Joel Krautter
Active candidates for U.S. House District 2 (East)
Republican
Democrat
Krautter, 36 as of Election Day, is a Billings attorney. He grew up in Deer Lodge and earned his law degree from the University of Montana.
Krautter served a term representing the Sidney area in the Montana Legislature as a Republican from 2019 to 2010, losing a re-election bid to a hardline Republican challenger. Krautter is the only candidate in the GOP primary field who has said he will not vote for Donald Trump if he’s the Republican nominee in the upcoming presidential election, offering at a recent Yellowstone County party event that he will write in a candidate.
As he campaigns this year, he is touting his experience living in both rural eastern Montana and the state’s largest city.
“I’m running for Congress to bring a new generation of leadership to Washington that will crush chaos and restore economic and social stability to our nation,” he said.
This biography is based on materials submitted by Krautter’s campaign and prior MTFP reporting.
ON THE ISSUES
Answers here were solicited from candidates via a written questionnaire conducted by MTFP in April 2024. Responses were limited to 1,000 characters and edited lightly for punctuation and spelling. Candidates were asked to focus on the positives their service would bring the state instead of making rhetorical attacks on their opponents. Responses have not been exhaustively fact-checked.
Water is the lifeblood of eastern and central Montana, where rural communities depend upon access to clean drinking water and agriculture producers depend on reliable access to water for their crops. In Congress, I will be a tireless advocate on water-related issues, for irrigation projects that agriculture depends upon and by supporting infrastructure investments in water projects that rural communities need for clean drinking water.
Public safety is critical to our communities and that is why I strongly disagreed with the $1.2 trillion Biden-Schumer 2024 budget bill that passed and defunded federal law enforcement agencies by $1 billion. That is the type of chaos in Washington, D.C. that will negatively impact Montana communities and we need to crush. Connected to public safety is the need to secure the U.S. southern border — which I personally visited in February — to fight illegal drugs and cartels.
Don Bacon (R-Nebraska). I respect Rep. Bacon because he is a common sense conservative who seems to be in Washington to do the work of the people who sent him, without seeking fanfare or celebrity status, which is the kind of leadership I believe we need more of.
Wherever President Biden’s interests align with Montana’s interests, I would work with him.
Wherever President Trump’s interests align with Montana’s interests, I would work with him.
Out-of-control deficit spending is a threat to the future of our country. We can get our budget back on track by reforming our legislative processes in a manner that allows for a fiscally conservative approach to financing government programs. Targeting one specific program of the budget for cuts will not achieve overall reduction of our budget. First, we need to have single-subject legislation in Congress, rather than large thousand-page, multi-subject omnibus bills. Single-subject legislation allows bills to pass or fail on their own merits.
Second, we need to get back to regular order — bills starting in committees, being debated and voted on and then moving to the full house for amendments, votes and compromise, rather than large legislation bypassing normal procedures.
Finally, we need to get back to asking whether whatever the federal government wants to do is specifically contemplated by the Constitution as being the responsibility of the federal government or not.
The issue of abortion and medical privacy should be determined by the people of each state, like has been happening through state referendums on the issue, rather than a one-size-fits-all federalized approach.
Solutions to the housing issues are generally best addressed at the state and local level, not in Washington, D.C. However, Congress should investigate and evaluate any federal regulatory barriers discouraging development of additional housing or that may be distorting housing markets and access to affordable financing options for first-time home buyers.
We have an obligation to be good stewards of the beautiful place we are lucky enough to live in. I do support responsible development of Montana’s natural resources that also complies with the Montana Constitution’s guaranteed right to a “clean and healthful environment.” I do think climate change is happening and that there are areas Congress can work on, such as by providing incentives in the forms of tax credits or grants, for businesses and individuals to adopt more sustainable practices, promote innovative carbon reducing or capturing practices, invest in energy efficiency and reduce waste.
I’ve been to the chaotic U.S. southern border and have observed this national security threat to Montana and our entire nation personally. I support a bipartisan strategy that provides the resources and personnel needed to secure the border and reduce the chaos. This includes more border patrol agents, immigration officers and judges, together with reinstatement of the “Remain in Mexico” policy.
Americans deserve a health care system that provides high-quality health care that is both accessible and affordable.
Congress needs to shine a spotlight on all sectors of the health care industry and look for ways to promote transparency for consumers and the public, as the best ways of raising awareness about practices that may not be in consumers interests. Areas Congress should look at in the health care industry includes the influence and power of the pharmaceutical industry on the cost of prescription drugs, as well as the many mergers and consolidations of hospitals. The interests of families, patients and communities must be put first, over shareholder profits and dividends. The health care industry is not a traditional market where there is ample choice for consumers, which means there are dangers for monopolistic and anticompetitive abuses occurring, requiring adequate oversight at the federal and state level.
