f your only news about Montana Democrats comes from the Gazette, you’d think we care about only one thing: winning the U.S. Senate.

That’s an incomplete picture. Yellowstone County Democrats are doing so much more.

We have a qualified candidate in almost every single state House and Senate race, plus County Commission, Sheriff, and the Public Service Commission. They’re thoughtful, passionate neighbors with real ideas for our county. Meet them at ycdmt.org/candidates.

We’ve knocked on thousands of doors this year to hear what matters to you. We’re building the infrastructure to turn out voters countywide. When food assistance was cut last fall, our food drive delivered over 1,000 pounds to Family Services. We influenced statewide thinking on public safety, data center regulation, and government accountability.

Our Democratic legislators voted to protect Medicaid expansion, fund affordable housing, and raise starting teacher pay, and they’re working to bring passenger rail back to Montana. They’ve also joined statewide strategy sessions setting research-backed priorities for 2027, so the Democrats you send to Helena arrive ready to govern. We don’t want to win for winning’s sake. We win to improve the lives of fellow Montanans.

Curious what we’d do in office? Read our platform at montanademocrats.org/platformbylaws. It’s clear, actionable, and written democratically by Montanans from all sectors, including ag, labor, land, education, law, hospitality, energy, and everyday families.

Finally, don’t forget the many people — who vote for Democrats and espouse our values — who fight every day for an improved quality of life through nonpartisan groups doing amazing work. Think: education, healthcare, economic development, foster kids, clean air and water, public lands, mental health, election security, and housing.

Your local Democrats are doing a lot. Don’t let the headlines tell you otherwise.

-Virginia Duke, Yellowstone County Democrats Chair