MALTA, Mont. (NMB) – Faced with a primary challenge for the first time since 2016, incumbent Republican Casey Knudsen of Malta is hoping to be elected to a third term representing House District 33.
Knudsen, a cattle rancher, has served as the Vice Chair of the Agriculture Committee, where he says he has defended the property rights of ranchers and farmers.
“You can’t just go and tell people they can’t do what they want to do with their own property, especially when animals that are classified as livestock are involved. That was probably the biggest one that we had in that committee.”
Knudsen is a strong proponent of individual freedoms, and was the main sponsor of a 2019 bill that prevents Montanans from having their driver’s licenses suspended because of a failure to pay court costs.
“It just didn’t make much sense to me that if the court system is trying to get back their fees or court costs or stuff like that, why would we take their driver’s license away? Especially in Montana. That might work in other states with (better) public transportation. That might serve as an incentive. But up here, where you pretty easily have to drive 20 or 30 miles to get to work…it’s not the same area. You have to have the ability to get around, especially in the winter time.”
The district stretches from northern Hill County to northern Valley County, and includes the communities of Chinook, Malta, Turner, Glasgow, Whitewater and North Havre.
Stay tuned to New Media Broadcasters for more profiles of 2020 primary candidates.