MTFP COVERAGE OF Krautter
CAMPAIGN FINANCE
Election outcomes
| Candidate | Votes | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| TROY DOWNING | 36,050 | |
| DENNY REHBERG | 17,070 | |
| STACY ZINN | 13,478 | |
| ELSIE ARNTZEN | 9,394 | |
| KEN BOGNER | 8,969 | |
| RIC HOLDEN | 7,063 | |
| JOEL G. KRAUTTER | 3,409 | |
| KYLE AUSTIN | 3,138 | |
| ED WALKER | 1,152 |
COMMON VOTING QUESTIONS
When are Montana’s 2024 elections?
Voters will pick which candidates advance to the November general election in the June primary, which is scheduled for Tuesday, June 4. Voters will pick the candidates who will ultimately fill each office on the ballot in the November election, which is set for Tuesday, Nov. 5.
Who runs Montana’s elections?
Montana elections are administered at the county level. The process is overseen by county clerks and election administrators, who help to train and monitor the volunteer election judges that staff the polls. Ballots are typically processed and counted at central county locations, with the results reported to the Montana secretary of state’s office via a statewide software system called ElectMT.
Once polls close, the secretary of state’s office provides results through its website. The state-level office also provides guidance to local election administrators to ensure compliance with state election laws. Additionally, enforcing compliance with some laws governing political campaigns, particularly those involving campaign finance, falls to a separate office known as the Commissioner of Political Practices.
Do I need to be registered in order to vote?
Yes. If you’re unsure about your registration status, you can check it through the Montana secretary of state's My Voter Page. You can register to vote by stopping by your county election office any time during regular business hours to pick up an application. After you’ve filled it out, you’ll need to get it back to your county election office by mail or in person (the latter option is strongly recommended close to Election Day to ensure your application is received in time). If you do present your application in person, you’ll have to provide a photo ID or the last four digits of your Social Security number. If you happen to be applying for a Montana driver’s license or identification card before the election, you can register to vote at the same time.
Can I register to vote on Election Day?
Yes. The state Legislature has sought to enact an earlier registration deadline, but under a March 2024 ruling by the Montana Supreme Court, same-day voter registration remains legal in Montana. Residents can register to vote or update their voter registration at their county’s election office prior to 8 p.m. on Election Day.
Does Montana have voter ID requirements?
Yes, you will be required to present identification when voting at the polls. However, under the Montana Supreme Court’s March ruling, changes made to those requirements by the 2021 Legislature remain blocked. The current forms of identification voters can use at the polls are a current Montana driver’s license, state-issued photo ID, tribal or military photo ID, a U.S. passport or a student ID. If you don’t have a photo ID, you can use a utility bill, a bank statement, a voter confirmation card or any other government document that shows your name and address.
Are there situations where I wouldn't be eligible to vote?
According to state law, you can't vote if you'll be under age 18 on Election Day, are not a U.S. citizen, or have lived in Montana less than 30 days. Convicted felons who are currently incarcerated in a penal facility and people whom judges have ruled to be of unsound mind are also ineligible to vote. Otherwise, you're good to go.
Can I vote online?
No, that’s not an option in Montana.
Can I vote by mail?
Yes, you can sign up as an absentee voter by checking a box on your voter registration form. If you’re already registered to vote, you can fill out a separate form and submit it to your county election office.
If you’re registered as an absentee voter, a ballot should be mailed to you a few weeks in advance of each election day. You can make sure your address is current via the My Voter page. County election officials are slated to mail ballots to voters for the June 2024 primary election May 10.
You can return ballots by mail, or drop them off in person at your county’s election office. Either way, the election office must receive your ballot by 8 p.m. on Election Day in order to count it.
How do I vote in person?
If you plan to vote at the polls, just be sure you know where your polling location is and head there between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Election Day. You'll need to provide a photo ID and sign the precinct register, at which point you’ll get your ballot and be directed to a voting booth. If you have any technical questions or run into any problems, the election judges at your polling place should be able to help you.
I have a friend or family member who isn't able to drop off his or her mail-in ballot. Can I do it for them?
Yes, you can. The Montana Legislature did make some changes to ballot collection laws in 2021 related to paid ballot collection, those changes have also been blocked by the Montana Supreme Court.
Who should I vote for?
That’s your call, not ours. We hope the information we present on this guide is helpful as you make that decision for yourself, though.
About this project
This guide was produced by the Montana Free Press newsroom with production and web development by Eric Dietrich, editing by Brad Tyer and Nick Ehli and contributions from Arren Kimbel-Sannit, Mara Silvers, Alex Sakariassen, Amanda Eggert and Stephanie Farmer. Questionnaire responses for legislatiive candidates were collected with help from the Montana League of Women Voters, through the league's Vote 411 program. Contact Eric Dietrich with questions, corrections or suggestions at edietrich@montanafreepress.org.
Montana Free Press is a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit, reader-supported news organization serving Montana. MTFP's donor base includes supporters from across Montana's political spectrum, including some Montanans who are candidates in this year's election. MTFP's major donors are listed here and a current list of other supporters is available here. MTFP's news judgments are made entirely independently from donor involvement.
This material is available for republication by other media outlets under Montana Free Press' standard distribution terms.