Nelson, Kassmier campaign for seat in House District 27: Dan Nelson, Democrat

Democrat Dan Nelson of Fort Benton is facing Republican Joshua Kassmier, also of Fort Benton, in the November election for the seat in Montana House District 27, a seat previously held by Rep. Jim O'Hara, R-Fort Benton.

O'Hara did not run for re-election to the seat, instead aiming to go back to his former seat on the Chouteau County Commission. He lost to incumbent Republican Robert Pasha in the primary in June.

Nelson said he was born in Missoula in 1944, during World War II, and grew up mostly in the Missoula and Flathead areas. He said he moved to Havre during high school, graduating from Havre High School in 1962, and played on Havre High School's state-championships-winning Blue Pony football team.

After high school, Nelson said, he attended Northern Montana College, now Montana State University-Northern, where he played football and in 1966 graduated with a bachelor's degree in education. He would later also receive a master's degree in school administration from Montana State University in Bozeman in 1979.

He was a biology teacher in Havre and taught in other schools in the surrounding areas, such as Chinook and Harlem. In 1973, he said, he moved to the Flathead area were he taught throughout the '70s, including in Columbia Falls and Whitefish.

Nelson also worked as a superintendent across the state, his last 12 years at Blue Creek in Billings.

Retiring in 2010, Nelson and his wife, Margie Johnstone, moved to Fort Benton, where his wife's family from both sides had settled in the 1800s. He and his wife have two daughters, he said, who are both married and each have two of their own children.

Nelson said he is unsure who is the best candidate for the race, but he is certain his experience and background in budgeting and finance would serve as a benefit in the Legislature.

He added that since he is also retired, he has the time to make his job as a representative a full-time job. Many in the Legislature have full time occupations in addition to being a lawmaker, he said, adding that when he was still working in the educational field he wouldn't have had time.

He said he is part of Fort Benton's Community Improvement Association, which began in 1950 and oversees Fort Benton's historical areas. The River and Plains Society and other organization first began as part of that association, Nelson said.

He added he also helps and volunteers with the recycling efforts in the Fort Benton area.

In the past, Nelson said, he was involved in various educational organizations.

He said he cares about money in politics and is trying to stay away from people with big money trying to influence politicians.

"You wish that wasn't the case," he said.

He added that he is modeling good behavior and not accepting any donations throughout his campaign. Nelson said it might be low-budget, but whatever money comes into his campaign comes from his own pocket.

He said he became interested in running in the race after seeing Democratic candidate Paul Tuss, who is facing off against Sen. Russ Tempel, R-Chester, in his bid for re-election in Senate District 14.

"I think highly of Paul, and he did a good job, and I thought I can do a good job, too," Nelson said.

Nelson said he doesn't care about partisanship. In the past, he has never had any association with either party, he said, and has no reason to become partisan in the future.

He added that he works hard to be independent and hopes to find some people in the Legislature who feel the same way.

"Unite rather than divide," he said.

Nelson said his main purpose for wanting to go to the Legislature is to balance the budget. He said, because of his experience in the past, he understands that budgets have two side, expenditures and revenue, and it is important to make a conservative budget so at the end there is, hopefully, a surplus. The surplus, he added, cannot be used unless there is a disaster such as wildfires.

He said the shortfall in the revenue in the last Legislative session had an impact on Fort Benton, causing a loss of services such as the public services office closing and people having to go to Great Falls for their needs. Some were turned away because those offices had too many cases already, Nelson added.

He said the best way to approach a budget is conservatively, to underestimate revenue. Farming and ranching isa good example of fluctuating income, he addd. Due to weather or commodity prices, every year farmers and rancher pay varying income taxes to the state, he said, with that industry paying large amounts into government funding. So do gas and oil revenues, which also fluctuate, and it is important the budget doesn't overestimate in case of crisis.

"That's conservative," Nelson said.