A who's who of Flathead Valley candidates for the statehouse

Mar. 24—Kalispell Republican Rep. Courtenay Sprunger, like many other Flathead Valley legislators, will face an opponent in this year's primary election: political hopeful Shaun Pandina.

Sprunger, a business owner who was born and raised in Kalispell, is running for a second term in House District 7, an area that encompasses the city's downtown.

"As a freshman legislator, I delivered on every campaign promise I made to my constituents — and I did it while maintaining a strong conservative record, voting with the party 94% of the time," Sprunger said last week.

Last session, Sprunger saw the passage of eight bills, including legislation that created an adoption tax credit, expanded career and technical education opportunities for students in the state, and increased punishments for fentanyl dealers.

But Pandina, who ran an unsuccessful bid for a Kalispell school board seat in 2023, claimed that Sprunger's voting record put her at odds with her constituents. He noted her stance on the contentious House rules package as one such example. Opponents, including GOP leadership in the chamber, criticized the package for making it easier for centrist Republicans to link up with Democrats to pass legislation.

"I am the conservative choice," said Pandina, who was recently endorsed by the Flathead County Republican Central Committee.

Pandina, who like Sprunger is a business owner and entrepreneur, lists property tax reform and supporting charter schools as priorities. He also is campaigning on supporting law enforcement as a way to keep Montana safe and its borders secure.

Democrat Arthur Fretheim has also filed to run in the district, meaning he will face off against either Sprunger or Pandina following the June 4 primary election.

A similar situation is unfolding in House District 8, which includes Evergreen and North Kalispell.

Republican Rep. Tony Brockman is running for a second term to represent his community of Evergreen, but faces political newcomer Lukas Schubert as a challenger.

Brockman saw 16 pieces of legislation signed into law by Gov. Greg Gianforte last session and sought to secure funding for the creation of sidewalks in Evergreen. Brockman, who grew up in the unincorporated community, said that critical legislative work is needed locally and statewide to promote community safety, create jobs and reduce taxes.

Brockman's 18-year-old opponent, Schubert, graduated from Glacier High School last year. Like Pandina, Schubert hopes to make the case that he is the true conservative in the race.

Some common sense solutions, Schubert said, include cutting state tax rates, adjusting taxes as they pertain to the housing market and reforming the judiciary.

Democrat Beth Sibert is also running for House District 8. Born in St. Ignatius and raised in the Flathead, Sibert works in health care. If elected, Sibert wants to bring more integrity to the Legislature, address mental health issues and make living in Montana more affordable.

House District 5, which includes Helena Flats, Hungry Horse and Coram, also features an incumbent facing a challenger. Rep. Braxton Mitchell, a Republican from Columbia Falls, is seeking his third term in the statehouse.

Mitchell, 23 years old, describes himself as a conservative voice for younger generations. A member of the Montana Freedom Caucus, Mitchell is a hard-line Republican who garnered attention last session for legislation aimed at curtailing drag shows. Mitchell also passed legislation to legalize the sale of pre-made gelatin shots, created a veterans cemetery in Columbia Falls and implemented financial literacy requirements for schools.

This year, Mitchell said, he is focused on reducing property taxes, revamping the state's mental health system and expanding on his financial literacy efforts.

There are two opponents to Mitchell, both from outside of his party.

First-time political candidate Steve Paugh is running against Mitchell as a Democrat. Also known as "Philly Steve," Paugh is the organizer of Martin City's popular Cabin Fever Days.

Colton Little, an 18-year-old student at Columbia Falls High School and Flathead Valley Community College, is running as an independent. Little is currently collecting signatures to qualify for the ballot.

Little's main concerns include affordable housing, quality education, school funding and addressing budget deficits.

IN THE Senate, Republican Marquis Laude, a Kalispell businessman, veteran and security executive, is vying with Speaker of the House Matt Regier for Senate District 5, which includes Kila, Somers, Lakeside and west Kalispell.

Regier, a Republican, is making his first run for state Senate after terming out of the House. The veteran legislator represented Kalispell's House District 4 the last four sessions, focusing on tearing down the "radical left," implementing pro-life initiatives and this year, he said, he hopes to reduce property taxes and expand Medicaid. A Kalispell resident, Regier is the owner of Stillwater Sod Corporation.

Laude decided to run after being encouraged to by other "elected officials," he said. Laude, who has lived in the valley since 2000, highlighted the importance of public safety, supporting law enforcement and lowering property taxes as main issues to tackle come 2025. Owner of Integrated Security Solutions, Inc., Laude sets up security systems in high-priority locations, such as dams, embassies and border crossings.

There is one other candidate for Senate District 5: Lee "Link" Neimark, a Democrat. A Whitefish business owner, Neimark previously ran for Congress in 2017, losing in the Democratic primary to musician Rob Quist.

There are a few other contested Senate races this year. Senate District 2, including Whitefish, Columbia Falls, West Glacier and Polebridge, will see a face-off between a longtime elected official and a newcomer.

Four-time legislator Dave Fern is running as a Democrat in his first Senate race after terming out in the House after four sessions. He is the only Democrat in the Flathead Valley to receive consistent reelection in the past decade.

The owner and operator of Whitefish Chimney Solutions, Fern serves on the Behavioral Health System for Future Generations Commission and the governor's property tax task force.

Doug Adams, a Whitefish resident running for Senate as a Republican, is a Flathead County Libraries trustee who previously served on Whitefish City Council, was deputy mayor and was a member of the Whitefish Christian Academy School Board. Adams, who has never run for state office before, highlighted the importance of small government and fixing property taxes as two of his main concerns.

