana’s energy mix, but it also comes with real costs. Pollution from coal plants is tied to asthma, heart and lung disease, cancer risk, and climate change. Transitioning away from coal doesn’t mean turning the lights off overnight.  It means planning ahead, protecting workers, and investing in cleaner options that are better for public health.

Clean energy development also has to be done right. That means smart siting, early input from local communities and tribes, and protecting wildlife corridors and sensitive habitats. We don’t have to choose between conservation and clean energy.  We can do both if we lead with science and common sense.

The federal government’s role is to help make that possible, while keeping Montana in the driver’s seat.

This candidate did not reply to our questionnaire.

This candidate did not reply to our questionnaire.

In Congress, I’ll fight for a transition towards environmentally sustainable energy sources that keeps solidarity with working people at its core. There is no environmental justice without economic justice – that’s a matter of principle, as well as politics, and the federal government has a responsibility to make sure that’s the case. 

Young people in both parties are concerned about climate change, and we need a federal government that protects our environment and protects future generations’ access to the sort of clean and healthful environment that’s envisioned in our own state constitution.

We can do this by cutting red tape for the renewable energy sources that are already cheaper to develop, investing in R&D to develop new and more efficient clean energy technology, and investing directly in training and energy development jobs to make sure that no Montana communities are left behind in that transition.

Federal investment in clean energy should prioritize projects that help working people before projects that benefit large corporations. That means investing in decentralized clean energy development – things like rooftop and community solar –  to put them within reach of working Montanans. This would help lower costs for everyday Montanans and lessen the need for large scale projects. 

For large scale renewable energy projects, I’ll fight to make sure new clean energy projects engage in the sort of collaboration it takes to earn community support, empower workers, and that any projects adhere to the wildlife protections that we have enshrined in law.

This candidate did not reply to our questionnaire.

This candidate did not reply to our questionnaire.

I worked for years working as an engineer inspecting power plants. I have ample experience on energy production. I don’t need energy lobbyists to explain energy to me. That is incredibly valuable experience
to ensure what is best for Montanans and our public lands are protected.

Montana’s energy future must tap into our abundance of renewable resources. With responsible transitions from fossil fuels to renewables, Montana can be a national leader. Wind and solar are economic opportunities. We have the second-highest wind potential in the country we should be building out to create good-paying jobs and lower energy prices hammering Montanans. That means maintaining investment tax credits that make renewable projects viable, cutting permitting timelines that delay both conventional and renewable development, and ensuring tribal nations and rural landowners are full partners in any energy buildout on or near their land.

I understand how you develop land matters as much as whether it’s developed. We should require rigorous siting reviews and apply what we know about habitat and watershed impacts before permits are issued. That’s not anti-development. That’s doing it right.

I’m a rancher, horse trainer, and hunter. Public lands aren’t talking points- I live and breathe them. That means I’m uniquely positioned to bring people together on both sides to get things done. I’ll work across the aisle to pass permitting reform that speeds projects up while building in the wildlife protections that ensure we’re not trading one Montana resource for another.

This candidate did not reply to our questionnaire.

I do not mean to dodge this question, but the truth is, there is no single greatest threat; there is a list, and they must all be tackled. For purposes of brevity here, I’ll focus on two large policy areas in this answer.

1. Our economic system, which facilitates obscene and worsening wealth disparity, is at the root of many of the threats to what we consider the Montana way of life. I have pledged to push every possible button to rebalance our economy and tax system. Issues like AI data centers are a dangerous symptom of this disparity, and I have also pledged to demand stringent safeguards for any data center and aggressively oppose them if power rates are increased or water quality is degraded.

2. The threats to our public lands and waters are only going to intensify. Climate change will likely exacerbate them. I am very passionate about growing and strengthening our system of public lands, not just slowing the decline. An immediate example is my commitment to call for federal legislation that officially legalizes corner crossing.

The single greatest threat to the Montana way of life over the next decade is losing control over our future, our land, our water, our communities, to forces that don’t live here and don’t have to deal with the consequences.

