Shared State
Montana Lowdown
From what it means to be a “real Montanan,” to voter access, to public land, to rugged individualism, Shared State will bridge history, politics, and the daily reality of Montanans as we approach a landmark election.
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Uphill Part 2: “This is like dust in the air. We all breathe it.”
Montana Lowdown
In part 2 of Uphill, reporter Mara Silvers examines how community groups in various towns across Montana are pushing local governments to invest in social programs rather than policing, how organizers are calling on businesses to implement anti-racist policies and practices, and how some are even collecting bail funds for people in county jails and detention centers.
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Uphill Part 1: “Does anyone know who’s watching us right now?”
Montana Lowdown
In the wake of George Floyd’s killing by police in Minneapolis, Black Lives Matter protests have surged across the country.
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2020 primary results, and a preview of the path to November
Montana Lowdown
Our panel of elections reporters looks at the results of the 2020 primary election, and offer a preview of the nominees’ path to November.
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Republican factions battle for control of the state legislature
Montana Lowdown
Montana Free Press reporters Mara Silvers and Eric Dietrich and freelance reporter Alex Sakariassen join Editor-in-Chief John S. Adams to discuss Montana's June 2 primary election and what the results could mean for the 2021 Montana Legislature.
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Republican candidate for governor Greg Gianforte
Montana Lowdown
Republican gubernatorial candidate Greg Gianforte discusses his vision for rebooting the Montana economy, his record in the U.S. Congress, and addresses notable criticisms.
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Democratic Senate candidate John Mues
Montana Lowdown
Democratic U.S. Senate candidate John Mues makes a progressive pitch to voters on energy and the economy, and criticizes his primary opponent — and presumptive Democratic nominee — Gov. Steve Bullock for a lack of details on his own political positions.
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Republican U.S. House candidate Matt Rosendale
Montana Lowdown
Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance Matt Rosendale talks about his response to the coronavirus pandemic, his opposition to the ACA, his support for President Donald Trump, and why he believes he’s the best Republican candidate for Montana’s sole seat in the U.S. House. Rosendale also responds to past criticisms he’s received from both Republicans and Democrats.
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Unpacking the polling on pandemic recovery and Montana’s senate race
Montana Lowdown
We unpack the results of recent polling on the pandemic, the recovery, and their implications for Montana’s senate race, with Dr. David Parker of Montana State University and Mike Dennison, Chief Political Reporter for the Montana Television Network.
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Democratic candidate for governor Mike Cooney
Montana Lowdown
Lt. Gov. Mike Cooney points to prior victory over Greg Gianforte and the need for experienced leadership during pandemic recovery in presenting his case for the Democratic nomination for governor of Montana.
info_outlineDemocratic gubernatorial candidate Whitney Williams may be running her first campaign for public office, but she’s no political neophyte. Her father, Pat Williams, served two terms in the Montana House, and nine in the U.S. House of Representatives. Her mother, Carol Williams, was the first woman majority leader in the Montana Senate.
Williams started her own career in the White House, where she worked in the office of First Lady Hillary Clinton, before launching a philanthropic consulting business that works with governments, NGOs, and Fortune 500 companies. Williams positions herself as a job creator and problem solver in her bid to replace outgoing Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock.
Williams is in a two-way primary with Lt. Gov. Mike Cooney. Asked to draw a distinction between herself and Cooney, Williams tells Montana Free Press editor-in-chief John S. Adams that voters, “[are] going to have a choice of someone who is a little different, someone who’s a business person, who has a fresh perspective, who has a skill set managing multimillion dollar budgets, creating companies, creating jobs.”
At a recent candidate forum in Bozeman, Williams and Cooney staked out similar policy positions, including publicly funded pre-K, protection of public lands, and affordability of prescription drugs. In her interview with Adams, Williams expands on the initiatives she would pursue if elected to office, including strategies to cap prescription drug prices.
“Forty percent of Montanans say they choose between putting food on the table and filling a prescription,” Williams said. “Montanans are, I think, fed up with this idea that the federal government is going to solve this problem for us, because they’re not.”
Williams’s conversation with Adams is featured on the Montana Lowdown podcast, a weekly publication of Montana Free Press.