In Senate District 3, which includes the West Valley, parts of Kalispell, Hungry Horse and Martin City, Republican Rep. Carl Glimm is running for his seventh consecutive term in the Montana Legislature.

Glimm, who termed out of the House in 2019 and has since served in the Senate, is the co-owner of Glimm Homes and was a previous president of the Montana Building Industry Association. A member of the Montana Freedom Caucus, Glimm has introduced several bills that touch on party hobbyhorses, such as sponsoring a bill that sought to define "sex" in state law as only female and male, establishing a religious freedom restoration act and restructuring judicial elections.

Angela Kennedy is running against the long-time legislator as a Democrat. Kennedy made her first run for the Legislature in House District 7 in 2022, falling to Sprunger in the November election.

A project manager, Kennedy was involved with the Montana Trolley Company, Habitat for Humanity, Flathead Food Bank and Kalispell City Parks, among other endeavors. Key issues she wants to address include mental health, child care, access to health care and housing prices.

Senate District 7 will see six-time legislator Greg Hertz running as a Republican once again. Hertz chaired the Senate Taxation Committee last session. In previous campaign literature, Hertz argues that following the Constitution, creating jobs and boosting the economy and strengthening the state's education system are issues of concern.

Democrat Craig Pablo is running against Hertz. This is the business owner's first time seeking state office.

BACK IN the House, Neil Duram, a Republican, is looking to secure his fourth and final term in the lower chamber this year in House District 1, which includes Eureka, Rexford and Troy.

In the 2023 session, Duram sponsored legislation that dealt with emergency response laws and election integrity. He is a former Montana Highway Patrol trooper and currently serves on the Eureka Fire Department.

Duram will face Democrat Dakota Adams in November. Adams, who is 26 years old and the son of the Oath Keepers leader Stewart Rhodes, is running for Duram's seat after renouncing his father and the militia that the elder Rhodes led. He lives outside of Eureka and attends Flathead Valley Community College, works construction and volunteers with the fire department.

In House District 2, which includes Libby and Marion, political newcomer Tom Millett, a Republican, hopes to put "Montana first," defend the Second Amendment, lower property taxes and protect the Montana way of life if elected.

Thomas Jenkins, another political newcomer, is also running as a Republican for the seat.

Elizabeth Story is challenging her counterparts as the Democratic opponent. Story was the secretary for the Democratic Central Committee in Libby last year and is a former specialty insurance carrier. Story said the issues she cares most about are lowering taxes and ensuring women's rights.

House District 3, consisting of Whitefish, West Glacier and Polebridge, will be a face-off between three people, none of which an incumbent.

Former legislator and teacher Debo Powers is running as a Democrat. Powers was previously appointed to the Montana Legislature in 2019 owing to a vacancy. She lost to Braxton Mitchell in 2020, but now that the districts have shifted she is running again, she said.

Her main issues include lowering residential property taxes, strengthening public education, addressing the lack of affordable housing and keeping public lands accessible. Powers currently serves on the Resources Advisory Committee for Flathead County and she has served on the board of four different conservation organizations. She also volunteers as a fire lookout and wilderness patroller.

Guthrie Quist is also running as a Democrat for the seat. A filmmaker and business owner, Quist lost a state election in 2020 to Sen. Keith Regier. Quist decided to run after the 2023 Legislative session, which he said was not representative of the views and needs of his neighbors.

Affordable housing, health care and insurance, and avoiding government intrusion into private life are the main issues for Quist this cycle.

The sole Republican running for House District 3, Cathy Mitchell is an advanced practice registered nurse at Greater Valley Health Center.

Lindsey Jordan, running as a Democrat in House District 4, was born and raised in the Flathead Valley. A licensed clinical social worker and therapist, her priorities are mental health and making sure there is infrastructure in place to help people. She is also passionate, she said, about women's health care rights, public education, a right to privacy and lowering property taxes.

House District 4 includes downtown Whitefish and Columbia Falls. On the Republican side, Lyn Bennett is running after losing to Rep. Dave Fern in 2022. Bennett is the president of the Glacier Country Pachyderm Club.

Amy Regier, a Republican, is running in House District 6 in the West Valley to secure her third Legislative session. Regier was chair of the House Judiciary Committee last year.

Regier said she aims to fight for life, family values, decreasing property taxes and reducing government.

Velvet Phillips-Sullivan is challenging Reigier for the district seat as a Democrat. Phillips-Sullivan was formerly a member of the Whitefish City Council and now owns Velvet Touch Energy Works.

In House District 9, Republican Lee Huestis, a high school math teacher, hopes to represent south Kalispell in Helena. According to his campaign website, Huestis cares about medical privacy, workforce development, controlling public spending and relief from regulations.

Steven Kelly is also running as a Republican in the race. A retired law enforcement officer, Kelly is a member of the Flathead County Republican Central Committee. He worked for the Washoe County Sheriff's office for over 25 years.

Joanne Morrow is the sole Democratic contender for House District 9.

House District 10, consisting of west Kalispell and Kila, will also see a new face try to unseat a freshman legislator.

First time candidate Democrat Devin Marconi, a political science teacher, said he is running for office to make more of a difference in local politics. Marconi's main issues of concern include addressing the growth of homelessness and the creation of affordable housing.

Incumbent Terry Falk is running for reelection in House District 10 as a Republican. He had three bills passed into law last session, including legislation dealing with liquor laws.

Reporter Kate Heston can be reached at kheston@dailyinterlake.com or 758-4459.