Hartman enters Senate election as lone Democrat

Melissa Hartman’s decision to enter the election for a seat in the state Legislature came on quick notice. No Democrats had filed for Senate District 3, and the March 14 deadline to register was looming.

“I got a call from the [Democratic] party on Thursday evening and had to make a decision by Monday,” Hartman said. “It definitely was unexpected.”

But after thinking it over, she decided the time was right to throw her name into the mix.

“I really felt strongly about the potential for people in government to bring about positive change,” she said. “That’s what it is for me, the opportunity to bring positive change for Montanans.”

Whitefish businessman Don Kaltschmidt and House Majority Leader Rep. Keith Regier will face off in the Republican primary election. The seat is open with outgoing Sen. Bruce Tutvedt, R-Kalispell, having reached term limits.

Senate District 3 includes the Whitefish and Big Mountain area, as well as the rural areas of West Valley, south to Kalispell, and north to Olney.

Born in Washington D.C., Hartman, 47, spent her youth in Florida and later attended high school in New York. She went on to study government and economics at Connecticut College, then earned a master’s in social work at New York University.

She moved to Whitefish in 2008 after years of visiting friends in the area.

She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a private practice in Whitefish.

She started her career in government before finding social work.

“My first job out of college was with the Department of Commerce,” she explained. “And that was when I still had these big dreams about going in to politics and changing the world. But what I discovered was a really massive bureaucracy. So I can appreciate the frustrations people have with big government from that experience.”

Ultimately, it drove her in different career direction toward social work.

She says both experiences will guide her if elected to the Legislature.

“As a social worker, I’ve seen so many people who have fallen through the cracks,” she said. “It’s also about how can we develop policies that... empower [people] to have happy and productive lives. I’ve seen people make those changes on an individual level. To be able to do that on a larger scale would be fantastic.”

Hartman says she falls “left of center” on the political spectrum, but has a deep appreciation for the diversity of Montana politics.

“The diverse population of Montana is what drew me here,” she said. “If I wanted to be around liberals I could have just hung out in New York City the rest of my life. I appreciate the diversity of cultures here.”

She says it will be important to find common ground among fellow legislators in representing a district with a mix of progressive and conservative viewpoints.

“I don’t consider myself an ideolog,” she said. “I’m passionate about Democratic values, but I also believe that Democrats and Republicans ultimately want the same fundamental things. It’s about finding that common ground. I do think it’s possible to work together and come up with solutions.”

Hartman is interested in addressing economic development in the state and says she supports Gov. Steve Bullock’s Main Street Montana initiative.

“If you want to lift communities up, [economic development] is essential,” she said.

She is also an advocate for the environment and public access to open space.

“Keeping public lands public and preserving Montana’s outdoor culture here — it’s vital we protect that,” she said. “Water quality issues and water access issues are huge.”

With her background in social work, she’d also like to see more work done with health and human services.

“Addressing the high suicide rate, substance abuse, alcohol abuse — find some solutions to those significant issues here in Montana,” she said.

She believes Montana is in a good standing, but wants to look deeper into policy and how it can impact Montanans.

“Where is our money going and do we need to shift that into another directions?” she said. “Policy sometimes addresses the symptoms and not the underlying issues.”

Hartman has served on the boards of the Hugh Rogers Wag Park and Center for Restorative Youth Justice, and currently is part of the leadership for Glacier Climate Action and is serving on the Climate Change Task Force.

She lives with her husband Dave, and her two basset hounds, Wilbur and Barnaby.

Nancy Woodruff is treasurer of Hartman’s campaign. Her campaign website is www.votehartmansd3.com.