House District 34 Race

The race for House District 34 pits incumbent Republican Wendy Warburton against Democrat challenger Dana Sapp-Siedel. Wendy has provided the Corrector with the following candidate information and picture. Ms Siedel has failed to respond to our invitation to post her information on the Havre Daily Corrector

Rep. Wendy Warburton, Republican
Seeking re-election to second term in Montana House District 34 (Eastern Hill and Northern Blaine Counties)

• NRA endorsed & rated “A”
• MT Shooting Sports Assoc. endorsed & rated “A+”
• NFIB Guardian of Small Business Award & endorsement
• MT Chamber of Commerce Honorable Mention & 91%
• Montanans for Multiple Use 100%
• United Property Owners of MT 100%
• MT Family Foundation 100%
• Right to Life of MT endorsement
• MT Agricultural PAC endorsement
• Endorsed by MT Farm Bureau

I am running for re-election to continue to represent my friends and neighbors in Montana House District 34. I care deeply about my country, state, and fellow citizens, and I'm concerned about the direction our state and our nation are heading. With alarming things happening at the federal level in our government today, now is a crucial time for determined leaders at the state level to stand up for our freedom, values, and way of life.

As my voting record and endorsements prove, some of the key issues I stand for include:

-Gun rights (I’m an NRA and MT Shooting Sports Association member)
- Property rights
- Lower taxes
- Pro-life, pro-family values
- A better climate for business and agriculture
- Natural resource and alternative energy development
- Better opportunities for young Montanans to stay in the state and prosper.

I’m a fourth-generation Montana cowgirl. I was raised on my family’s ranch south of Chinook, where I learned the value and rewards of hard work. I attended Zurich Elementary and graduated from Chinook High School in 1994. As a National Merit Finalist, I earned a full scholarship to the Honors Program at Liberty University, a Christian college in Virginia, from which I graduated summa cum laude in 1998. Since then I’ve worked in the nonprofit, business, education, and political fields – a background that provides me with ample experience to draw from as a legislator.

I’ve lived and worked on both the East and West coasts and have traveled in 35 states. I know Montana is the best place on earth. I want future generations of Montanans to experience the freedom-loving lifestyle, independent-spirited Western heritage, and unique opportunities that I have experienced – too much of which seems in danger of slipping away.

I am a conservative. The definition of “conservative” is one who believes in conserving the Constitution. I truly believe “that government governs best which governs least.” We don’t need excessive taxes, laws, or other government restrictions in our lives. At the same time, we do need to jealously protect our liberties.

I am willing to put in all the hard work necessary in Helena to protect YOUR Constitutional rights and create better opportunities for all Montanans to prosper.

Committee Service during the 2009 Legislative Session:
• House Agriculture Committee
• House Natural Resources Committee
• House Judiciary Committee
• Rules Committee

A Few Key Accomplishments:
Gun rights. Sponsored & supported crucial gun rights bills, such as Montana Firearms Freedom Act, Castle Doctrine bill HB228, and HJ14 supporting the right to self defense in national parks. While self-proclaimed “women’s groups” testified against every pro-gun bill, I stood for Montana women who believe in our gun rights. I strongly support hunting, but gun rights are not just about hunting. They are also, and even more importantly, about citizen self defense.
Property rights. Serving on House Natural Resources Committee, helped defeat bills backed by radical environmentalists that would have eroded private property rights. In Sept. 2010, traveled to Malta, MT, to speak before BLM Director Bob Abbey against the development of an unwanted Treasured Landscape national monument in Phillips County or anyplace in North Central Montana.
Water issues. Co-sponsored and gathered bipartisan support for important water bills. United 101 Republican and Democrat legislators to sign letter to Homeland Security urging them not to burden irrigators with ridiculous dam surveillance costs. Working with local landowners and congressional staff to challenge burdensome FEMA floodplain regulations.
Lower taxes & a better climate for business and agriculture. Earned NFIB Guardian of Small Business Award and endorsement, and Honorable Mention and 91% rating from Montana Chamber of Commerce for pro-business voting record. Serving on House Agriculture Committee, fought efforts by animal rights extremists that would have hurt the agriculture industry and legitimate breeders. Co-sponsored horse processing bill. Working to address deer overpopulation.
Pro-life, pro-family values. Serving on House Judiciary Committee, became a pro-life leader fighting for unborn babies, and for family values, including one-man, one-woman marriage. Passed HJ25 and have worked hard in the past year to help improve Montana’s customer service for elderly Medicare patients and their families. For taking the lead on crucial issues like these, I was nominated by Senate President & House Republican leadership for Council of State Governments’ Western Legislative Academy.
Better opportunities for young Montanans. Consistently voted to try to build a more business friendly tax structure, become more competitive with other states, decrease bureaucracy, encourage development of our natural resources, and support adequate, quality education. Working to support opening Wild Horse and Turner border ports to 24 hours.

