Each summary is supported by the candidate's own words from a campaign source, direct candidate response, or official primary record retained with the profile.
Energy, environment, public lands, and utilities
Candidate positionWe in Montana have been on the cutting edge of electrical generation before, and we can be there again. Wind and solar are key, and that requires that we build storage, which we know how to do, too. The PSC has the power to guide our utilities to invest in smart, clean, reliable energy sources that don’t require us to give up our fresh air, beautiful waterways, or amazing public lands. Oh, and they reduce costs for consumers, too!
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We in Montana have been on the cutting edge of electrical generation before, and we can be there again. Wind and solar are key, and that requires that we build storage, which we know how to do, too. The PSC has the power to guide our utilities to invest in smart, clean, reliable energy sources that don’t require us to give up our fresh air, beautiful waterways, or amazing public lands. Oh, and they reduce costs for consumers, too!
Transportation, infrastructure, and connectivity
Candidate positionI’m 53 years old and the fact that we have power poles across the state that are older than me is unconscionable. As infrastructure is forced to serve beyond its safe lifetime we see catastrophe after disaster, including the fire that destroyed Denton in 2021. We cannot let the utility’s greed for wealth to it’s C-Suite override it’s duty to support and restore its infrastructure, and I absolutely will not allow this to continue.
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I’m 53 years old and the fact that we have power poles across the state that are older than me is unconscionable. As infrastructure is forced to serve beyond its safe lifetime we see catastrophe after disaster, including the fire that destroyed Denton in 2021. We cannot let the utility’s greed for wealth to it’s C-Suite override it’s duty to support and restore its infrastructure, and I absolutely will not allow this to continue.
Energy, environment, public lands, and utilities
Candidate positionWhile NorthWestern Energy CEOs suggest "using less energy" or comparing your bill to the price of a hamburger, the reality is that individual conservation can only do so much when the system is rigged. To truly lower my Montana energy bill, we need a Commission that prioritizes families over corporate profits. Please Vote Responsibly.
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While NorthWestern Energy CEOs suggest "using less energy" or comparing your bill to the price of a hamburger, the reality is that individual conservation can only do so much when the system is rigged. To truly lower my Montana energy bill, we need a Commission that prioritizes families over corporate profits. Please Vote Responsibly.
Taxes, economy, workers, agriculture, and affordability
Candidate positionOur costs as residential consumers are out of line. In just the last three years we’ve seen our costs per kilowatt rise nearly 40%, and since deregulation we’ve seen those costs more than triple. What’s really funny about that is that the efficiency of our devices has gone up so much that the actual residential demand has remained mostly flat that entire time. Commercial and Industrial demand have increased tho, and yet for some reason they pay less per kilowatt than everyday Montanans. We can fix that, too.
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Our costs as residential consumers are out of line. In just the last three years we’ve seen our costs per kilowatt rise nearly 40%, and since deregulation we’ve seen those costs more than triple. What’s really funny about that is that the efficiency of our devices has gone up so much that the actual residential demand has remained mostly flat that entire time. Commercial and Industrial demand have increased tho, and yet for some reason they pay less per kilowatt than everyday Montanans. We can fix that, too.
Energy, environment, public lands, and utilities
Candidate positionAnd the PSC absolutely needs to be looking into this, now.
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And the PSC absolutely needs to be looking into this, now.
Kevin Hamm is a small business owner, battle-tested community organizer, fearless activist, and lifelong advocate for the rights and dignity of all Montanans.
Candidate positionBeliefKevin Hamm is a small business owner, battle-tested community organizer, fearless activist, and lifelong advocate for the rights and dignity of all Montanans.
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Kevin Hamm is a small business owner, battle-tested community organizer, fearless activist, and lifelong advocate for the rights and dignity of all Montanans.
Ratepayer-Focused Utility Regulation
Candidate positionFactVote summary · PolicyUse PSC rate-setting authority to scrutinize utility requests and prevent rates from being increased to pad utility profits at ratepayers' expense.
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Setting Rates
From making sure that everyone is paying their fair share to making sure that the utility isn’t requesting money to pad their wallet at the expense of ratepayers, the PSC controls a massive part of how our economy works. And for too long the commission hasn’t cared about the people of Montana.
Clean Energy and Storage Investment
Candidate positionFactVote summary · PolicyUse PSC authority to push utilities toward wind, solar, storage, and other cleaner reliable energy resources that reduce consumer costs.
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moving into the future
We in Montana have been on the cutting edge of electrical generation before, and we can be there again. Wind and solar are key, and that requires that we build storage, which we know how to do, too. The PSC has the power to guide our utilities to invest in smart, clean, reliable energy sources that don’t require us to give up our fresh air, beautiful waterways, or amazing public lands. Oh, and they reduce costs for consumers, too!
Replace Aging Utility Infrastructure
Candidate positionFactVote summary · PolicyRequire utilities to adequately maintain and replace aging infrastructure rather than prioritizing executive or shareholder gains over system safety.
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fixing aged infrastructure
I’m 53 years old and the fact that we have power poles across the state that are older than me is unconscionable. As infrastructure is forced to serve beyond its safe lifetime we see catastrophe after disaster, including the fire that destroyed Denton in 2021. We cannot let the utility’s greed for wealth to it’s C-Suite override it’s duty to support and restore its infrastructure, and I absolutely will not allow this to continue.
Fair Residential, Commercial, and Industrial Rate Allocation
Candidate positionFactVote summary · PolicyRebalance utility rate structures so residential consumers are not paying disproportionately high per-kilowatt costs compared with commercial and industrial users.
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fair payment for the same thing
Our costs as residential consumers are out of line. In just the last three years we’ve seen our costs per kilowatt rise nearly 40%, and since deregulation we’ve seen those costs more than triple. What’s really funny about that is that the efficiency of our devices has gone up so much that the actual residential demand has remained mostly flat that entire time. Commercial and Industrial demand have increased tho, and yet for some reason they pay less per kilowatt than everyday Montanans. We can fix that, too.
Data Center Oversight
Candidate positionFactVote summary · PolicyRequire PSC review of utility commitments to new data centers before those projects shift costs or infrastructure risk onto existing Montana ratepayers.
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NorthWestern tells PSC to throw out data center complaint
Big Sky 55+ and others ask PSC to protect existing ratepayers
No, they aren’t, NWE. This is a classic attempt to use a point in time argument to avoid legal oversight. It’s true that NWE isn’t delivering anything to these not-yet-built datacenter, but it’s also true that NWE is trying to entice AI companies to build in NWE service areas.
And the PSC absolutely needs to be looking into this, now.
