ELECTION GUIDE

(EDITOR'S NOTE: As a service to our readers, The Pathfinder invited candidates running for area offices to submit a picture of themselves and answer the questions below. We encourage all Americans to be as educated as possible about candidates and issues. The comments here are not necessarily those of any Pathfnder employees and were posted in random order.)

Election Guide questions:

1) Short bio (age, education, career, family, etc.)

2) Why you are running for this position, or if incumbent, why you want to continue?

3) What you see as the biggest challenges or concerns for this position?

4) Why you are the best choice for this position?

5) Anything else you feel is pertinent?

Gary Stein (D)

House District 92

Born in Hempstead, N.Y. August, 1961, the younger of identical twins. Raised in a suburban/redlined Long Island working class neighborhood, in a conservative Jewish household.

I moved to Montana in January, 1980 to attend UM, and graduated with a degree in History, 1985. I met my future wife, Nancy McCourt, MSW, in 1982 and we moved to Portland, Oregon in 1985, married in 1986. I worked primarily as a high school and college soccer coach and official.

Additionally, I attended Portland State University to earn my teaching certification. I taught for two years at Arlington High School, Arlington, OR. Moving back to Montana in 1991, I taught Social Studies at Victor, H.S. I was hired by Big Sky High School to start their girl's soccer team in 1991. In 1992, I was hired to teach at Hellgate High School. I also became boy's soccer coach. In 1995, Nancy and I became parents to our only child, Yetta Rose Stein, and I began teaching at Sentinel High School, where I practiced for 26 years. I was the boy's soccer coach at Sentinel twice over that time. I'm currently an MOA master-level soccer official.

In 2001, I earned my MFA at UM through the Creative Pulse program. Over my teaching practice, I was an elected MEA union leader and member of the contract negotiations team over many years. I ran for the Montana legislature in 1994, and the U.S. House of Representatives in 2017. Currently, I'm a stay-at-home son-in-law, helping provide care for Helen McCourt, Nancy's 93-year-old mother, of White Sulphur Springs originally.

2. I am primarily running because of the constitutional crisis facing our state presently. If the majority party were to gain a supermajority, they would shred the Montana Constitution. And there is no way that trashing a 50 year-old state constitution can be called "conservative".

3. One legislator is powerless. The challenge to a single legislator is to build positive, trusting relationships among colleagues with diverse perspectives to solve problems for all Montanans.

4. Generally, I'm the best choice because of the threat stated in question #2.

I'm the best choice because I'll show up and stand up for all citizens of HD 92, whether they voted for me or not. I'm more likely to bring common sense to solving Montana problems and issues than the incumbent, who has had 6 years to step up, fight and fix the extremist legislative agenda the majority party has delivered. At worst, the incumbent is a collaborator in legislative incompetency. At best, he's a water boy for the party, and all constituents and citizens of HD 92 deserve better leadership in the legislature.

5. No one has ever wanted or accepted living under a one-party system, especially if that party is based on a combination of church and state. Montana is under particular threat from theocratic tyrants who don't care about or understand the establishment clause of the First Amendment, which gives all citizens Freedom From Religion.

Mike Hopkins (R)

House District 92

Age: Born in Helena, 38 years old

Experience: Representing House District 92 since 2016, Serving on the House Appropriations Committee, Chairing the State Infrastructure Committee, serving on the Legislative Finance Committee, Broadband Communications Committee and the Consumer Counsel Committee in the Legislature.

It has been an honor representing the people of House District 92 and I am running for re-election to continue delivering real results for the people of this district and the people of Montana.

When I first ran to represent you, I said that if elected, I would support a good idea because it's a good idea, regardless of who came up with it and I would fight against bad ideas simply because they are bad ideas, regardless of who came up with them. I am proud of the fact that I am one of the most bi-partisan legislators in Montana, one of the most effective legislators in Montana, and one of the most Libertarian legislators in Montana because I think that's what the people of House District 92 expect from their Representative.

This upcoming Legislative Session is going to be hard. Not only are we still dealing with the aftermath of the lockdowns and the mandates, but thanks to a laundry list of poor decisions coming from Washington, we are also dealing with historic inflation, sky high gas prices and soaring interest rates. As if that wasn't enough, the odds of us experiencing (if we are not already in one) a recession as the Fed tries to get inflation under control is very high.

