City Desk
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By Mark Moran - Producer-Editor, Contact - News
Big Sky Connection - The cost of housing, health care and jobs top the list for voters in Montana this election year. Some Democrats in the state are calling on the next administration to address the issues. Comments from Anja (AHN-yuh) Wookey-Huffman (WOOK-ee-HUFF-man),
Click on the image above for the audio. Montana has been carried by the Republican presidential candidate in every election between 1996 and 2020. The last Democrat to carry the state was Bill Clinton in 1992. (Adobe Stock)
Mark Moran
September 9, 2024 - Labor Day typically kicks the campaign season into high gear in an election year as candidates sprint to the finish line.
Montana has traditionally voted for Republicans but some Democrats are trying to bring critical issues like health care and housing to the forefront. Montana added nearly 20,000 residents in the year prior to the pandemic, a modest rise by some western state standards but a majority of the growth is happening in small urban centers like Bozeman and Billings.
Anja Wookey-Huffman, a Montana delegate to the recent Democratic National Convention, said growth is putting a strain on parts of the economy and is affecting peoples' ability to come to the state.
"There's a lot of questions about the affordability of living in our state," Wookey-Huffman pointed out. "And the livability for a lot of people, like, I personally work as a service worker and this idea of one job providing a livable wage is something that feels out of reach for a lot of people."
The registration deadline to vote in this year's election is Oct. 7.
Outside the urban areas seeing a housing crunch, Wookey-Huffman noted Montana's rural voters are concerned about access to health care and its cost.
"As well as maintaining quality public education," Wookey-Huffman added. "Those are things that support any community and making sure that people continue to have access to quality health care that's affordable and access to quality education is really key."
Montana is among several states scheduled to review federal Medicaid reimbursement rates in the coming year.
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PNS - Monday, September 9, 2024 - New polling shows Harris struggles with male voters, while Trump faces challenges with female voters. Tomorrow's debate is important, with the race tight, and a New Hampshire candidate is under fire for ties to a big corporate landlord.
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PNS - Monday, September 9, 2024 - Study: 40% of voters willing to cross party lines on local issues; Harris prepares for the showdown she's long sought with Trump as he takes more informal approach; AR volunteers prepare for National Voter Registration Day; Iowa seeks to remove dangerous lead water pipes.
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PNS - Friday, September 6, 2024 - A new roadmap for clean energy that prioritizes PA union workers; Father of accused Georgia shooter charged with two counts of second-degree murder; Ohio reacts to Biden's investment in rural electrification; Rural residents more likely to consider raw milk to be safe.
