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Montana politics, elections and legislative news

Campaign finance, abortion rights at center of Libertarian Rankin's run for 2nd District seat

 Libertarian Sam Rankin in his office, where he also runs his campaign.
Nadya Faulx
/
Yellowstone Public Radio
Libertarian Sam Rankin in his office, where he also runs his campaign.

Sam Rankin is not an easy candidate to categorize.

He ran for the Montana House in 1982 as a Democrat; for the U.S. Senate in ‘96 as an Independent; and again in 2000 with the Reform Party. And he ran for the U.S. House in 2010 and 2012 – again as a Democrat.

“I was too conservative. I'm probably a conservative Democrat that's not a Democrat and I'm a moderate Republican without being a Republican,” he said. “So talk about being truly independent. That is describing me [because] I can do what I want if I get elected.”

In this year’s midterms, Rankin is running as a Libertarian. He’ll be on a crowded ballot against Democrat Penny Ronning, independent Gary Buchanan and Republican incumbent Matt Rosendale, who’s seeking a second term.

Related: In independent bid for 2nd District, Buchanan eyes voters 'tired' of partisan politics

Rankin’s hoping he can be the “off ramp” for moderate Republicans.

“I thought, OK, they're probably saying to themselves, ‘I will never vote for a Democrat.’ I mean, they're, they're strong enough Republicans if they say I'll never vote for a Democrat no matter what happens,” he said. “And so I thought, well, they'll probably sit it out, which is, which is worse than, I don't know, you know, voting for somebody you don't like.

“But sitting out of the election, especially one of this magnitude I think is obscene. I hope nobody does it, because I don't care if I win or lose. But this is a big, important election.”

Rankin doesn’t have direct political experience, but he says he has the characteristics Congress needs. He served in the Peace Corps and later as a combat medic during the Vietnam War before his decades-long career as a real estate broker in Billings. Recently he got his law license.

“I would be a fresh air, breath of fresh air,” he said. “I haven't had a lot of government experience. Maybe that's something that we need.”

Rankin came in fifth out of seven candidates in the 2012 Democratic congressional primary. After his loss, Rankin says he told his wife he wasn’t planning on running again. But after Rosendale objected to certifying some states’ Electoral College results and then, in March, was one of three U.S. House membersto vote against a resolution in support of Ukraine, Rankin says he was motivated to join the race.

“Rosendale is just, I don't think, representing the values of Montana,” he said. “That’s an easy vote.”

At the time, no other Libertarians had filed; Rankin says he didn’t want the party to go unrepresented in the midterms.

Just before the filing deadline, two other candidates – Roger Roots and Samuel Thomas – filed to get on the primary ballot. Rankin says he’s surprised he won.

“I'm, you know, not, don't have a track record with the Libertarian Party,” he said. “There’s purists in the Libertarian Party and they’re not happy with me at all.”

YPR reached out to the chair of the state Libertarian Party but did not hear back by deadline. Rankin admits he’s not a purist: He’s not quite a small government, low taxes candidate. He’s in favor of sending support to Ukraine against Russia, but not sending military troops. He’d support a tax increase if it meant higher salaries for teachers. And he wants to see climate change be considered in any bill.

“That's gonna get all of us. Nobody's getting away from it in the whole world. Doesn't matter if you're Republican or Democrat, or anywhere in between,” he said. “t's not my main issue, and I won't die on that shield, but it's gonna be an undertow of everything.”

Another big issue, Rankin says, is access to abortion – it’s one of two issues displayed prominently on his website. He says he supports the right to choose, and would support the Women’s Health Protection Act that failed in the Senate. If legislation were to go through Congress protecting access to abortion – even with a few narrow restrictions – Rankin says he’d vote in favor.

“All I know is I would vote for codification of a woman’s right to choose with no government interference,” he said.

Rankin says what really sets him apart as a candidate is his stance on money in politics. He’s spent about $21,000 of his own money financing his campaign – far less than the $1.1 million Rosendale has raised, and the $127,000 Buchanan has on hand. That means Rankin has had to keep his campaign small, without resources for public events, signs or mailers.

“My whole theory of what's wrong with Congress is that the money has corrupted Congress. And every bill that comes outta Congress has got the stamp of big money, corporate PAC or lobbyist money.

“I basically am swearing off money and the other three candidates aren't. And I think that's the problem. I don't think it's a philosophy problem, but it's a money problem.”

Even if his party affiliation has changed, Rankin says that belief hasn’t.

“To be honest with you, you know, I'm not getting a lot of traction,” he said. “That's been my thing since I ran, you know, 15, 10 years ago. It's been that whole thing. And I keep thinking that the people are gonna figure it out.”

Whether Rankin’s message resonates with voters this time around will be decided Nov. 8.

Copyright 2022 Yellowstone Public Radio. To see more, visit Yellowstone Public Radio.

Nadya Faulx
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