FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 3, 2020

Montana Conservation Voters Endorsed Candidates Win Big

All MCV-endorsed candidates will advance to Nov. 3 General Election

(BOZEMAN, Mont.)  – Every single one of the Montana Conservation Voters Action Fund’s endorsed candidates won their primary election bids this week and will advance to the General Election on November 3.

“Conservation champions won big in Montana last night, but now it’s time to double down and ensure they are elected in November,” said Jill Lombardi, chair of the MCV Action Fund. “MCV’s endorsed candidates are running against  anti-public lands extremists, and we’re going to do everything in our power to protect our shared outdoor heritage for our communities and future generations.”

In the race for the U.S. Senate, Governor Steve Bullock will face Montana’s junior senator, Steve Daines, who led the charge on the largest reduction of protected public lands in Montana history.

In the race for Montana’s only seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, former state legislator Kathleen Williams will face failed 2018 U.S. Senate candidate Matt Rosendale, a Maryland transplant who has repeatedly called for the transfer and sale of public lands..

Raph Graybill, Bullock’s Chief Legal Counsel, won his competitive primary and will face former state representative Austin Knudsen in the race for Montana Attorney General. Knudsen and his family sued to block access to a public veterans park in Culberston.

In the race for Montana Secretary of State, voting rights and public lands champion Bryce Bennett, a current state senator, will face current Secretary of State Chief of Staff Christi Jacobsen.. Jacobsen continues to publicly defend her boss’s misuse of taxpayer dollars.

State legislator Shane Morigeau will go up against Troy Downing in the State Auditor race. Downing was convicted of poaching when he lied about his California residency to buy in-state hunting licenses.

Montana Teacher of the Year Melissa Romano will have a rematch with current Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Artnzen. Former legislator Arntzen has a dismal MCV lifetime score of only 13%.

In the Public Service Commission’s western district, renewable energy advocate Monica Tranel will face longtime public lands foe Jennifer Fielder. In addition to serving in the legislature, Fielder is the CEO of the American Lands Council, a controversial and unpopular group dedicated to the transfer and sale of public lands.

State representative Tom Woods will face state lobbyist Jim Brown in the south central Public Service Commission district. Brown is affiliated with Citizens for Balanced Use, a controversial anti-public lands group.

All MCV-endorsed state legislative candidates also won their primary elections. More info about all of MCV’s endorsed candidates can be found online at mtvoters.org/endorsements.

The MCV Action Fund is a non-partisan organization that does not make endorsement decisions based on party affiliation. Notably, after the Montana GOP admitted to placing anti-conservation candidates on the Green Party ballot, only one Green Party candidate sought MCV’s endorsement.

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