Election Guide '22

The candidates and issues on Montana's 2022 ballot

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Skylar Williams
Lost Democratic primary for U.S. House District 2 (East) in June 2022

Skylar Williams

Billings resident
Active candidates in race

Williams, 24, describes himself as a working-class Montanan who has had first-hand experience with hunger and homelessness as a child. He was born in Havre and grew up on the Rocky Boy’s Reservation and in Billings, he says.

He is campaigning for subsidized higher education, climate action, and lower health care costs.

This biography is based on information from Williams’ campaign website and written material he provided to MTFP.

MTFP coverage

Reporting on this candidate published by the Montana Free Press newsroom.
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Campaign finance

Based on reporting required by the U.S. Federal Election Commission. See individual candidate pages on the FEC website or the FEC's race summary page for more information. The FEC summary page may include candidates who haven't filed for the ballot in this race with the Montana secretary of state.
Candidate
Raised
Spent
Remaining
Matt Rosendale (R)
$2.1M
$1.2M
$1.2M
Gary Buchanan (I)
$563k
$343k
$221k
Penny Ronning (D)
$158k
$135k
$23k
Sam Rankin (L)
thru 10/19/22
$31k
$28k
$2k
Mark Sweeney (D)
thru 10/19/22
$123k
$120k
$0
Skylar Williams (D)
$5k
$5k
$0
James Boyette (R)
thru 5/25/22
$2k
$6k
−$3k
Kyle Austin (R)
$0
$0
$0
Roger Roots (L)
No FEC filings on record
$0
$0
$0
Samuel Thomas (L)
No FEC filings on record
$0
$0
$0
Charles Walking Child (R)
No FEC filings on record
$0
$0
$0

On the issues

The material shown below was solicted from candidates via a written questionnaire in May 2022. Responses were limited to 1,000 characters and edited lightly for punctuation and spelling. Responses have not been exhaustively fact-checked. Send questions to Eric Dietrich at edietrich@montanafreepress.org.
Q1: Polls indicate many Americans are concerned about the integrity of the nation’s democratic institutions. Both as a political candidate and as a potential member of Congress, what can you do to promote Montanans’ faith in American democracy?
Skylar Williams:

I can inspire people to vote. To pay more attention to their processes and show the fruits of their vote. Follow the ballots online and see when they were counted and as what. Voting is one of our only safeguards against corruption and when you don't vote, corruption spreads.

Q2: Do you believe Joe Biden was legitimately elected president in 2020?
Skylar Williams:

Yes

Q3: The cost of health care is a concern for many Montana families. What federal action would you support to improve the U.S. health care system?
Skylar Williams:

I am a supporter of Medicare for All. I believe the federal government has an obligation to take care of the health of all Americans. I am so sick of seeing my fellow Americans go into medical bankruptcy for the crime of getting sick. GoFundMes trying to raise money for insulin so they don't die. How hospitals can charge $88 for a 500mg tablet of Ibuprofen. Medicare for All will fix all of these issues and I would support legislation to make this law.

Q4: Housing costs are an increasing concern for many Montanans. What federal action would you support to promote housing affordability in Montana?
Skylar Williams:

As a congressman I would propose perhaps federal housing. Use eminent domain to acquire one city block (doesn't have to be in the heart of downtown) and create a huge apartment building that everyone can live in for $300 a month all utilities paid (1bd 1ba, costs goes up $100 per extra room) and the money generated from this would not go to make the federal government money but to instead pay for the upkeep of the building itself. Pay for repairs, staffing, utilities etc. I don't believe people renting a home should be cost burdened for simply wanting a roof over their heads.

Q5: To what extent do you see climate change as an urgent issue? What if any federal action would you support to mitigate its effects?
Skylar Williams:

As a member of the younger generation we see climate change as an immediate issue. This one issue is a lot of the reason for the younger generation getting involved and running for office in the first place. I would look very hard into making the most out of renewable energy and forcing usage of plastics to drop down immensely. Climate change has always existed but humans are altering it for the worse and we need to amend this quickly and stop putting it on the back burner as current and former lawmakers have for so long.

Q6: Do you see reining in the federal debt as a priority? If so, how should that be accomplished? If you support new taxes or spending cuts, please identify specifics about who would pay more or what budget areas you’d cut. (We assume that working to minimize waste, fraud and abuse is a given.)
Skylar Williams:

Of course, I personally dislike being in debt and I'm sure a lot of people feel the same. When I was taught finances by my guardians I learned very quickly to not spend money you don't have. There are people who are the richest among us who pay $0 in federal taxes which obviously isn't fair. If I have to pay so should they, they are benefiting from the roads, emergency services and labor in our country but don't have to contribute to it? Hell no, if you can spend $44B on Twitter you can afford to pay your damn taxes.

Q7: What do you see as the most important priorities for the management of federal lands in Montana? Should the federal government consider transferring some federally held land into state ownership?
Skylar Williams:

The most important I would say would be wildfires. The federal government’s obligation is to the people of the U.S.A and if the people and the state want the land back it would be obligated to give it back. I do however believe that the BLM does a great job protecting our public lands and see no reason to stop a great service.

Q8: What do you see as the single most significant issue facing Montana’s public education system, and what if any federal action would you support to address it?
Skylar Williams:

I support free college. I don't believe education should be put behind a paywall and in Montana that is no exception. The federal government has an obligation to educate the citizens and if we want better, higher educated workers we need to stop forcing them into debt to get it.

Q9: In the event Roe v. Wade is overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court, would you support federal legislation that either guarantees abortion access or that, alternatively, establishes legal protections for life beginning at conception? What specific provisions would you like to see included in future federal abortion law?
Skylar Williams:

I would support legislation that guarantees the right to have an abortion. This decision is hard on a family and would be made no better by the government getting involved in making this decision for them.

Q10: What changes, if any, would you like to see to current federal regulations regarding firearm ownership?
Skylar Williams:

I support the Second Amendment. I also believe that there are people that straight-up shouldn't own a firearm. People who are suspected of terrorism or have been collaborating with those suspected of the terrorism. If you are a danger to yourself or others you have no business owning a firearm.

Q11: Montanans voted to legalize adult marijuana use in 2020. Do you support removing cannabis from the federal government’s Schedule 1 controlled substance list?
Skylar Williams:

Yes I do. I also support overturning all prior convictions of marijuana because it is safer than tobacco and alcohol. It is not a lethal drug and needs to be legalized.

Election results

June 7 Democratic primary vote
58%
21,983
23%
8,586
Count reported by Montana secretary of state as of 7/19/22

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