In one of the more interesting Montana political endorsements I’ve seen in awhile, the actor J.K. Simmons has endorsed Missoula’s Dave Strohmaier for Congress. Strohmaier, a Democrat, is running to fill the state’s lone seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. The current congressman is Republican Denny Rehberg, who is challenging Democrat Jon Tester in the 2012 U.S. Senate race.
Simmons has in recent years become known for his role in the frequently televised “University of Farmers” ads by the Farmers Insurance Group. I have an admittedly limited familiarity with Simmons’ career, but I would have to say I remember him most for his performance as the wisecracking father in the movie “Juno.”
As he notes in the endorsement video below, before Simmons made it to the big screen he lived in Montana. He attended the University of Montana in Missoula. This provides an explanation for a political endorsement that would otherwise seem pretty random.