I’m supporting Russ Cleveland for Congress because he represents something we don’t see enough of anymore, real lived experience and a commitment to make sure others have the same opportunities.
Russ comes from a working-class family. To me, being working class has never meant just getting by. It means working to build something better for your family and believing you can move forward, not just stay afloat.
When Russ left the Navy at 28, he had just $80 to his name and finished his education using the GI Bill. From there, he built a childcare company from the ground up that went on to serve more than 9,000 families. Isn’t that the American Dream? To make a better life? And he didn’t pull the ladder up for others.
He continues to put in the work here at home. He coaches kids and helped create affordable housing for teachers so they can live and work where they’re needed most.
He’s also experienced devastating personal loss. Losing a child changes how you see the world.
What’s hard to ignore right now is the disconnect in this race. Some candidates claim to speak for working-class Montanans while being backed by billionaires and special interests, and at the same time question whether Russ can relate to working-class families. That doesn’t add up.
I’d rather have a representative who answers to the people of this state and who has done the work, lived these experiences, and proven it.
That’s Russ Cleveland.
Daryl Fox
Whitefish