So we need to be smart next session, we need to build a budget that can bridge the states essential services through this next two years while getting tax relief to Montanan's.

We need to focus on property tax relief, we need to get more housing supply out into the market, we need to make sure that our communities have clean drinking water, that our schools are cool in the summer and warm during the winter. We need to make sure Law Enforcement has the tools and the funding it needs to tackle the crime and drug problems in this state.

Already there are bills being submitted by my Democratic colleagues to raise taxes in Montana, if re-elected, I will work to make sure none of those bills pass.

I want to thank the people of House District 92 for entrusting me to represent you for the last six years. I have tried to govern the way I campaigned, always open to a good idea regardless of who comes up with it, always opposed bad ideas regardless of whom came up with them and we have an excellent record of real results to show for it. I am asking for your vote to continue serving you in the Montana Legislature.

Dave Strohmaier (D, Inc.)

Missoula Co. Commissioner

Age: 57

Education

• B.A., Seattle Pacific University

• M.A., Yale Divinity School

• M.S., University of Montana

Career

• Wildland firefighter, BLM and U.S. Forest Service

• Author, published two books on wildland fire

• Historian, Historical Research Associates, Inc.

Public Service

• Missoula City Council, 2006-2013

• County Commissioner, 2017-present

Family

• Wife, Gretchen, Episcopal priest in Hamilton and Missoula; two children.

Endorsements

• Montana Rural Voters Action Fund

• Montana Conservation Voters

• Former Gov. Brian Schweitzer and others

http://www.strohmaierforcommissioner.com

It's been an honor serving the residents of Missoula County these past six years. I got into public service to give back to my community and to leave this place better than how I found it. Thankfully, your Missoula County team shows up every day to do just that.

Leadership

Leadership is a team effort and takes years to cultivate. I've had the privilege of serving on numerous boards, including the Montana Association of Counties, Missoula Economic Partnership, and Lolo National Forest Resource Advisory Council. I also spearheaded and currently chair the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority-the largest transportation district in Montana. My background in emergency management has proven critical in leading the county through the COVID-19 pandemic and in supporting our wildfire mitigation efforts. And we've set the bar high for county-tribal relations.

Community Priorities

Housing (including addressing homelessness), infrastructure, and fixing our broken state-wide property tax system are top of mind. Earlier this year, we adopted a housing plan for the county and updated our antiquated 1970s-era zoning code. We also secured a $13 million federal grant to develop infrastructure near the Missoula airport that will support thousands of additional homes. Infrastructure includes county facilities, and I hope you've enjoyed your beautifully restored fairgrounds.

In Seeley, even without a centralized wastewater facility, we still need to figure out ways to protect groundwater and accommodate residential and commercial development. Over the past two years, we've initiated road projects on Holland Lake Road, Placid Creek Road, and Morrell Creek Road, we're finally making progress figuring out road maintenance in the Dogtown area, and we're seeking grant funding to assist with the replacement of the Cold Creek Road bridge.

Land Stewardship

As a hunter and angler, I'm committed to stewarding this place we call home. I've testified before Congress on mine waste cleanup, currently serve on the Missoula County Parks and Trails Advisory Board, and I've supported the investment of open space bond funds in Potomac and the Swan. I've also been outspoken on the need for a thorough environmental analysis of proposed development at Holland Lake, which has the potential to irreparably damage the character of the Swan if not done right. Finally, climate change is real, and we must take measures to both mitigate and adapt to it.

I have the experience, energy, and collaborative spirit to keep moving our county moving forward. Together, we can keep Missoula County the brightest star in Montana's big sky, where we care for one another and this place.

Alex Beal (Inc.)

Justice of the Peace

Short bio

I have lived in Missoula County for over 25 years, the last 19 in Lolo with my wife and our two sons. I graduated from the University of Montana School of Law in 2005 and have practiced law since. I was elected Justice of the Peace in 2018. I now serve as a training judge for the State, helping new judges learn the skills they need. The Montana Supreme Court chose me to serve on the statewide Pretrial Advisory Committee which implements new pretrial strategies to safely reduce the number of people in jail awaiting trial without compromising community safety.

Why you are running for this position, or if incumbent, why you want to continue?

