Candidates square off in House District 27

After making headlines in 2012 as a Republican primary candidate for governor who painted his own campaign billboards, four years later Jim O'Hara still hopes to go to Helena, but this time as a state lawmaker.

O'Hara is the Republican candidate in the race for the House District 27 seat in the Montana House of Representatives. The district encopasses western Hill County, all of Chouteau and Liberty counties and Northern Cascade County.

He will face Ryan Rominger, a psychology professor and farmer from Floweree in November's general election. The seat is now held by termed-out state Rep. Roy Hollandsworth, R-Brady.

"I think networking is the key to political success and I believe I am pretty good at that, and I believe I have a lot of contacts that I have made over the years,

people I can work with." said O'Hara, a former two term Chouteau County Commissioner.

"I believe in working with people," he said.  

Many people he has worked with, now hold political office themselves, he said.

A north-central Montana native who grew up in Fort Benton, O'Hara said that Montana has a unique role and the ability to thrive in the modern U.S. economy.

"I think the United States has evolved into a nation of consumers, we consume. But Montana is a little different, we produce," O'Hara said.

He said while there needs to be regulations, they should be kept to a minimum. If Montana does that it could address its decline in state revenue.

"The government doesn't create jobs but the government can remove barriers to production and let our people produce, and be productive and let businesses grow and thrive without being hobbled by regulations and red tape," O'Hara said.

O'Hara said that could also help create more higher paying jobs.

"I would encourage businesses to be creative and again get the government out of the way as much as you can and let our businesspeople and our products do business and thrive," he said.

If elected, O'Hara said, reform  of the state's tort laws and tax code, as well as streamlining state regulations will be his major priorities.  

O'Hara said the state needs to fix its aging infrastructure, but would be opposed to state bonding in the coming legislative session.

"Our agriculture producers are struggling, I think uor state tax revenue is projected to be way down," he said. "So I think it is going to be a tough year fiscally."

Transfer of Montana's public lands from state or local control is something O'Hara opposes. However, he  said that he believes local government and residents should have input about how those lands are managed.

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Name: Jim O' Hara

Date and place of birth: Jan. 14, 1954, Fort Benton

Education: Fort Benton High School, 1972; Montana State University, never graduated

Professional: Farmer, Business owner 1998-2014, Chouteau County Commissioner, 2001-2013

Military Service:  None

Family: Wife, Vicky O'Hara, two daughters, three granddaughters and one grandson

Previous political experience:

Chouteau County Commissioner, 2001-2013, Unsuccessful Republican primary candidate for governor, 2012

Community Affiliations: Immaculate Conception Church, member, Governor's Tax Advisory Board, 2012-2016