Kassmier makes bid for House district race

After losing the Fort Benton mayoral election last year by three votes, Joshua Kassmier has filed to run for the Montana House of Representatives.

Kassmier, a Republican, filed with the Montana Secretary of State's office Jan. 17 to appear on the ballot in June's Republican primary in Montana House District 27, the candidate filing list on the Secretary of State's website says.

The district extends from the Canadian border north of Chester down to Great Falls, and includes the communities of Kremlin, Gildford, Rudyard, Hingham, Joplin, Inverness, Big Sandy and Fort Benton.

Incumbent James O'Hara, R-Fort Benton, has not filed to run for a second term to the seat, but has filed to mount a bid for the District 3 seat on the Chouteau County Commission.

No other candidates have filed to run for the seat before print deadline today.

Kassmier, 37, is a crop insurance adjuster and farmer from Fort Benton. After high school, Kassmier worked as a paid intern with then-U.S. Sen. Conrad Burns, R-Mont. He has a bachelor's degree in political science and public management from Carroll College.

Kassmier said Thursday he has tried to be involved with politics and thinks the best way to do that is to run for office.

"I do believe citizens have to be involved if you want to change things for the better," he said.