Since my election in 2018, I have been able to work collaboratively with the other elected Judge, Landee Holloway, and our great staff to create a court with clear rules and simple forms that provide guidance and make court less confusing and scary. We worked with the County Commissioners to make Justice Court a court of record; everything your judges do can now be reviewed, providing accountability to the community. If you allow me another term, I will continue to make justice court easier to access for everyone in Missoula County. For instance, we've expanded remote access so that people in places like Seeley don't have to drive to Missoula for most court appearances.

What you see as the biggest challenges or concerns for this position?

Covid was a reminder that change is a constant. My training and experience allowed justice court to adapt to rapidly changing federal and state laws and to explain those changes clearly to people in court. I can't predict what challenges the future will hold, but under my leadership justice court will continue to be ready for them.

Why you are the best choice for this position?

Being a judge requires integrity and adherence to the ethical rules laid out for the judiciary. It also requires deep knowledge of the law and court rules, that's even more true for justice court, where people don't always have attorneys to guide them. As a judge, I can't just make it up as I go, I have to follow the laws set by the legislature and maintain high ethical standards.

I am the best person for this job because I am the candidate you can count on to do both.

I know the law backwards and forwards so that if you come to court you don't have to.

Anything else you feel is pertinent?

It can be difficult as a voter to feel like you have enough information to make a good choice about a candidate and in judicial races, there is no party affiliation to fall back on when casting your vote. If you don't interact much with justice court, it can be helpful to look to people who do to see whom they support.

I am proud to have the support of local judges, law enforcement officers, attorneys, and community leaders who have seen firsthand the work I've done and recognize I am the best choice for Missoula County. Check out the full list of endorsements at judgebeal.com.

Sandra Vasecka

Missoula Co. Auditor

1.) I am currently on the Missoula City Council. After graduating from Sentinel High School in 2009, I attended Montana State University where I was active in many on-campus organizations.

I served as President of the MSU Toastmasters Club, and I earned two Bachelor's Degrees in Business Management and Business Marketing with a minor in Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management.

In addition to serving on Council, I work as an executive assistant at a local insurance agency. I also am involved in many community-based projects. Examples include working with the Missoula Human Trafficking Task Force, and participating in the Reserve Street Bridge clean-up efforts. My husband is a small business owner, and during our free time, we love playing outdoors with our handsome 1.5 year old son.

2.) I believe that the proper bid procurement process is to select the best quality of work for the lowest price. As outlined by the Montana Department of Labor and Industry, "it is against the law to compensate or give privileges of employment based on a protected class (age, race, color, national origin, religion, creed, disability, marital status, sex, political belief (in government) or retaliation)."

As your County Auditor, I will ensure your tax dollars are being properly spent without any discrimination. I will provide financial integrity and transparency, and I will remain compliant with all local, state, and federal laws.

3.) The status quo has remained the same in the Auditor's Office for over 64 years; we're overdue for a change.

I have always been passionate and vocal with the use of public dollar allocation during my time on City Council. Under my leadership, my goal is to center the efforts back to the needs of our citizens by ensuring the correct allocation of tax dollars.

It is always difficult being the newcomer to a group, and advocating for change can sometimes appear like an uphill battle.

I am confident, however, that my open-minded and friendly attitude will allow for great collaboration within the office while bringing financial integrity and responsibility to our county.

4) My voting record on City Council proves that I am the best choice for this position. This past budget season, I argued there was wide misuse of ARPA spending, and that emergency COVID relief dollars were spent on issues that began far before 2020.

I will always remain truthful and transparent about where and why the dollars are being spent, even if I disagree with it.

I will ensure your tax money is being spent where it is voted and designated to go, regardless of any political alignment.

5.) The County Auditor should wear a neutral hat; I am frustrated this position is a partisan race.

The primary role of the auditor is to verify that the books add up correctly and ensure that your tax dollars are being properly designated.

There are many roles available in our government to lobby for political ideologies, but the County Auditor's position is not one of them. Please visit http://www.SandraVasecka.com for more info.

Susan Reneau

Justice of the Peace

Susan Campbell Reneau lives and works in Missoula where she has lived and worked for 30 years since 1992. Prior to moving to Missoula, Susan was a crime and general reporter for various publications in Washington, D.C.

After moving to Missoula, she authored and edited 22 books and dedicated her life to helping abused women and children and veterans in all walks of life. Susan was also a science teacher in California, Virginia, and Kentucky before becoming a journalist.

