Born in Columbus, Ohio, I have a biology degree from the University of Montana. I’ve lived in Helena since 1989, am 70 years old, and retired.
I have 12 years of experience at the Montana Legislature on the state’s budget committees (plus 30 years’ experience working on conservation for Montana Audubon). My experience has earned me a seat at the table crafting successful legislation that gets things done. The state budget committee works on many affordability issues, including on property taxes, healthcare, housing, and childcare.
I am also effective because I work extremely hard, thoroughly prepare for committee work, and have strong convictions on what needs to be done to benefit Montanans.
Important issues to me: a fair and balanced state budget, tax laws, data center issues, and privacy and voting rights. My personal top priority is ensuring a balanced budget that benefits low- and middle-income Montanans. I am also a leader on protecting privacy rights and maintaining our individual right to vote. Data center regulations need to protect residents from picking up the tab on increased electricity bills, as well as protecting water for our citizens, streams, and rivers; union construction jobs are also critical. On tax policy, I believe that taxes need to be fair and reasonable, yet adequate to fund services that Montanans rely on.
I helped gather votes to reauthorize Medicaid expansion last session, but the Gianforte administration (and federal government) have put up bureaucratic barriers to prevent people from staying enrolled. Working towards reducing the cost of medical insurance and health care expenses, including reducing the red tape so more Montanans can become eligible or remain eligible for Medicaid, will be a priority. Medicaid is also particularly important for mental health programs that can reduce incarceration rates. We also need to ensure that housing is more affordable by providing state funds to create and expand housing grants and loans.
Montana elections are known to be safe and secure. The issue is maintaining voting access. We should remove the requirement to write a birth year on mail-in ballot envelopes, retain the right to deliver neighbors’ ballots to the election office, and assure that an adequate number of satellite election offices are available on Montana reservations.
Regulating money in elections is critical. At a minimum, campaign disclosure laws should apply to all political ads run any time – and not restricted to ads that run 60 days before an election (which is current law). I support I-194 which, if passed, will essentially stop corporations from influencing our elections. I also would prevent political parties from donating to judicial candidates.
Birthplace: Great Falls, MT
Age: 32
Residency: Helena, Montana
Occupation: Corporate Tax Auditor, Montana Department of Revenue
Education: BA Economics, University of Montana 2018
I was born and raised in Montana. I am well traveled, but I understand just how special Montana is and I can't imagine calling any other place home. I want to raise a family here, but the economic conditions we have been experiencing are making that once simple goal very difficult. I believe that lived experience matters, and I experience the affordability issues we are facing daily.
I am a tax expert. I understand Montana's tax code and how to make it work for regular Montanans. I understand economic principles and how policy can help or harm people.
Affordability: I will prioritize legislation to help make housing more affordable, childcare and healthcare accessible, and will advocate for a fair tax system that holds the ultra wealthy and large corporations accountable.
Judicial Independence: I support an independent court. I will not support any legislation that attempts to make judges partisan and will fight to keep party bosses from influencing our judicial candidates.
Public Education: I will advocate for adequate funding to pay our teachers and allow our children the resources they need to succeed. I will oppose any legislation that tries to privatize public ed dollars.
I will support Public Lands, Reproductive Freedom, and Equal Rights for all Montanans.
Economic issues are prevalent in Montana regardless of your demographic. Young people are leaving because they can't afford to own a home or start a family, our students are facing uncertain job prospects due to AI, and older folks are being taxed out of their homes. Medical insurance is getting more expensive and many people are opting to go through life uninsured rather than pay high premiums and deductibles.
Healthcare should be accessible and affordable. Putting off heath exams and waiting to address heath concerns only makes the cost of care more expensive. We should be holding the federal government accountable for their decision to restrict healthcare access for those in the market.
I support access to voting for all Montanans. The system should work for you whether or not you live on a reservation, are active duty, or are a student, and I will promote access to polls and mail in ballots if elected. The laws currently on the books and the practices put in place by our elections administrators already make our elections secure.
I believe that there is currently too much money in politics. Dark money groups are using this money to purchase politicians and influence voters. People are tired of it and I am so excited to support the Montana Plan to take money out of our federal elections. If Montana can lead the way to limited Citizens United, then we finally get back to elections that are focused on the people not money.
Age 51 on Election Day 2026. Permanent resident, Lewis & Clark County. Owner, Bad Boy Bail Bonds & Montana Pretrial Services LLC. U.S. Army Ranger & Military Police veteran. Homeschool father and grandfather. President, Montana Bail Agents Association; Executive VP, National Association of Bail Agents. For 30+ years I have worked daily within Montana's criminal justice system, navigating constitutional law, state statute, and real-world consequences for real people. That experience in law, business, veteran service, and community leadership is exactly what the citizen legislature was designed for.
Three priorities: First, tax and spending reform. Montana families are overtaxed. I support reducing the burden on working Montanans and small businesses by cutting government overhead and eliminating waste before touching essential services. Second, restoring Montana's natural resource economy. Bureaucratic obstruction of resource development must end. Montana's wealth should work for Montanans first. Third, protecting the citizen legislature. Career politicians gaming term limits betray Montana voters. I will serve my term and go home — as the founders intended.
I support reducing the tax burden on working Montanans and small businesses. Expanding natural resource development generates revenue that reduces reliance on individual taxpayers. On healthcare: federal mandates drive up costs and restrict choices. Montana needs more competition, not more bureaucracy. I support purchasing insurance across state lines, expanding health savings accounts, and removing regulatory barriers for rural providers — critical for Lewis & Clark County communities with limited access to affordable care.
I support voter ID, secure ballot chain-of-custody, and regular voter roll maintenance. Every legitimate vote must count — and every illegitimate one must not. On money in politics: Montana's problem is not too much political spending — it is too little transparency. Out-of-state money is rewriting our state constitution through ballot initiatives while Montanans can't see who funds them. I support real-time disclosure of all contributions and independent expenditures, and oppose restrictions that silence grassroots candidates while protecting incumbents.
