Local politics really do matter in our daily lives. In Montana Senate District 3, we can vote for someone who has a record of voting only for the interests of the wealthiest among us, or we can vote for someone who can and will make a difference in the lives of local families who need it most. Melissa Hartman is running for Senate District 3. She is a licensed clinical social worker with a master’s degree and a history of providing help and assistance to local families who often have few or no resources. I know her from her work on a local non-profit board I serve on, the Whitefish Animal Group (WAG), where she was one of the most thoughtful, productive and innovative people on the board.
The difference between Melissa Hartman and her opponent (who is termed out in the Montana House of Representatives) could not be starker. One candidate will work for people who need help the most in this district, and one most definitely will not. Much of District 3 is rural working people who live paycheck to paycheck. They are good people who desperately need just a little help to get by. The Medicaid expansion bill, SB 405, gave just such assistance to thousands of Montanans, including veterans, who make under $15,000 per year. Melissa’s opponent voted against this bill in 2015. Her opponent also thinks unlimited and undisclosed private money given to campaigns is just fine, so in 2013 he voted against overturning Citizens United, probably the worst U.S. Supreme Court decision in U.S. history. Her opponent voted for tax credits for private schools, taking money away from public schools. Enough is enough. Melissa Hartman is the far better choice, why would you not want to vote for her?
Jim Lockwood
Whitefish