Monica Tranel
Active candidates for U.S. House District 1 (West)
Tranel, 58 as of Election Day, is a Missoula-based attorney who specializes in utility and energy issues. She says she was born in Wyoming and grew up in Miles City, Ashland, Broadview and Billings. She also competed as a rower in the 1996 and 200 summer Olympics.
Tranel previously made an unsuccessful bid for Congress in 2022, losing to now-incumbent U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke. She also made a bid for the Montana Public Service Commission in 2020.
This year, she says she’s running in an effort to address cost-of-living challenges like rising housing prices.
“I will bring this problem-solving approach to the issues we face here in Montana, and be a voice for the missing middle — the people who want to get things done for the betterment of our community,” she said in a statement.
This biography is based on information provided by Tranel’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.
Housing. Having traveled tens of thousands of miles in my minivan connecting with people, the issue people everywhere want solved is housing. Students are worried about the high cost of rent, homeowners are worried about rising property taxes and seniors are increasingly unable to find space in nursing homes.
I’ve held workshops on housing across the district. Our communities have thoughtful, innovative ideas to address housing, but they need support from federal partners.
Congress can impact housing policy through policies such as: changes in the tax code; removing the permanent chassis requirement for manufactured homes; offering incentives that promote housing construction in high-demand regions; aligning policies that affect transportation, water, and sewer with housing production; and redefining “affordable” so middle class families have access to programs that can help them afford to buy or rent a home. Sen. Tester has proposed solutions that I would advance in the House.
Jon Tester. Sen. Tester has been an effective legislator for Montana, and instrumental in investing in Montana through projects like the Tech Hub designation that led to growth of a local optics and photonics industry bringing good jobs to Montana; Kagy Boulevard in Bozeman, the PACT Act for veterans that helps people here get care they need, and the 93 bypass in Kalispell. Sen. Tester has pushed for enactment of legislation like the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act and the Montana Headwaters Legacy Act, advancing homegrown solutions to help local issues on the ground.
I will be a partner in the House to help get these kinds of bills across the finish line.
My first priority is always to do right by Montana. I will work respectfully with everyone, regardless of party, to make sure that the necessary work gets done, but I will also take on anyone whose actions hurt Montanans. I will work with the administration to get inflation under control and increase the supply of housing that people can afford in our state. Housing costs are a growing concern across the country, and I will work with anyone to champion this issue and make housing more affordable.
I will work with the administration to defend our privacy and freedom, and will work to protect the right for all women to choose when and how they start their family.
I have spent my career working to bring people together to tackle hard problems. I will take that same approach to D.C. and work with whoever is in office to fight for Montanans. I will work respectfully with everyone, regardless of party, to make sure that the necessary work gets done, but I will also take on anyone whose actions hurt Montanans.
Yes. A first step is making sure that those who have benefited the most from the American economy pay some taxes — the 2017 tax cuts for the wealthiest and biggest multinational corporations should be allowed to expire. That alone will go a long way to reining in the deficit. We must also surgically cut government waste where it exists while ensuring we take care of our veterans, children, the elderly, and invest in our future.
I stand by the privacy and freedom that we are guaranteed as Americans to make the most personal decisions about our lives without government interference, and support legislation that protects that constitutional privacy and freedom. As the mother of three daughters, I trust women and their families to make the most private decisions in their lives — including when, whether and with whom to become a parent. In Congress I will fight to protect Montanans' freedoms, including the right to make private decisions about abortion and IVF fertility treatments, so families in Montana have the freedom to decide when and how they choose to start their families, without government mandates and intrusion. I will support legislation that restores the freedoms protected by Roe v. Wade.
I will never let the government interfere with our most basic, fundamental freedom to make the private decisions about who we love, whether we have a family, and how we live.
It’s simply unacceptable that school teachers, saw mill workers, nurses and lifelong Montanans can’t afford a home, as more and more Montanans are being squeezed out.
Solving the housing crisis requires all elected representatives to engage together. Congress can support: use of mass timber; addressing restrictions to unlock supply of manufactured homes; adjusting cost of living and Area Median Income to reflect local realities; increasing trade school programs to bring more local workers into the industry; more directly funding local government through programs grants; raising the threshold on qualified census tract criteria for LIHTC and expand the program to include higher wage earners to target key employees like teachers, police, fire, nurses; removing incentives to own multiple homes, such as removing tax deductibility of second homes and taxing corporate ownership of multiple housing stock; and supporting legislation that Sen. Tester is working on, including the PRICE act.
Drought, increased wildfire, and decreased snowpack are urgent issues we must address now. The energy transition is here, and Montana can be a leader in investing in Montana while taking advantage of our incredible resources and growing our economy. We can streamline the transmission process, consider all options for energy that have zero carbon emissions, and develop distributed generation to ensure energy resilience, freedom, and security in our communities that will define our economy in the next 20 years. Western Montana has the resources and infrastructure to lead this economic growth.
My experience working in the energy world, working on projects from soup to nuts, representing landowners, project developers, off takers and advocating for farmers, ranchers, energy producers and everyday Montanans makes me a powerful voice for Montana in Congress. We can secure a livable future for all by investing in the energy transition and making sure Montana’s resources benefit Montanans.
Secure the border and make sure there is a legal process for immigration that works. The Bipartisan Border Security bill in the Senate was a real step forward that would allow us to immediately shut down the border if it becomes overwhelmed, increase the number of Border Patrol agents, and crack down on the flow of fentanyl. The bill was endorsed by the men and women in the Border Patrol on the front lines. In Congress, I will work to secure our border and protect Montanans. I will never play politics with our safety.
I will support legislation to protect Montanans access to care and make sure they can afford it. Some steps I would take include making sure the 2008 Mental Health Parity Act is fully funded and followed, ensuring that Medicaid expansion remains intact, addressing the costs of prescription drugs as was done with the legislation that implemented $35 insulin, protecting veterans by supporting legislation like the PACT Act, listening to our Native Americans and acting to make sure they get health care in the communities they live in; addressing costs of transport for health care and making sure they are covered when necessary; making sure nursing home costs are covered so our nursing homes remain open.
Rural hospitals in our state also depend on Medicaid expansion and maintaining the program is crucial to ensuring our hospitals can keep their doors open. I will fight to protect Medicare and the expansion of Medicaid to ensure our Montana communities are safe and stable.
MTFP COVERAGE OF Tranel
CAMPAIGN FINANCE
Election outcomes
| Candidate | Votes | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| MONICA TRANEL | 59,192 |
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.