Susan lived as a child and adult in 11 states because her father was a U.S. Marine, and her husband was with the U.S. Forest Service that required travel to many states. Susan was born at Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base in North Caroline on July 15, 1952, so is 70 years old. This is the first time she has run for this office.

She has lived the longest amount of time in Missoula County (25 years) and Missoula City (5 years). She holds a B.A. in Education and Speech Communication from the University of Northern Colorado and a M.S. in Business Marketing and Public Relations from American University in Washington, D.C. Susan has traveled extensively throughout the world and has visited all 50 states and some U.S. territories. She is known in Missoula for organizing patriotic ceremonies for Memorial Day, Flag Day, Veteran's Day, and Never Forget Day on September 11. She is often heard on KGVO Radio's daily talk show, "Talk Back." Susan married her college sweetheart in Colorado Springs in 1974 and is the mother of three grown sons.

Susan is deeply concerned with the level of crime invading Missoula County and wants to make a difference by making sure all people accused of crimes are given a fair trial but if convicted, criminals are punished appropriately and strongly to keep the Missoula community safe. Susan is especially concerned for the safety and well-being of victims of crime. For more than 20 years she was the chairman of Neighborhood Watch for Missoula County and City where she worked closely with law enforcement and community leaders to make our community safe. The most serious situation facing Missoula County right now are release of criminals into our communities by judges and Justices of the Peace when repeat offenders, known to law enforcement, continue to commit serious crime and harm to the innocent public. This revolving door of crime must stop.

Susan pledges to work closely with law enforcement and the legal community representing the accused and the victims to insure the best possible justice is rendered in each case to make sure each decision made in her court will be fair, impartial, and filled with integrity.

Susan pledges to donate a portion of her salary to non-profits, if elected as Justice of the Peace, Dept. 2, to assist victims of crime.

Running for Justice of the Peace is a mission of Susan Campbell Reneau to continue to make the city and county of Missoula that she loves a better place for all who are law-abiding.

Bill Burt

Justice of the Peace

I am a Montana Native and recently retired captain with the Missoula Sheriff's Office. I also served as a deputy coroner and was Commander to the Seeley-Swan Search and Rescue Team.

My adult life has been dedicated to Community Service and I have developed a well-earned reputation for compassion, consistency, fairness and a tenacity to get things accomplished.

I was part of the administration that added a third deputy to Seeley/Condon/Potomac (S/C/P) and advocated/accomplished much needed equipment upgrades for S/C/P. These communities are as important to me as any in Missoula County and I will continue to address their needs.

Violent crime in Missoula County is up 43% and continues to climb. A contributing factor is many of these offenses are being committed by the same offenders, made possible by the "Catch and Release" practices of our local courts, especially Justice Court.

Whether a homicide or traffic ticket, Justice Court is often the first place cases are examined. This is pertinent to S/C/P because of increased drug activities in these communities, contributing to additional crimes. The current Justice Court doesn't understand the negative impact to tourism, local businesses, ranchers and property owners when the people committing violent, felony and serious misdemeanors are released back into the community without bond or monitoring, just to re-commit the same crimes over and over again.

This isn't to say judges shouldn't utilize common sense jail diversion options. Diversion is an important aspect of our criminal justice system but should only be considered when there isn't a risk to public safety or a likelihood for the accused to reoffend. But when crimes involve people as victims, such as the recent assaults at the Reserve Street Cleanup, better consideration must be given to the welfare of the community and those being victimized.

Judges have a substantial public safety responsibility to the communities they serve. Multiple recent examples of "Catch and Release" incidents that have been widely reported by local media, clearly demonstrates that this public safety responsibility is not being fulfilled in Missoula, especially in Justice Court.

My law enforcement background consisted of experiences dealing with civil, criminal and social issues. I know what it is like to be in the middle of any dispute that might be heard in Justice Court and frequently interacted with people in crisis, suffering from mental illness, addiction and any other mental state you can imagine.

I've seen this from "being present" when these things are occurring and have the hands-on experience to make appropriate decisions related to those involved but with emphasis on public safety.

If elected, I pledge that common-sense jail diversion principles and practices will remain in place in Justice Court. My passion for equal protection under the law, without bias, mandates this from myself. However, the "Catch and Release" practices for violent, felony and repeat offenders that is currently being employed will stop immediately.

I humbly ask you for your vote this coming November to effect the change desperately needed to bring safety and security back to Missoula County.