“Representative Warburton was a strong voice for small business and job creation. She has a vision for long-term, sustainable growth of Montana's economy."
-- Webb Brown, President/CEO, Montana Chamber of Commerce

“Montana’s farming and ranching families need pro-business, pro-agriculture representatives like you in order to maintain profitability and viability.”
-– Pat Goggins, Chair, Montana Agricultural PAC

“The Montana Farm Bureau is proud to endorse Wendy Warburton for House District 34. Representative Warburton’s agricultural background and voting record in the last legislature led to many positives outcomes for agriculture."
-- John Youngberg, Vice President of Governmental Affairs, Montana Farm Bureau

“Warburton is endorsed by MSSA as clearly the best candidate in the HD 34 General Election contest to represent gun owners and hunters. MSSA highly recommends Warburton to the voters of HD 34 in the General Election. MSSA thinks the right to keep and bear arms and hunting are important. Those voters in Montana who agree with MSSA about this important right should know that Warburton will certainly be the best General Election candidate to represent our shared convictions.

Warburton is one of only two candidates for the Montana Legislature who received an A+ from MSSA, a grade MSSA awards only to incumbent legislators with a perfect voting record on MSSA-tracked issues, and who has also successfully carried a bill at the request of MSSA.”

-- Gary Marbut, President, Montana Shooting Sports Association

Please feel free to contact me any time at wendywarburton@gmail.com or 406-262-3185 or read more about me at www.WendyWarburton.com

                                      #  #  #

Wendy's opponent Dana Sapp-Siedel failed to send us any information

The only things we know about Siedel come from her campaign materials and radio ads She is a mother, nurse, and they lives on her husband’s family farm. From what we hear around town she is a delightful person and is well thought of. She says she will represent everyone in her district to the best of her ability and thinks there should be some expansion of healthcare to cure the deficiencies she sees in her career as a nurse

The folks at the Corrector have noticed that the Democrats seem to be concentrating what little effort they are putting forth in this election to defeating Warburton. Hill County Democrat Central Committeeman Bill Thackeray has written countless letters to the editor bemoaning Wendy's right-to-life stances, former Democrat chairwoman Debi Friede ran a failed attempt to boycott a local business that had the audacity to display a Warburton Pro-Life flyer, and on and on. There was quite a fray early on in this election about Wendy voting NO numerous times to HB2 which funds all of state government and tried to link that NO vote as a vote against Northern, kid’s health-care, motherhood and Americanism itself. Of course this wasn’t overly successful because any idiot knows that HB 2 is the funding bill that got voted on over 60 times before it finally passed. Even at the final vote there was still an increase in funding at most agencies and Warburton again voted NO to protect her constituents from any further tax increases.

To tell you the truth I like the fact that someone dared to buck the party trends and voted NO to yet another bloated budget but that is just me – an over-taxed Havre citizen. I am definitely not in favor of anymore expansion of health-care at taxpayer expense so I am staying with Incumbent Warburton this election as I think she has done a remarkable job and deserves another term

What say you readers?