There Are Kick-Ass Progressives Everywhere-- And That Includes Montana

 

Aaron Sklar called me up and told me about some extraordinary progressive Montana Democrats a few days ago. I called our old friend, Missoula-area state Rep. Tom Winter to get another opinion and some contact info. Tom was super-enthusiastic and told me that Mary Ann Dunwell is great but in a very tough Trump district and that she needs some help. I called her up. Her answer machine message was so positive and uplifting that it's still reverberating. This photo of her is in front of Helena’s new Equity Fountain that has replaced an old racist Confederate fountain that she worked to dismantle several years ago.

When we talked on the phone, she was as uplifting as her answer machine message! Mary Ann is Bernie-and-Elizabeth-loving three term incumbent in red district (HD-84 in Helena), the kind where the Democratic establishment says only DINOs can win and where they try preventing progressives from even trying. She's running for her fourth term and I asked her how she manages to win there. Her policy priorities include access to health and mental health care, non-discrimination and gender equality, equal pay, living wages and worker rights, social, economic and environmental justice and climate action, public lands, and making sure corporations pay their fair share in taxes for needed public revenues. That's an agenda that should work perfectly anywhere, right? It seems to have worked in Helena. I have a suspicion it's at least in part because of the messenger. She's a dynamo-- in the best sense of the word.

She helped pass Montana’s historic Medicaid Expansion in 2015 and then helped extend it in 2019. She co-sponsored successful legislation to prosecute child sex abusers and sponsored bills for health, mental health and suicide prevention, living wages, affordable housing, fair taxation and public revenue, and climate action. I asked her to share a guest post that would help understand someone with her progressive values can win over voters who are also voting for Trump. It's more like a personal letter than a blog post-- but it certainly gets the point across effectively, doesn't it? Please consider contributing to her campaign by clicking on the 2020 Blue America legislative thermometer on the right. Even small contribution goes a very long way in Montana state House races. And, by the way, in 2016, Bernie won Lewis and Clark County (where HD-84 is) in the primary and then Trump went on to beat Hillary in the general, 16,665 (49.3%) to 14,331 (42.4%). Mary Ann's conservative Trumpist opponent, Charlie Hull, would like to undo Medicaid expansion and healthcare for 1 in 10 Montanans. He’d deny a woman’s right to health choices and reproductive rights and he’d put guns in schools and undo background checks.


A Progressive Montana
Rep. Mary Ann Dunwell

Hi friends, thanks so much for investing your time to check out this post. I’m Mary Ann Dunwell, a progressive state legislator for public benefit and a Green New Deal agenda, swimming upstream in a swing district and rugged individualist, gun-toting anti-mask red state that Trump won by 20%. How do I win, let alone survive? I work. I connect. I serve all Montanans, regardless of party-- all the while moving the needle and changing hearts and minds.

Just this week, I talked with a Republican who almost hung up at first, but soon we were talking about stopping Big Pharma’s price gouging and helping her 2-year old granddaughter who needed life-saving medication for seizures. I made a couple of phone calls and by the end of the day, the medication had been approved. Another conversation was with a school bus diesel mechanic who supports Trump. His fiancé works night shift cleaning a hospital building. I told him about my living wage bills and protections for Montana’s outdoors so he can hunt in a clean and healthful environment. He told me I have his vote.

It was a tight race every time I ran. In 2014, I unseated a two-term powerful Appropriations Committee Republican by 23 votes. In 2016, I won against the same Republican by 124 votes when Trump and Republicans were sweeping the state.

I decided to get into politics in order to pass Medicaid Expansion, which I was instrumental in passing, then extending two sessions later in my position in House Human Services. Medicaid expansion provides one in 10 Montanans with healthcare. While Medicaid expansion helps, it’s really just the beginning of a big health care fix that we sorely need. Pharmaceutical prices must come down, community mental health services must increase, surprise medical bills must stop, and fee for service must become outcome based. Heck, we need Medicare for all. As a country and a people, I encourage us to drop our pursuit of health care for profit. Replace profit with public good. Health care is a human right.

Coronavirus magnifies the deep inequities, disparities, and weaknesses that still exist in our state. Many workers deemed essential are among the lowest paid. Some workers have no paid sick leave, let alone paid family leave. Folks living paycheck to paycheck have no cushion for emergencies and now face dire circumstances. Folks who are housing unstable can’t pay rents or mortgages. And folks who do manage to keep a roof over their heads can’t afford the high cost of health care and medicine. Together, we can bridge those inequities and strengthen our system’s weaknesses. That’s why I’m running to continue serving as state representative for Montana’s House District 84 Helena/East Helena, the Capital City area of our Big Sky state.

Now more than ever, Montanans need strong, courageous leadership that stands up to special interests and serves the needs of all Montanans, especially those who struggle with their health or mental health, or face financial hardship, including paying the high price of medicines. One pharmaceutical company has dropped the monthly cost of insulin to $35 during the pandemic. I want to keep that price low. This is just one example of pandemic policies that I encourage us to continue. My service in the legislature has been about bridging inequities and improving people’s lives. I genuinely care about those I serve. I’ve worked hard with courage, dedication and conviction, and look forward to continuing that hard work if voters have me back for my fourth term. Just like about everything in our lives right now, voting looks different during COVID-19. One thing is certain-- voting is your fundamental right in our democracy. It’s an honor to be a candidate for re-election. It’s an honor that you’re considering supporting my re-election. And I’m grateful. Be safe, strong and healthy. We’re all in this together. We’ll all rise together.

Thank you for your support. Warmly, Mary Ann.