Election 2014: House District 27: Rob Laas

Born: March 20, 1965, Chester

High school graduation: Chester High School, 1983

College: Montana State University, Northern Montana College, no degree

Military: None

Political office: None

Family: Wife, Tina, two sons

Groups or organizations: Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Farmers Union, Boy Scouts of America, Cub Scouts

Chester area farmer Rob Laas was, to some degree, inspired to run for the state Legislature by a federal issue - the U.S. Supreme Court Citizens United decision that essentially allowed corporations to plow money into elections.

Laas, the Democratic candidate facing three-term Rep. Roy Hollandsworth, R-Brady, in the race for House District 27, said he thought about running in 2012, but decided his plate was just too full.

"It's gotten worse in the last two years," he said. "Seeing the courts ... opening the door that corporations have civil liberties, that devalues us, in my opinion. The way we are recognized in the courts is by civil liberties. Justice holds her scales blindfolded, but her ears are open."

The two are running in a massive district that stretches from the Canadian border in Hill and Liberty counties through Chouteau County to just outside of Great Falls in Cascade County.

He went to college, first in Bozeman then in Havre, but left to help his mother with the family farm when his father died in 1989, and has been there ever since.

That lets him keep up his hobby of following politics - Laas calls himself a political junkie - "and the last 10 years, out on the tractor, I have had a lot of thought about how I would run a campaign."

His goal is to run a clean campaign holding to his principles, Laas said.

"I think people just want a straight answer, if they agree with you or if they disagree with you, but it would be refreshing to have the opportunity to decide if they agree with you," he said.

Why did you run for office?

Laas said a reason he ran was because he wanted to run a different kind of campaign.

"The real reason was I've grown far too sceptical," he said.

He said if someone gives a half a million dollars to a campaign, sometime they will want to come talk about issues with that candidate.

"I say, here is the problem: Nobody gives anybody anything for free," he said.

Laas said he has accepted no money from political action committees, which has made him be very creative, such as making home-made plywood campaign signs.

Why should people vote for you?

Laas said he is trying to be an example of opposition to what he sees as the problem in politics.

Negative campaigning, signs all over the streets, roads and highways, nonstop commercials - "I see that as being a symptom of the problem," he said.

The increased money from big business, and the increased rights being given to them, could lead to corporations being granted all the rights of an American citizen.

"I definitely don't want to be the candidate who does that," Lang said.

Medicaid expansion

Laas said he supports expanding eligibility for Medicaid.

"Most people whose families have got a member with cystic fibrosis or ALS or a multitude of genetic diseases, most end up on public assistance and most go through bankruptcy," he said, adding that that drains the economy for everyone.

He said it's better for everyone if everyone helps out - "That's insurance ... ," Laas said. "It's better if people don't have to go to the bottom of the pit of hell and find out they lost everything."

Thoughts on Early Edge Montana state-funded pre-kindergarten

Laas said he is torn on the idea of state-funded pre-kindergarten education. He can see where early social skills and values should be learned at home, but, at the same time, many people have both parents working one or more jobs and unable to stay at home.

"I think I support it. You're never too young to start learning," Laas said. "I haven't seen the bread and butter of his plan, but, yeah, I'm for young kids being able to get education. It might be some of the best education they could get."

State taking control of federal land

Laas said the state already has trouble managing its own land, and if it took over federal land it probably would have it only long enough to sell it.

"I am against anything that makes our public lands being sold to the highest bidder," he said.

No texting while driving law

Laas said, about the possibility of a law banning texting while driving, that he has some experience - he himself, driving down a straight stretch of road, almost went into the ditch while making a short response to a text, when he could have pulled over to answer it.

"I am opposed to texting while driving," he said.

Same-sex marriage

Laas said he supports removing the ban on same-sex marriage.

"It's not between you and your government; it's between you and your god," he said.

He said everyone can be taken to task for their choices, but he does not want to be judmental and look at people from whether they are gay or straight, or the color of their skin, or their sexual preference.

He added that he would look at laws about same-sex marriage as he would everything else: Is it taking away someone's rights.

"We are only as free as a nation as how free the least of us are," he said.