Campaign YouTube URL
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www.tiktok.com/@ryan.busse3
Place of birth: Omaha, NE
Age on Election Day 2026: 56
Residence: Kalispell, MT
Writer
Education: Bethany College, BA in History and Political Science
I was raised on a rural ranch, attended a small public high school, and spent 25 years in the firearms industry. I have also spent nearly 30 years advocating for progressive causes and helping to elect Democrats as a resident of Northwest Montana. These experiences have given me a clear understanding of Montana’s economic pressures, cultural values, and political landscape. I defy the typical “Democrat” label, much like many voters here, and know how to build trust, find common ground, and deliver results.
Issues of healthcare, housing, and cost of living are most important, but Congress must first demand accountability for the overt corruption currently happening. I will fight for this, including criminal prosecutions.
Additionally, I will fight for universal healthcare and all policies that help remedy this out-of-control wealth disparity that threatens to undermine our democracy.
Universal healthcare, tax reform, and housing and childcare assistance are key to lowering costs and expanding opportunity. Everyone deserves access to quality healthcare without being pushed into debt. Tax reform should prioritize working people and close loopholes used by the billionaire class. We also need to address the rising cost of living by making housing and childcare more affordable so families can achieve greater stability and economic security.
Our elections are secure, and there is no evidence of widespread fraud that would justify restricting access. The greater risk is eroding public trust through misinformation and the abuse of power within the executive branch, which demands strong congressional oversight. We should strengthen security by protecting nonpartisan election officials. At the same time, we must expand access by supporting early voting, vote-by-mail, and adequate polling locations, and by safeguarding the Voting Rights Act, because security and access go hand in hand.
Campaign YouTube URL
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www.tiktok.com/@cleveland4mt_01
I was born on a Navy base in San Diego and raised in Stevensville, MT. I am 41 years old, running a cattle ranch and coaching football and track at my local high school in Saint Regis. My wife Kate and I recently sold our childcare company which operated 42 locations and served over 9,000 families. Kate and I lost our older daughter, Madison, to Leukemia and almost lost our youngest daughter, Melia to a different rare lung disease. We were billed over $300k for one month of Leukemia treatment after insurance that denied us the only medication that could save Melia for 18 months, forcing us to pay $10k/month out of pocket. No one will fight harder to fix the healthcare system, and I have the experience to implement universal childcare.
The biggest issue is the cost of living. We cannot address healthcare, housing, utilities, childcare, or anything else until we tackle corruption. As long as members of Congress continue to be bought and sold while trading stocks based on inside information, the same issues will persist. That's why I am proud to have helped start a group of over 100 nationwide candidates focused on anti-corruption measures called Take BAC Congress. We aim to overturn Citizens United, ban stock trading, and implement term limits, among others. This group will allow us to come day one with our own caucus to combat corruption in Congress and begin implementing solutions like Medicare for All and Universal Childcare to address the cost of living crisis.
I support a 50:1 ratio on executive to frontline worker pay to stop wealth from accumulating at the top. This will raise wages for corporate workers without forcing small businesses to increase prices or operating expenses. When people make more money, they spend it in their communities, which supports local economies and small businesses. I would reform the "stepped-up basis" rule, which allows billionaires to avoid taxes by borrowing on their assets. Lastly, I would institute a 5% wealth tax on just our 989 billionaires to generate the revenue to cover universal health care, universal childcare, and provide $2T to address the national debt; billionaires make 7-8% on their interest, meaning they'll still profit each year despite this tax.
First, we can ban corporate and dark money in politics to return power to voters. My state, Montana, along with 22 others, is running ballot initiatives to ban corporate and dark money at the state level; we should do the same at the federal level. We must also protect mail-in voting to maintain voting access across the country; 70% of voters vote by mail in my state. I believe we should increase the number of polling locations where possible to accommodate underserved communities, which often face more barriers to casting their ballot. We should also maintain neutrality at voting locations to prevent either party from having an overbearing presence and potentially influencing outcomes.
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email: hireray4mt@gmail.com
I was born in Townsend 65 years ago. I grew up on the Bozeman Pass. In high school we moved to Missoula, where I earned both my degrees at UM. I taught about Montana, U.S. government, and world history at MCPS, UM, MC and FVCC.
I'm an ordinary Montanan. I'm not a millionaire. I stocked grocery store shelves at night and worked retail to get myself through college. I climbed telephone poles and dug holes for the railroad all over the state, put up hay and installed irrigation pipe in the Flathead, and even did a stint at the paper mill. I’ve counseled at Boy’s State, a special needs camp, and Camp Fire Girls. After my wife Nancy died of cancer 10 years ago I started the Cancer Support Community in Missoula. I know Montana. It is home.
Over the past year the President aggressively encroached upon the powers of Congress and the world has witnessed most our constitutional rights being tread upon. My representative responded by condoning this. It seems Congress forgot what patriots 250 years ago fought, suffered, and died for. We need to REGAIN TRUST before we can do anything else. I will work diligently to do so as a PUBLIC SERVANT. I understand my bosses are the people who hire me, rather than a president, a political party, or a billionaire. I am not a politician. 40 years teaching government motivates me to campaign the right way without spending much nor raising any money. I owe donors nothing and voters everything. I am delighted that you are here educating yourself!
The future will be foremost in my mind. I believe current politicians have made life more difficult for our people. We will be handing off a $39 TRILLION debt (which is growing at a rate of $1 TRILLION every five months) due to reckless fiscal policy, including spending on war and defense. Like Eisenhower, I endorse a spending policy which ""promotes the general welfare." The Framers knew we needed strong schools, good roads, and support for the less fortunate. I could work through college and pay for expenses each term, students today just can’t. People face a nearly impossible housing situation. Our tax system is the opposite of what Adam Smith, the “father of Capitalism,” desired; those with the ability to pay should, as they once did.
As a government teacher, poll observer, and a member of the LWV, I already know that there is very little election fraud in the US. Everyone needs to know that our elections are extremely secure. We can't believe lies about this. On the other hand, democracy requires we make it as easy as possible for all citizens to vote, who are at least 18. Places like Germany and North Dakota don't even require registration! There's been talk about automatically registering young people for the selective service; can’t we automatically register voters? In Japan and the Netherlands people don't spend time and money filling out their taxes as we do here in the US, the government provides information for that. We could apply this technology for elections.
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