Too many Montanans are being priced out of their own towns by out-of-state speculation, rising housing costs, and energy and healthcare bills that keep climbing. At the same time, our public lands are under pressure from underfunding, privatization and sell off efforts, and development decisions made far from Montana. Climate change is already making this worse, with longer fire seasons, drought, and strain on our waters, lands, and wildlife.

My platform is about keeping Montana in Montanans’ hands.

That starts with defending our public lands and waters as a public trust, fully funding land management and wildfire prevention, and protecting access for hunters, anglers, and families. It means investing in clean, Montana-made energy that creates good jobs and lowers costs without sacrificing wildlife habitat or local control. And it means standing up for working families by tackling housing affordability, protecting healthcare access, and pushing back on corruption and outside money that distorts decision-making.

The Montana way of life has always been about independence, stewardship, and looking out for one another. I’m running to make sure the next generation can afford to live here, work here, and enjoy the land that makes Montana home.

This candidate did not reply to our questionnaire.

This candidate did not reply to our questionnaire.

Montanans I know are humble, because we live in a place where the land will humble you if the people haven’t already. We’re hardworking, because we live in a place where work ethic and human will are what it takes to hack it in a harsh climate or a tough job. We help our neighbors, because so much of what we have to face can’t be faced alone, whether that’s a harsh winter, a greedy copper king, or a careless government. 

That’s ‘The Montana Way of Life’ as I know it. Humble, hardworking, helping our neighbors, because that’s the way working people in this beautiful place make it through and make it ours. It means caring for the land. We’re a state of people who fight for public lands, because they’re the reason so many of us are here and the most valuable thing we all own.

The greatest threats to that way of life are attempts by the rich and powerful to further concentrate power and privatize the public goods we depend on. Whether that’s attacks on public lands and public servants, attempts to reduce housing and healthcare to just another profit center, or efforts to undermine basic environmental protections.

In Congress, I’ll fight for investments in housing that match the scale of the crisis, fixing our broken healthcare system by giving every Montanan the freedom to buy into Medicare, and reinvesting in public lands so that we aren’t stuck paying more for a crisis-response mode of land management.

This candidate did not reply to our questionnaire.

This candidate did not reply to our questionnaire.

The single greatest threat to the Montana way of life is being priced out of it. Young families, multi-generational ranchers, teachers, nurses, and veterans, the people who built this state, can’t afford to
live here anymore. Housing costs have pushed working Montanans out of towns their families lived in for
generations. If we don’t reverse this, we won’t have a Montana way of life left to defend. Knee-jerk tariffs have destroyed export markets with few avenues to rebuild. Healthcare costs disproportionately hit rural families. That’s not practical or realistic.

This isn’t abstract for me, as a fourth-generation Montana rancher. My great-great grandmother pioneered here in 1866. Growing up, we had our issues but not being able to afford the home we lived in wasn’t one of them. Fear of being pushed out of land your family has worked is mentally devastating.

Montanans deserve to have local, reliable, affordable healthcare options. My platform addresses this directly. I’ll fight to lower prescription drug and healthcare costs, support fair trade policies that work for Montanans, and invest in rural housing.

I helped create a rancher-owned meat-processing co-op because I believe in building local economic resilience — not waiting for someone else to solve our problems. That’s the approach I’ll bring to Congress. We need an engineer that can identify and solve problems, a rancher that gets shit done, and a West Pointer that makes sure the priority is always for the good of Montana.

This candidate did not reply to our questionnaire.

I am the only candidate in this race that has run a general election campaign, been vetted by the opposition, raised money, and received nearly 140,000 votes in MT01. (As a comparison, in the last midterms (2022), Zinke received 123,102 votes. None of the other candidates in this race has ever run a general election campaign or been vetted.

Importantly, in ‘24 I won key counties in MT01 (Gallatin, Butte/SilverBow, and Missoula). Today, I have nearly 70% name recognition with Democrats and 60% across all parties, and we have a very convincing poll showing me leading Ryan Zinke. No other candidate in this race has any of this proven support, experience, or momentum.

