Williams Makes Early Campaign Stop in Glasgow

Kathleen Williams made a campaign stop in Glasgow on April 8 at Soma Dis Deli. The former Montana legislator and prior candidate is running for Montana’s sole seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. She ran and lost by less than five percent against incumbent Republican Greg Gianforte in 2018.

With a couple dozen people in attendance, the Congressional hopeful stumped on issues such as bipartisanship, her Montana roots, her priorities, which she labeled affordable health care, fostering opportunity across Montana and a focus on natural resources including protecting Montana’s outdoor heritage.

Williams described her campaign in 2017 and 2018 as an “incredible conversation with Montana,” and said she was “running for them. For those people who shared their struggles, hopes and dreams” with her.

The evening put a lot of focus on health care, which the candidate cited as the issue of most concern for the Montanans she had spoken to. Williams laid out her platform, unchanged from the 2018 race, saying she supports a 55 year old and older option to buy into Medicare and she supports mental health coverage being mandatory on insurance plans.

John Heenan pushed back on the notion that her platform should remain unchanged, citing concerns that she needed to appeal to more of Montana. Williams denied the claim though touting the closeness of her election against an incumbent.

“We came within 4.6 percent of unseating an incumbent,” claimed Williams. So, when you’ve found you built a movement that’s bigger than you, you don’t give up, you double down.”

Williams was then pressed on whether she was backing off her position that she was for a “Medicare for all” policy. She responded that she had never been for such a policy, that her platform had always been for the buy in at 55 years old.

A separate participant then pressed her on the opposite concern asking why she was not for “Medicare for all.”

“I don’t think we can pass Medicare for all,” responded Williams. “I, personally, do not want to be forced off the insurance I have.” The candidate went on to describe her insurance plan through her late husband’s retirement that she says is great, but that she is one of the lucky few. She did not, however, denounce the idea of Medicare for all.

“My stance has always been letting 55 and older buy in to Medicare and using that as a dialogue for quality health care for all,” said Williams.

Williams spoke also on the issues facing ranchers and farmers, saying that they needed to help them stay on the land and share the stories of how they best serve the land.

“I have a real commitment to rural Montana,” said Williams, “I’ve hunted statewide, I served statewide on the water board, and I’m very concerned about rural Montana.”