Flathead County Commissioner Race: Democratic Primary Features Candidates Prioritizing Affordable Housing Crisis
Nathan Dugan, 36, faces Colton Little, 20, to unseat incumbent Republican Brad Abell in the November general election
By Maggie Dresser
Two Democratic candidates are in a primary battle to represent the Flathead County Board of Commissioners’ first district, which encompasses more than 2,000 square miles in the county’s northwest reaches and stretches to the Canadian border. The winner of the June 2 primary will proceed to a general election contest against incumbent Republican Brad Abell in November.
Democratic candidates Nathan Dugan, 36, and Colton Little, 20, are facing off in the primary race. Neither have previously held elected office. The winner will move on to challenge Abell, who was elected in 2020 and is seeking a second term on the three-member commission.
Both candidates are running on platforms that center around the affordable housing crisis, and say Abell has failed to provide adequate leadership on affordability issues. Still, Republicans have retained a party stronghold on the commission since 2010, and previous attempts by Democrats to crack the electoral lock have proven unsuccessful.
In Dugan and Little, Democrats must choose between two candidates hoping to challenge that balance of power while elevating an affordability agenda that’s struggled to gain traction in Flathead County’s partisan political bubble.
Dugan, who lives in Whitefish and works as a physical therapist, co-founded the housing nonprofits Shelter WF and Livable Flathead. He said building more homes while promoting responsible land use is an essential step toward tackling affordability.
As large-scale projects continue to clear the commissioners’ desks, such as last year’s unanimous approval of a preliminary plat for a private luxury golf course and marina in Lakeside that drew widespread opposition from neighbors, Dugan said careful and long-term planning are important factors in deciding controversial proposals.
“To some extent, there are some things that need to be allowed,” Dugan said, referring generally to development proposals. However, he added, “fast tracking developments and not going through proper channels, things that lead to lawsuits — those are things that cost the taxpayers money.”
Little, a political science student at Flathead Valley Community College who lives in Columbia Falls, said controversial projects are often “bulldozed” through the commissioner’s office. To that end, he said he would support more community engagement.
As his top priority, Little said affordable housing could be solved with stronger community partnerships while also taking advantage of state and federal grants.
“I think we should have a Flathead County Housing Authority,” Little said. “We truly do need to build more housing and there is housing in the county that is under-utilized.”
As a member of the Flathead County Transportation Advisory Committee, Little said he would also prioritize public transportation if elected. He said the Mountain Climber bus is “not meeting the needs or demands of public transportation” with limited coverage and a failure to connect municipalities.
“My goal is to have a low-cost and potentially … fare-free county-run bus service that connect Kalispell, Whitefish, Columbia Falls and potentially Bigfork,” Little said.
As a large demographic of county residents continues to age, Dugan said he would support Flathead County’s seniors with emergency services and resources like meals and transportation to allow seniors to age in place.
Following recent tension between the board of commissioners and the Flathead County Deputy Sheriff’s Association, which says hiring recruitment remains challenging amid non-competitive wages, both candidates agree that deputies should be earning more.
“We should not be losing deputies to other sheriff’s offices or city departments that pay substantially better,” Dugan said.
Little, too, believes any public employee should earn fair pay and benefits.
“I am always in favor of people getting fair and livable pay,” Little said. “If you’re putting our life on the line, I think it should be compensated.”