My name is Erin Foley. I am the President of the Montana AFL-CIO, the Principal Officer/Secretary Treasurer of Teamsters Union Local 2, and a proud born and raised Butte, Montana resident.
Across Montana, working families are feeling the squeeze.
Whether you’re a nurse pulling a double shift, a firefighter awaiting the next call, a construction worker putting in long summer hours, or a truck driver hauling goods across our state, the rising cost of groceries, gas, housing, and other necessities is making it harder to stay afloat, let alone get ahead. The math simply isn’t adding up.
The Montana AFL-CIO is a federation of 38 labor unions and more than 500 local unions representing over 50,000 working Montanans and their families. Our members come from every corner of Montana’s economy, and we join together in the fight for good-paying jobs, safe workplaces, quality healthcare, retirement security, and a stronger future for every working Montanan.
That’s why the Montana AFL-CIO board voted last month to endorse Independent candidate Seth Bodnar for U.S. Senate. Because our members don’t care whether you’re a Democrat or a Republican or an Independent. They care whether you are going to show up for them and their families every single day you are elected.
Working people over party. Period.
Our endorsement isn’t given lightly – it’s earned through a thorough process that ensures candidates are willing to engage directly with working people and stand up for the issues that matter most. Every U.S. Senate candidate was invited to participate. Seth Bodnar committed to the process from beginning to end. He took the time to meet in person with union members, listened to the voices of Montana workers, answered the tough questions, and demonstrated a clear commitment to supporting working families, protecting workers’ rights, and strengthening our communities. It’s clear his values align with the priorities of working families across the state.
Even better – Seth Bodnar has forged a new pathway to win in Montana politics. As the son of two public school teachers, a West Point graduate, a Green Beret, and a combat veteran who served in Iraq, Seth is no stranger to hard work. Unlike other candidates in the race, Bodnar put in the elbow grease to secure over 30,000 individual signatures from Montana voters from across the state just to make it to the ballot as an Independent candidate. He went on to raise more money than his Republican opponent, Kurt Alme, and 88 times as much as the Democratic candidate in the race, Alani Bankhead. As a result of this work, consistent, public polling has shown Seth Bodnar and Kurt Alme tied in a head to head race.
Montanans are Independent people, hungry for better political options. Montanans deserve competition and a choice on the ballot, they deserve someone who will fight for them, and they deserve someone who puts working Montanans over party on the campaign trail and in office. We believe that candidate is Independent Seth Bodnar.
The Montana AFL-CIO encourages union members, their families, and all working Montanans to support Seth Bodnar’s campaign for the United States Senate. It’s time to break through the two-party system to do what’s best for Montana.
Erin Foley is the President of the Montana AFL-CIO, the Principal Officer of Teamsters Union Local 2 and graduate of Montana Tech.