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MONTANA HOUSE DISTRICT 55

State House Representative – the office of state representative serves in the Montana legislature’s lower house. There are 100 representatives who are elected from districts. Representatives are elected to 2-year terms. Representatives propose and vote on proposed laws during the legislative sessions that meet for 90 days in odd-numbered years, and provide oversight of state agencies and study issues through interim committees that meet between sessions. Representatives are limited to four consecutive 2-year terms.

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  • Candidate picture

    BRAD BARKER
    (Rep)

  • Candidate picture

    RICHARD GESSLING
    (Dem)

  • Candidate picture

    MARY HORMAN
    (Rep)

Biographical Information

Q1. Please briefly provide the following information: place (town or county and state) of birth, age as of election day 2026, place (town or county) of permanent residency, occupation/employer, and education. How do these and your other life experiences qualify you to be an effective Legislator?

Q2. What are the most important issues you expect to face if elected to the Montana Legislature, and what are your positions on those issues? How would you prioritize each of the issues you have identified?

Q3. What economic policies will you pursue to help Americans who are concerned about their economic prospects in the coming years, including the cost of medical insurance and care?

Q4. What measures do you support to ensure Montana elections are secure while facilitating the ability of all eligible voters to cast their ballots? What, if anything, should the state government do to reduce the role of money in American elections?

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Bremerton, Washington, 80yr, Roberts Mt.,retired Dentist. Red Lodge city council 10 yrs, Mayor 2005-06. Multiple non profit boards. 35 years a Lion member, District governor 2015-16. Private practice dentist 44 yrs. I respect all people. I learned how to compromise to get things done.
We need to increase our teachers salaries to prevent high turn over. Make funding our schools simpler. Protect our Rural health care, hospitals, medicaid recipients, Access to public lands and water. protected by our constitution. Support for our ranchers and farmers, pass the "country of origin labeling". Protect against changes in our constitution. Water rights protection.
The state can't help in much of our economic issues as the Federal government is causing much of this. Support for low income housing, reducing burdensome regulations. The state DEQ is causing much confusion currently, changing rules, common sense in some instances would help instead of arbitrary numbers. Try to get the federal government to raise reimbursement rates for skilled nursing hospitals, preventing loss especially in rural areas. State support for day care for working adults.
I believe our elections have been fair and secure. Continue mail in ballots. Very import in our rural state. Campaign donations only by citizens. No Corporate donations. No PACs donations.
I was born in Kent County, Michigan, will be 66 years in 2026, live in Red Lodge, Montana, and work as an ICU RN at Billings Clinic. I hold a Bachelors in Psychology and a Bachelors in Nursing.
Addressing the tax shift, health care costs, the drug epidemic, increase in suicides, transparency in Supreme Court elections, and school choice. They are all very important issues that I would address with common sense solutions.
First I would cut out waste, fraud, and abuse. Then I would redefine disability and promote programs that help individuals succeed in the work force. Transparency in medical costs to promote competition is a start to lowering costs.
Voters should be required to submit a valid state ID to vote. To promote ease of voting we should have same day voting with the small, neighborhood precinct model
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