I have a profile that fits the district. I have top-notch campaign staff and consultants. I have national support from conservation champions such as Martin Heinrich. I have a much more extensive social media reach than other primary candidates, and I have multiple endorsements from leaders, business owners, and outdoor leaders across the district, including all three Missoula County Commissioners.

I’ve had the privilege of serving as board chair for both statewide (MCV) and national organizations like Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, working alongside dedicated leaders to move important work forward. My family and I have deep roots in this district — we’ve lived in the Flathead and been actively engaged across the state for more than 30 years. That long-standing connection to this community shapes how I lead and the commitment I bring to this race.

What makes my campaign different is that it’s built on real conversations and real voter engagement, not assumptions.

For the past year, I’ve been traveling all over Montana, big towns, small towns, tribal communities, rural areas, and college campuses, listening and building a coalition that reflects what it actually takes to win in this district. That means holding Democrats, earning the trust of independents, and peeling off moderate Republicans who are fed up with Ryan Zinke and want common-sense leadership that puts people ahead of politics and fights for Montana.

Winning in Montana has never been about appealing to one narrow lane. It’s about showing up, being honest, building trust, and treating people with respect, even when you don’t agree on everything. That’s the campaign I’m running.

I’m the only candidate who grew up in rural Montana, and that’s where I’m raising my family now. I understand the pressures working families are facing because I share the same values and I’ve lived them. At the same time, I bring progressive policies focused on affordability, healthcare, childcare, families, public lands, and clean energy and I know how to talk about those issues in a way that makes sense to people across party lines.

My campaign is people first. It isn’t funded by corporate PACs or driven by out-of-state consultants. It’s built on trust, relationships, and a belief that Montanans deserve representation that listens first and fights second.

We are doing it differently because repeating the same campaign efforts from the past aren’t going to get it done. That’s why we are building a winning coalition to defeat Ryan Zinke and that’s how we deliver real representation for Montana.

This candidate did not reply to our questionnaire.

This candidate did not reply to our questionnaire.

I was raised largely by a single mom who picked up extra shifts as a nurse to pay the bills, and I’ve spent much of my life working two or three jobs at a time to do the same. I spent the last 8 years working as a wildland firefighter, the last two as a union leader, and the last decade organizing and fighting between fire seasons for public education and libraries, housing and healthcare, reforming our justice system, and defending our civil liberties – to make life better for working class Montanans like myself and who have lived on the wrong end of our broken systems. That work taught me how to work with people in both parties on incredibly difficult policy issues, and how to win. 

So far, this campaign is endorsed by more than two dozen current and former Montana legislators from both parties. Talking with people in both parties is the only way we win this election, and it’s the only way we start fixing the big problems we’re facing. That’s the experience I bring, and that’s the coalition I’m building – a coalition of working people, union members, young people, and Montanans of every age and affiliation who still care about our constitution, our public lands, and the future of this country. It’s going to take all of us working together to get this done, and I’d be honored to have your vote in the primary election on June 2.

This candidate did not reply to our questionnaire.

This candidate did not reply to our questionnaire.

I’m a fourth-generation Montanan who ranches, a West Point graduate, an Army combat veteran, and someone who has spent his career doing unglamorous work to make Montana’s agricultural economy more fair. I don’t fit in a box, and that’s the point.

MT-01 is a hard district for Democrats, I know that. But with Ryan Zinke retiring, this seat is genuinely competitive, and the candidate who wins will be the one who’s authentically from this place. My record is ranching, military service, and building a USDA-certified meat co-op in Havre. That’s not a political biography, it’s a Montana biography.

Montanans deserve representation in Congress with Integrity and Character. You don’t earn those over-night. I’ve earned my stripes the hard way over the last 45 years, working Montana’s lands, putting my life on the line for this country in war, and helping ranchers have a new avenue to expand their operations. Real-world commitments. Real-world problems solved.

Democrats win in Montana when they’re authentically Montana. Jon Tester proved that. I’m cut from the
same cloth, and I intend to run like it.

This candidate did not reply to our questionnaire.